02825cam a22003973u 4500 67923 UtSlPG 20260610134552.0 m cr n 260607r20221943utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Smith, George O. (George Oliver), 1911-1981 Lost Art Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2022 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Venus Equilateral Produced from Astounding Science-Fiction, December 1943 Release date is 2022-04-25 Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Lost Art" by George O. Smith is a science fiction novella written in the early 1940s. Set against the backdrop of a futuristic Mars, the story explores the rediscovery of advanced technology from an ancient Martian civilization, particularly focusing on a mysterious beam tower and a technical manual detailing its functions. The narrative delves into themes of technological evolution and the cyclical nature of knowledge, suggesting that breakthroughs in science can become enigmas for future generations. The plot follows two Terran characters, Barney Carroll and Jim Baler, as they uncover remnants of a lost Martian technology, initially mistaking it for an abandoned signal device. They excavate a beam tower that contains a complex electronic artifact linked to a manual filled with advanced mathematics and engineering principles. As they experiment with the technology, they accidentally harness its power and inadvertently create a series of citywide electrical disruptions. Despite their initial failures and humorous misadventures, their perseverance leads them to realize the device's potential as a method of transmitting electric power over vast distances. Ultimately, the story culminates in their understanding that while this technology could revolutionize energy distribution, the practicality of its use may be lost in translation to their own civilization, reflecting on the continuity of knowledge across time. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Originally published: United States: Street & Smith Publications, Incorporated, 1943 Science fiction Martians -- Fiction Mars (Planet) -- Fiction Electrical engineers -- Fiction Orban, Paul, 1896-1974 Venus Equilateral Produced from Astounding Science-Fiction, December 1943 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67923 108745 108745