digg

Join DiggAbout

Discover the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.

Probably one of the Best Science Fiction Short Stories Ever Written

infohost.nmt.edu — If you have a few extra minutes take the time and read this story. It is Isaac Asimov's personal favorite. A great story that should be read by everyone.

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • bagold51, on 10/12/2007, -4/+119This has got to be one of the best short stories I have ever read....but then again, it's written by the master himself.
    • TheKidd, on 10/12/2007, -4/+63Entropy sucks
    • Bluth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+91Not down with entropy? You obviously haven't studied MC Hawking's "A Brief History of Rhyme"...

      "I explode like a bomb. No one is spared. My power is my mass times the speed of light squared." - from E=MC Hawking
    • rompom7, on 10/12/2007, -2/+36Great read... But I accidentally scrolled too far down and my eyes jumped to the capital letters, giving the ending away. I was already at the last 'stage' then anyway so it wasn't a big deal, still a great twist...

      Again, what a fantastic story, I've read some of Isaac Asimov's stories before. I might just start reading some of his novels.

      (tip to those who haven't read yet... don't scroll too far down... read from the bottom of your browser window and scroll down bit by bit)
    • adwsail, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5I am stunned by the similarity to "Tau Zero". Though not in the SciFi vein my all time favorite short story for maximum impact is "A Children's Story" by James Clavell. It still creepes me out.
    • arnar, on 10/12/2007, -2/+19Brilliant story. One could guess the ending though by the stage where men became Man.
    • nsharp, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13Fascinating story. Please do take a moment to read it
    • flernk, on 11/08/2007, -1/+100I have been looking for this for years! THANK YOU!!! I read it in a book of short stories in my pre-teen years and it has been a source of inspiration for nearly 2 decades. I had no idea who wrote it or which book it was in, so it disappeared into the fog of youth. I'm stoked to have found it again! THANK YOU for posting this!
    • IzeasGT, on 10/12/2007, -34/+2Having only read up to here (where this comment will go), I have an uneasy feeling Diggers will use or have used this as an excuse to yell about religion and atheism. (And I haven't clicked the link, but I've read The Last Question before, and knowing what I know about it, it was pretty easy to figure out that's what it was.)
    • nixonrichard, on 10/12/2007, -26/+9So . . . God is a computer? I though God was a DJ.
    • gravylookout, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14Asimov is without a doubt one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time (in my top three) and this is some of his best work. It kind of reminds me of Philip K. Dick's "Story to End All Stories". If someone could find that and post it here I bet it would be greatly apprechiated. (It's only a paragraph long but it shows off Dick's style so well)
    • gardnert1, on 10/12/2007, -38/+1so have diggers completely given up on caring whether or not a story is a duplicate or what?

      On a side note, he screwed up the entire thing with the last lines. Matter cannot be created.
    • chohmann, on 10/12/2007, -26/+27God could very well be a computer. It is user friendly my good chum.
    • Thuktun, on 10/12/2007, -3/+15@chohmann
      Not sure why anyone would digg you down for a Futurama reference.

      The linked story is really good, but I personally like this one better:
      http://www.terrybisson.com/meat.html
    • twitchster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I saw this at the strasenburgh planetarium when I was a kid - it was narrated by nimoy. Definately very cool.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Question
    • lukas88, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15What a great story. Classic science fiction is the most thought provoking kind. I found a couple hardback books at a library sale for like 50 cents each that were full of short science fiction stories by Isaac Asimov and his kind. Best reading I have had in a long time.

      Modern day science fiction seems to pale in comparison. Instead of provoking thought, it just seems to focus on special effects and how wierd they can make the characters, not to mention being pretty unorigional. Star Wars, Star Trek, etc are all entertaining but they don't seem to ask any deep questions, at least not in the classy way these old short stories do. The art is not lost, however. Movies like Children of Men, AI, and probably a dozen others that I can't remember in this moment... they all carry the torch. These movies, like all science fiction, stray from reality in an attempt to ask he question, "what if....?" The difference between good science fiction and bad science fiction is how it answers that question. If the answer gives you insight or provokes thought about our own human nature, then you know that you are experiencing great science fiction.
    • CanceledCzech, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8"Entropy sucks"

      Guess you're not a George Carlin fan.
    • theshelf, on 10/12/2007, -6/+22An intriguing story to say the least, and not untypical of humanistic philosophy. Yet I would argue that this is not the last question as there is another question still left unanswered by this story. How did time begin? This story assumes that time is infinite, yet this is impossible. Mathematically, infinity may make sense, but in practicality science and philosophy tells us that this is impossible. If we had an infinite past (meaning that this universe was created from a previously dying universe which, in turn, was created from another dying universe, etc.) then *today* would never come. There would be no present because time keeps stretching backward before you can get to today. So we know time had a beginning, and if time had a beginning, then there must at least have been a prime universe that was not created from a previous universe. This is ultimately the limitation of science which is why religions can never die.

