02599cam a22003493u 4500 70364 UtSlPG 20260610134627.0 m cr n 260607r20231951utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Del Rey, Lester, 1915-1993 And there was light Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2023 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Future combined with Science Fiction Stories July 1951 Release date is 2023-03-24 Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "And There Was Light" by Lester Del Rey is a science fiction novella written in the early 1950s. The story explores the dark themes of morality and the dire consequences of technological advancements, specifically focusing on the use of a devastating new weapon that threatens to alter the future of humanity. It tackles the idea of making radical societal changes through control of population and the ethics surrounding such decisions. The plot centers around Johann Volcek, a scientist who has developed a revolutionary method of controlling nitrogen fission, which becomes a tool for enemy manipulation. As he prepares for a significant test, we are introduced to his wife, Stefanie, who is recovering from a recent loss and represents innocence amidst the chaos. When the test is executed, Volcek struggles with the implications of his work, which is designed to gradually sterilize the population in the West, effectively extinguishing a race. The Director of Centralia, who oversees this project, emphasizes the necessity of this action for achieving peace. However, as the test unfolds, a critical error occurs, leading to catastrophic consequences that force Volcek to confront the moral implications of his actions and the tragic loss of Stefanie's dream of motherhood, leaving readers to ponder the true meaning of progress and sacrifice in the name of peace. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Originally published: United States: Columbia Publications, Inc., 1951 Science fiction Short stories Weapons -- Fiction Produced from Future combined with Science Fiction Stories July 1951 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/70364 111090 111090