The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories

• The Nine Billion Names Of God by Arthur C. Clarke

  A team of engineers travels to a remote Tibetan monastery to install a computer meant to complete a centuries-long sacred task. But as the machine nears the end of its work, the engineers realize the monks believe its final output will trigger something far greater than they ever imagined. The Nine Billion Names Of God by Arthur C. Clarke. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Have you filled out our listener survey? We want to know what you think about The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, and we would really appreciate it if you would take the time to participate. There is a link to the survey in the description or you can find it at lostscifi.com. Survey - https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk?Today’s story is one of Arthur C. Clarke’s most famous and most debated works—The Nine Billion Names of God. First published in 1953, it blends technology, philosophy, and belief in a way that only Clarke could.In this tale, two engineers trek into the remote Himalayas to help a monastery complete a centuries-old sacred project. What begins as a straightforward installation job slowly reveals an idea so vast and unexpected that it has echoed through science fiction ever since.Clarke is at his most graceful and unforgettable here. The story later earned the Retro Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 2004. It first appeared in Ballantine Books’ Star Science Fiction Stories anthology in February 1953, released in both paperback and hardcover. We are looking for the last story on page 195, The Nine Billion Names Of God by Arthur C. Clarke…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A desperate treasure hunt on the frozen surface of Mars turns explosive when three men uncover the legendary weapons of a vanished civilization. But the greatest danger is not what the Martians left behind — it’s the ambition boiling inside the humans who find it. The Last Weapon by Robert Sheckley.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsVFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLostSciFiPodcastTwitter - https://x.com/LostSciFiPodInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy❤️ ❤️ Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Know Thy Neighbor by Elisabeth R. Lewis

  In a rundown San Francisco apartment building, Ellen begins to suspect something monstrous is hiding behind her neighbors’ polite smiles. When the cats go missing and the noises in the walls grow louder, she realizes she might be the only human left who knows the truth. Know Thy Neighbor by Elisabeth R. Lewis. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Your support means a lot to us. Amy Özkan just bought us 3 coffees and added this message: “I appreciate this podcast and that you have narrated so many stories that we can choose from. I enjoy old-time radio science fiction series like "X Minus One" and others that were created for adults. I found your podcast when I finished listening to just about every old time sci-fi drama I could find. This has become a regular night time routine for me as I enjoy listening just before falling asleep. Thank you Scott.”Thank you Amy! We appreciate you.Thanks for the great feedback on our weekly newsletter! Want every Monday’s issue delivered to you—along with free sci-fi and other goodies? Tap the link in the description or head to LostSciFi.com.Today’s story, Know Thy Neighbor by Elisabeth R. Lewis, takes us into a San Francisco apartment building where something strange is happening behind closed doors. A dead cat, a frightened tenant, and whispers of a green-skinned intruder turn a normal morning into mounting dread.Lewis was one of many talented women who wrote for the pulp magazines but never received the recognition they deserved. It’s the only story of hers we’ve been able to uncover, and once you listen, we think you’ll feel the same way we do: if only we had a time machine to urge her to keep writing.Published in February 1953 in Galaxy Science Fiction magazine on page 100, Know Thy Neighbor by Elisabeth R. Lewis…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A team of engineers travels to a remote Tibetan monastery to install a computer meant to complete a centuries-long sacred task. But as the machine nears the end of its work, the engineers realize the monks believe its final output will trigger something far greater than they ever imagined. The Nine Billion Names Of God by Arthur C. Clarke.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsVFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLostSciFiPodcastTwitter - https://x.com/LostSciFiPodInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy❤️ ❤️ Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• The Meteor Girl by Jack Williamson

