Explorers into infinity

In Short

First published in Weird Tales in 1927, Ray Cummings’s Explorers into Infinity is a foundational work of early American science fiction that expands the boundaries of cosmic horror and scientific romance. When an elderly scientist and his children discover that Time, Space, and Material Size are inextricably linked, they construct a vehicle capable of growing into macro-cosmic dimensions. Their journey carries them out of our known universe and onto the inner surface of an atom belonging to an incomprehensibly vast outer realm. Marrying speculative physics with high-stakes adventure, it remains a quintessential artifact of early pulp sci-fi.

The Story

The narrative opens in a quiet household where the narrator, Frank—an officer in the Manhattan Interplanetary Postal Division—is invited by his long-time friend, the distinguished elderly scientist Dr. Gryce, to witness a monumental secret. Alongside his grown children, Brett, Martt, and Frannie, Dr. Gryce has spent years formulating a new theory of the universe. He posits that Matter, Space, Time, and Motion are entirely relative and interdependent. By altering the fundamental vibratory rate of matter, one can alter its size and its progression through time.

To test this theory, the family has constructed a strange, tower-like vehicle capable of expanding and contracting in physical magnitude, as well as traveling backward and forward through comparative temporal streams. Using an advanced viewing device called a myrdoscope, they catch a glimpse of an extraordinary drama taking place on a macro-cosmic scale: a beautiful young woman named Leela is trapped in an infinitely larger realm, threatened by a colossal giant and malevolent, grotesque dwarfs. Driven by a mix of scientific zeal and chivalrous impulse, Brett and Martt set out in the machine to rescue her.

Launching from Earth, the brothers enlarge their vessel while speeding past Mars and Jupiter. As their physical scale multiplies millions of times over, their relative perception of time shifts dramatically. The outer stars blur, shift, and fall away until the entire known universe contracts beneath them into a mere swirling cluster of subatomic particles. They realize that our entire cosmos is contained within a single atom resting on a beach in a vastly greater world. Upon landing on the inner surface of this macro-atomic realm—a world of perpetual orange-hued twilight and soft, effortless living—they locate Leela. Using their vessel’s size-altering mechanics and electronic weaponry, they shrink the menacing giant down to size, drive off the attacking dwarfs, and save the young woman.

Brett and Martt remain in this idyllic, gently decadent alien society for many months, learning the language and immersing themselves in the local culture, music, and pageantry. Eventually, they navigate their ship back down through the scales of infinity to Earth, arriving just sixteen days after their departure in local time. However, the tale takes a melancholic turn. Smitten with Leela and driven by an uncontrollable urge to explore the limitless outer cosmos, Brett chooses to embark on a second, solitary voyage into the unfathomable large.

He promises his father and siblings that he will return within a month, using an invisible "aural ray" projected into space by Dr. Gryce as a homing beacon. Yet the designated time passes, followed by months and years. Though reason dictates that Brett is lost forever in the endless iterations of Time and Size, Dr. Gryce and Frank continue their unyielding vigil by the burning beacon, holding out hope for his eventual return.

How It Unfolds

The secret revealed — Frank visits the Gryce household and learns of their secret laboratory, where Dr. Gryce and his children explain their revolutionary unified theory of relative space, matter, and time.

An alarming accident — During an early terrestrial test of the size-altering machinery, the vehicle begins growing uncontrollably, uprooting nearby trees and threatening to crush the house before the family manages to shut it down.

Launching into the infinite — Brett and Martt board the vessel and launch into space, expanding their machine's mass and accelerating past the orbits of Mars and Jupiter while narrowly avoiding a catastrophic asteroid collision.

Leaving the universe behind — As the ship continues its vast growth, the known stars drift together and shrink into a tiny, luminous cloud, revealing that our cosmos is merely a single atom within an unimaginably larger domain.

The rescue in the twilight forest — Reaching the inner surface of the macro-atom, the brothers adjust their size to face Leela's assailants, successfully neutralizing the giant and rescuing the maiden in an orange-hued forest.

Life among the alien race — The explorers spend months living within the tranquil, twilight-lit civilization of Leela's people, enjoying their advanced arts and music while reflecting on the soft decadence of a society past its prime.

The return to Earth — Brett and Martt navigate their ship back down through the scales of size, materializing safely in the yard of their home after what felt like months to them, but only sixteen days to those on Earth.

