'X' Stands for Unknown is a collection of seventeen nonfiction science essays written by Isaac Asimov. It was the seventeenth of a series of books collecting essays from The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, these being first published between January 1982 and May 1983. It was first published by Doubleday & Company in 1984.

'X' Stands for Unknown
First edition
AuthorIsaac Asimov
LanguageEnglish
SeriesFantasy & Science Fiction essays
Genrescience essay
Published1984 (Doubleday)
Publication placeUnited States
Media typeprint (Hardback and Paperback)
Pages218
ISBN0-385-18915-X
Preceded byCounting the Eons 
Followed byThe Subatomic Monster 

Contents

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  • Physics
    • 1 Read Out Your Good Book in Verse (May 1982)
    • 2 Four Hundred Octaves (June 1982)
    • 3 The Three Who Died Too Soon (July 1982)
    • 4 X Stands for Unknown (August 1982)
  • Chemistry
    • 5 Big Brother (September 1982)
    • 6 Bread and Stone (October 1982)
    • 7 A Difference of an 'E' (November 1982)
    • 8 Silicon Life After All (December 1982)
  • Astronomy
    • 9 The Long Ellipse (January 1982)
    • 10 Change of Time and State (April 1982)
    • 11 Whatzisname's Orbit (March 1982)
    • 12 Ready and Waiting (February 1983)
    • 13 Dead Centre (April 1983)
    • 14 Out in the Boondocks (May 1983)
  • Mathematics
    • 15 To Ungild Refinèd Gold (January 1983)
    • 16 The Circle of the Earth (February 1982)
    • 17 The Armies of the Night (March 1983)

Reception

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Dave Langford reviewed X Stands for Unknown for White Dwarf #79, and stated that "If you're scientifically literate you'll find the interesting bits buried in over-familiar stuff (though I always cheer Asimov when he stomps the crackpots). If not, you probably don't read books like this. That's showbiz."[1]

Reviews

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  • Review by Edward James (1985) in Paperback Inferno, #55[2]

References

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  1. ^ Langford, Dave (July 1986). "Critical Mass". White Dwarf. No. 79. Games Workshop. p. 16.
  2. ^ "Title: X Stands for Unknown".
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