  A screaming meteor tears out of the sky and leaves more than a crater in its wake—inside it lies a mystery that bends the laws of physics. When Charlie King steps into the blue haze surrounding the fallen stone, he discovers that rescuing the Meteor Girl may require a leap across space-time itself. The Meteor Girl by Jack Williamson. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.I love hearing from listeners around the world—it’s your feedback that keeps Lost Sci-Fi flying through the galaxy week after week. Here’s a message that made my day from RickBase456 on Spotify“Love The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast! Scott’s narrations and characterizations sound like the voices I imagine when reading. I found the podcast on Spotify when I searched for ‘Sci-Fi,’ checked out the first story, and never looked back. Many thanks for an entertaining podcast that reminds me of the days when I subscribed to the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.”Thanks Rick! We’re happy to take you on a trip down science-fiction memory lane. We’ve got a fascinating trip through forgotten futures, strange worlds, and stories that once filled the golden pages of pulp magazines — all brought back to life, one episode at a time.What would you do if a glowing meteor landed on Earth—not with destruction, but with a doorway to something impossible? Jack Williamson wasn’t just asking that question… he was asking it in 1931, when ideas like relativity, other dimensions, and cosmic portals were still wild, frightening theories rather than sci-fi staples. A love story, a scientific gamble, a leap into the unknown—time to find out how far one man will go to save the woman he loves… even if it means stepping outside the universe itself. From Astounding Stories in March 1931 our story begins on page 404, The Meteor Girl by Jack Williamson…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, In a rundown San Francisco apartment building, Ellen begins to suspect something monstrous is hiding behind her neighbors’ polite smiles. When the cats go missing and the noises in the walls grow louder, she realizes she might be the only human left who knows the truth. Know Thy Neighbor by Elisabeth R. Lewis.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsVFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLostSciFiPodcastTwitter - https://x.com/LostSciFiPod❤️ ❤️ Thanks to All Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• The Other One by A. H. Gibson

  A routine bank delivery turns into a night of sinister secrets when a young clerk visits a wealthy recluse in the lonely hills of West Virginia. What he discovers in the cellar — and later inside a wine cask — reveals a decade-old revenge no one imagined. The Other One by A. H. Gibson. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.This story by A. H. Gibson delivers the kind of eerie, slow-building tension that early pulp fiction did best. There are no aliens or machines, just good old fashioned pulp fiction.We know very little about A. H. Gibson, whose story appeared in The Black Cat magazine in the late 1800s — a publication renowned for its strange, psychological, and macabre fiction. Though Gibson never achieved fame, The Other One proves why forgotten writers from the early pulp era deserve rediscovery. It stands as a perfect example of what “lost” truly means — a dark gem waiting to be found again.From the second issue of The Black Cat in November 1895, on page 34, The Other One by A. H. Gibson…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A screaming meteor tears out of the sky and leaves more than a crater in its wake—inside it lies a mystery that bends the laws of physics. When Charlie King steps into the blue haze surrounding the fallen stone, he discovers that rescuing the Meteor Girl may require a leap across space-time itself. The Meteor Girl by Jack Williamson.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsVFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLostSciFiPodcastTwitter - https://x.com/LostSciFiPod❤️ ❤️ Thanks to All Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Shadow World by Ray Cummings

  Two men cross into a mysterious fourth-dimensional world in search of a rare element that could save their own civilization — or destroy another. But the moment they arrive, they discover they are not the only ones with a hidden agenda… and not everyone plans to return alive. Shadow World by Ray Cummings. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.You may be wondering why I haven’t mentioned Rise the wellness drink for some time. A listener gave us a scathing review and said I was shilling for a product of questionable origin. I thought, what if he’s right? So I didn’t take Rise for to see what would happen. Two weeks later in the middle of the night I woke up to horrific diabetic neuropathy pain and couldn’t go back to sleep. Two nights later, same thing. So I started taking Rise again and I will never stop. No more pain! You can give us a 1 star review and you can think whatever you want to think even though you have never taken it. I take Rise, and I know, I don't think or hope it works, I know it works for me. No more pain, more energy, I feel better when I take Rise and I’m telling you about it because I know it works. I don’t just recommend Rise, I depend on it to be pain free. Try it for yourself, there’s a link in the description and on lostscifi.com. 🍹Rise - https://bit.ly/45So7YrToday’s story comes from one of the most influential early architects of the genre, Ray Cummings — a former assistant to Thomas Edison, and one of the first writers to explore parallel dimensions and scientific speculation in popular fiction. Published in Thrilling Wonder Stories in December 1939, Shadow World imagines a hidden reality that exists beside our own, vibrating at a different rate, unseen but real — and it asks what might happen if we found a way to step into it. We will discover the fourth dimension on page 80, Shadow World by Ray Cummings…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A routine bank delivery turns into a night of sinister secrets when a young clerk visits a wealthy recluse in the lonely hills of West Virginia. What he discovers in the cellar — and later inside a wine cask — reveals a decade-old revenge no one imagined. The Other One by A. H. Gibson.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsVFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLostSciFiPodcastTwitter - https://x.com/LostSciFiPod❤️ ❤️ Thanks to All Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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