The Horror of the Heights
Published in 1913, Arthur Conan Doyle's 'The Horror of the Heights' presents a found-document narrative about the disappearance of pioneering aviator Joyce-Armstrong. As aircraft technology advances and pilots fly higher than ever before, Armstrong discovers a hidden ecosystem of strange, gelatinous creatures inhabiting the upper atmosphere—a discovery that costs him his life. The story exemplifies early science fiction's fascination with technological exploration and the cosmic terrors that lurk beyond human reach.