New Worlds, January 1952

NEW WORLDS, Vol. 5, No. 13 (January 1952) This British science fiction bimonthly, edited by John Carnell, contains the novelette "Pest" by A. Bertram Chandler as its lead feature. The story, set on Mars among Earth colonists, opens with spaceman Peter Wills being injured during deceleration maneuvers when he rescues journalist Jane Meredith from floating unsecured in free fall. Landing at Port Gregory with his fractured femur, Wills navigates Martian customs procedures featuring lie detectors and high-frequency irradiation of baggage to prevent contamination. Jane Meredith, a famous television newsperson traveling under disguise, reveals her arrival relates to mysterious activity involving "rabbits," "crabs," and a Martian plant species called *Collinsia Utilensis*—suggesting larger events are unfolding. The issue also includes short stories: "Alien Analysis" by Dan Morgan, "Without Bugles" by E.C. Tubb, "A Matter of Salvage" by Sydney J. Bounds, and "Operation Exodus" by Lan Wright, plus the article "Electronics—To Come" by Frank G. Kerr.