The Aerial Tomb and Other Stories and Essays

A vanished aircraft becomes a mystery beyond the earth. A damaged radio component preserves a story nobody can verify. A woman’s death draws suspicion toward four men, while a scientist’s elaborate theory collapses before a night-stall merchant’s simple trick.

These six works by Unno Jūza move between detective fiction, speculative technology, and sharp comedy. Radio promises to reach even the world of the dead; an astronomer’s telescope exposes a frightening secret; scientific commentary finds wonder in a new subway, a patent ruling, and the possibility of creatures evolved from plants.

First published in 1928 and 1929, the pieces preserve the excitement and uncertainty of a period fascinated by electrical communication and technological change. This complete collection follows the supplied order and retains every story’s ending, including those that deliberately resist a settled solution. Explanatory notes identify source-specific names and readings, distinguish fictional scientific claims from verified facts, and clarify publication details without replacing the original voices with modern explanations.