The Magnificent Possession

Step into Isaac Asimov’s early foray into science fiction comedy with The Magnificent Possession. First published in 1940, this witty short story follows Walter Sills, a struggling chemist whose “brilliant” discovery—plating metals with ammonium to mimic gold—spirals into chaos. Gangsters, corrupt politicians, and desperate industrialists descend on him, only for the invention’s fatal flaw to emerge: a stench so foul it ruins everything. Part satire, part cautionary tale, this story reveals Asimov’s youthful experimentation with humor and the pitfalls of unchecked ambition.