The Imaginary (short story)

Infobox Short story
name = The Imaginary
title_orig =
translator =
author = Isaac Asimov
country = United States
language = English
series = Homo Sol Trilogy
genre = science fiction short story
published_in = "Super Science Stories"
publisher = Popular Publications
media_type = Magazine
pub_date = November 1942
english_pub_date =
preceded_by = Homo Sol
followed_by = The Hazing

"The Imaginary" is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It first appeared in the November 1942 issue of "Super Science Stories" and was reprinted in the 1972 collection "The Early Asimov". Following the sale of "Half-Breeds on Venus", which was a sequel to "Half-Breed", Asimov suggested to "Astounding Science Fiction" editor John W. Campbell that he write a sequel to the story "Homo Sol". Campbell was unenthusiastic, but agreed. Since "The Imaginary" lacked the human-alien conflict that Campbell had liked in the earlier story, it was ultimately rejected by him. "The Imaginary" was the twenty-first story written by Asimov, and the twenty-ninth to be published. Due to the peculiar workings of the science fiction magazine publishing industry, "The Imaginary" appeared a month after the third story in the Homo Sol Trilogy, "The Hazing".

Whilst psychologist Tan Porus is on leave from Arcturus University, two of his students carry out a potentially dangerous experiment on a squid that Porus has been using for research. The experiment goes badly wrong, and the creature starts to emit a 'death field' of radiation that expands uncontrollably and can potentially kill all animal and plant life.

Porus is urgently recalled from his home planet and devises a method that should theoretically stop the expansion. He volunteers to try the method himself, and does indeed succeed in destroying the field.