The final, lonely departure — Unable to resist the call of the macro-cosmos, Brett sets out alone on a second journey into infinity, leaving his family to keep a beacon burning in hopes of a return that may never come.

The People

• Frank: The narrator and a practical Day Officer for the Manhattan Interplanetary Postal Division. He serves as the grounded, everyday observer who asks the necessary questions, guiding the reader through Dr. Gryce's dizzying metaphysical theories and witnessing the family's triumphs and heartbreaks.
• Dr. Gryce: An aging, highly accomplished scientist driven by a lifelong dream to understand the outer boundaries of Time and Space. Though cautious and acutely aware of the mortal peril his inventions pose, his deep affection for his children cannot suppress their adventurous spirits.
• Brett Gryce: Dr. Gryce’s brilliant, intrepid son who leads the expedition into the macro-cosmos. Courageous and romantic, his fascination with the infinite ultimately becomes an obsession, compelling him to leave humanity behind to wander the uncharted outer universes.
• Martt Gryce: Brett’s younger brother and co-pilot, who approaches the cosmic voyage with youthful excitement and awe. He experiences the immediate physical terrors of space travel firsthand, yet embraces the beauty and romance of the alien worlds they encounter.
• Frannie Gryce: Dr. Gryce’s daughter, who manages the household and assists in the laboratory. Bright and protective of her brothers, she remains behind on Earth, anchoring the family’s emotional life during the perilous cosmic voyages.
• Leela: A beautiful young woman belonging to an ancient, peaceful race residing on the macro-atomic surface. Her plight draws the Gryce brothers across dimensions, and her gentleness and charm captivate Brett during his stay in her world.

In Its Own Voice

"To me at least, the conception of Time with nothing ever happening anywhere is impossible. To me also, an event presupposes the existence of something; and so, in my effort to imagine the infinitely large--Space illimitable, Time unending--I am forced to conceive what must fill that Space, what must happen to create that time."

Dr. Gryce explains the core philosophical paradox that drives his life's work: the idea that space and time cannot exist as empty voids, but must be filled with matter and activity to have any reality.

"A year! A single revolution of our earth about its sun! To that girl out there, what we call a year is merely an electron in a fraction of a second revolving about its fellow."

Brett outlines the staggering reality of comparative scale, realizing that entire human epochs pass in what feels like a fleeting instant to the beings of the larger universe.

"The beacon burns to guide Brett back to us. Will he ever come? I wonder. My brain, with its logic, says he will not. But my heart says, 'Might he not come tonight?'"

Frank reflects quietly on the enduring pain and persistent hope of watching the skies year after year for a lost explorer who may be wandering eternity.

What It's Really About

At its heart, Explorers into Infinity explores the dizzying, terrifying concept of relativity long before it became a commonplace trope in mainstream science fiction. Ray Cummings uses his narrative to grapple with human insignificance in the face of absolute infinity. By postulating that universes are nested inside atoms—and that our vast solar systems are mere subatomic particles to larger worlds—the book argues that absolute measurement is an illusion created by limited human perception. Beyond the thrilling rescue plot lies a poignant contemplation of progress, decadence, and the bittersweet cost of human curiosity. It asks whether the pursuit of ultimate knowledge inevitably isolates the explorer from the warmth of home and mortal connection.

Why Read It Today

Modern fans of cosmic sci-fi, classic pulp adventures, and early speculative fiction will find Explorers into Infinity a fascinating literary period piece. Reading it feels like stepping back into the golden age of 1920s magazine fiction, where melodramatic heroism coexisted with earnest, mind-bending scientific speculation. Cummings writes with an engaging, accessible prose style that prioritizes conceptual wonder over dense technical jargon.

The narrative carries the charming eccentricities of its period, including futuristic visions of "Interplanetary Postal Divisions" combined with quaint domestic setups where mechanical servants are shunned in favor of home-cooked meals. While modern readers may notice the melodramatic dialogue, romanticized gender roles, and simplified physics, these elements only add to its historical charm. The book's core image—an endless chain of universes hidden inside microscopic particles—retains its sense of breathtaking awe. It is a brief, imaginative journey that leaves a haunting impression of how tiny, yet daring, humanity truly is.