The Old Goat

"The Old Goat" by Charles L. Fontenay is a science fiction story written in the mid-20th century. It revolves around the experimental work of Dr. Angstrom, a grumpy scientist colloquially nicknamed "The Old Goat" by his students and colleagues. The narrative explores themes of scientific discovery, matter transmission, and the intersection of the physical and metaphysical, particularly focusing on the implications of transmitting animate versus inanimate objects. The plot centers on Dr. Angstrom's ambitious experiment to test a matter transmission device using a live goat as his subject. After successfully demonstrating the device with inanimate objects, he decides to transmit the goat. In a humorous turn of events, both the goat and Dr. Angstrom accidentally find themselves inside the transmitter. Upon transmission, they reemerge unharmed, with the goat humorously asserting its triumph while Dr. Angstrom appears changed by the experience, leading to an ambiguous yet comedic conclusion. The story cleverly blends science fiction with humor, leaving readers to ponder the nature of existence and the soul in light of modern scientific advancements. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Charles Louis Fontenay was an American journalist and science fiction writer. He wrote science fiction novels and short stories. His non-fiction includes the biography of the prominent New Deal era politician Estes Kefauver.