Story om rymdflubber

Du kanske kommer ihåg Skylark of Space av E.E. Smith.

På sidan 1 gör genialet Richard Seaton av misstag ett koppar bad , neutralisera tyngdkraften, och det flyger ut vinden och upp i rymden. Han använder sedan hemligheten hos Metal X för att göra ett rymdskepp och flyger om att rädda planeter och stoppa krig. (och begå välmenande folkmord!)

Petrified with astonishment, Richard Seaton stared after the copper steam-bath upon which he had been electrolyzing his solution of "X," the unknown metal. For as soon as he had removed the beaker the heavy bath had jumped endwise from under his hand as though it were alive. It had flown with terrific speed over the table, smashing apparatus and bottles of chemicals on its way, and was even now disappearing through the open window.
He seized his prism binoculars and focused them upon the flying vessel, a speck in the distance. Through the glass he saw that it did not fall to the ground, but continued on in a straight line, only its rapidly diminishing size showing the enormous velocity with which it was moving. It grew smaller and smaller, and in a few moments disappeared utterly.
The chemist turned as though in a trance. How was this? The copper bath he had used for months was gone—gone like a shot, with nothing to make it go. Nothing, that is, except an electric cell and a few drops of the unknown solution.

Du kan läsa ladda ner det gratis på Gutenberg .

Här är en bild av "Dick" Seaton som testar flygningskapaciteten i hans oavsiktliga uppfinning.

Kan det vara Danny Dunn och Anti Gravity Paint ?

Through a mishap in Professor Bulfinch's laboratory, Danny accidentally creates an anti-gravity paint. In time, the government constructs a spaceship which uses the paint as a propulsion system. The spaceship is launched prematurely after Danny and Joe follow Professor Bulfinch and Dr. Grimes on a tour of the ship. A mechanical failure dooms the four to a trip out of the Solar System unless they can repair the ship. Should they fail in this, they will drift too far from the Sun and freeze to death.

Jag läste Danny Dunn-serien när jag var barn. Jag vet inte om badkaret och det var bara en enda historia men det har likheter med vad du kommer ihåg.