The Ultimate Paradox by Thorp McClusky
The Ultimate Paradox by Thorp McClusky  
Podcast: The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories
Published On: Fri Feb 20 2026
Description: A retired physicist triggers an experiment he knows he cannot reverse, forcing him to choose between unchecked growth and deliberate disappearance. As the universe recedes and reality reshapes itself around him, one question remains unresolved: whether returning home means survival—or something far stranger. The Ultimate Paradox by Thorp McClusky. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Thorp McClusky makes his debut on the podcast today. He wrote twenty science fiction short stories across the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, with nearly all of them appearing between 1936 and 1945. Yesterday we featured The Ultimate Wish. Today it’s The Ultimate Paradox, followed by The Ultimate World and The Ultimate Problem. You might call this the Ultimate Run. Turn to page 58 in the May 1945 issue of Weird Tales magazine, The Ultimate Paradox by Thorp McClusky… Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A civilization that has solved every problem sends one man into the far future to decide whether life itself should continue. What he discovers forces a choice no perfect world can face without risking its own end. The Ultimate World by Bryce Walton. =========================== Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffee Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/ Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebook YouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtube X - http://Lostscifi.com/x Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/lostscifipodcast.bsky.social Merchandise - https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com/ =========================== Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee $200 Someone $100 Tony from the Future $75 James Van Maanenberg $50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener $25 Someone, Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener $15 Every Month Someone $15 SueTheLibrarian, Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener $10 Anonymous Listener $5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue $5 TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listener https://lostscifi.com/podcast/the-ultimate-paradox-by-thorp-mcclusky/ Listen without commercials and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes every month with Lost Sci-Fi Premium—start your free 7-day trial today. https://lostscifi.supercast.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.