      Just a thought. ;-)
    • CanceledCzech, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6This is one of the best pieces of literature I have ever read.
    • soogy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+25Wow, this story was written back in 1956. It's 50 years old, and yet time hasn't diminished its relevance nor its value.
    • llbbl, on 10/12/2007, -17/+2Way to repost crap. (not that story is crap but your digg skillz) Submitted 2x in the last year.

      http://digg.com/search?s=http%3A%2F%2Finfohost.nmt.edu%2F%7Emlindsey%2Fasimov%2Fquestion.htm&submit=Search§ion=news&type=url&area=all&age=365&sort=new

      74 days ago the last time.
      http://digg.com/space/Issac_Asimov_s_Favorite_story_The_Last_Question
    • p0ss, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1this is indeed an excelent story, but our path may be very different if Steorn or someone similar suceeds, isn't their inventions in essence the reversal of entropy?
  • filipeanut, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15"Why is it my favorite? For one thing I got the idea all at once and didn't have to fiddle with it; and I wrote it in white-heat and scarcely had to change a word. This sort of thing endears any story to any writer."

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov

    An article on what made the "big bang" bang: http://www.discover.com/issues/feb-04/cover/
  • DrakeTheRedEye, on 10/12/2007, -23/+2That is some Crazy coincidence that another digg article linked to that Exact page in an unrelated story. Now I have to read it, but seeing it twice in one day is strange.
    http://www.digg.com/tech_news/The_Top_100_Alternative_Search_Engines
    http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/top_100_alternative_search_engines.php The link is just above the 100 list.
  • diggfinity, on 10/12/2007, -1/+28Ouroboros.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros
    • kooft, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16That was the word printed on the crate they found Dave Lister in you smeghead.
    • Schmerz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Because he is an infinite loop, humanity can never become extinct.
  • carazy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+25That was a great story. I love all of Asimov's work, certainly one of the best writers of his time, I would say him and Frank Herbert would have to be my favorite authors.

    If anyone feels like a good long read I recommend the Foundation series by Asimov.
    • adaire, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11I agree. Foundation was awesome, especially how it tied into the same universe as the Robot novels.
    • twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Heinlein -- FTW!
    • FarSider9, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2i recommend the foundation trilogy as well.... this makes me want to reread it.
    • CurtHowland, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5The three Foundation books are wonderful. I'm sad that he felt it necessary to "merge" it all later in life.

      So I'll second the recommendation for Foundation, but read the first three and then stop. At least for a while.


    • romana, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Heinlein and Asimov (and Clarke) were among the stock fodder of my childhood reading. I heartilyrecommend Asimov's non fiction (his analysis of Shakespeare is stunningly good), and his detective stories. And I cried when Daneel finally, well,no spoilers, but I wept for Daneel - and Andrew. Andrew rocked.
  • appletalk, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1@carazy (for some reason he appears below my comment but his comment is older than mine)
    Correction, one of the best *science fiction* writers..
  • zanzibuz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15My favorite Asimov Quote:
    "Just because I wrote it doesn't mean I understand it."

    I love his robot novels! The Gods Themselves was also good.
    • jjsonickde, on 10/12/2007, -6/+0More quotes please...
    • cygnusx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1zanzibuz: Have you read "The End of Eternity"? That's another of his non-Foundation/Robot novels that's quite a mind-bender.
    • stellamaris, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17More Asimov Quotes:

      "If knowledge creates problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them."

      "I wish that I could say I was optimistic about the human race. I love us all, but we are so stupid and shortsighted that I wonder if we can lift our eyes to the world about us long enough not to commit suicide. I keep trying to make people do so."

      "Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers."

      "When I read about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that American society has found one more way to destroy itself."

      "True literacy is becoming an arcane art and the United States is steadily dumbing down."
    • dmitriyvoz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0The author has mentioned very much a vital topic today. It seems to me that the problematics of this clause enables to reflect and draw conclusions. You can as to look sites in Russian which mention this theme: http://www.rolid.org http://www.se-ua.com
  • radio1mike, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8One of my all-time favorites.

    Asimov was also my favorite popularizers of Science. Read his non-fiction.
    • Kale, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This was one of my favorites as well, but there was another in the same book ("Nine Tomorrows") that was almost as good. I forget the title, but it dealt with learning, or "imprinting".
  • mos6507, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7I know why this keeps coming back again and again. People realize that human "growth" requires ever greater energy. That energy has to come from somewhere. We're already outstripping the planet's capacity. We either have to come up with ever more exotic energy sources or shrink our demand back to something static and manageable.

    • drm7, on 10/12/2007, -6/+9The sun dumps far more energy onto the earth than we would need for a long time.

      The trick is to efficiently capture that energy.

      Note that this doesn't mean just "solar panels" - it also means wave power, windmills, biofuels - the sun is responsible for all of these power "sources". Even fossil fuels originated from the sun (Dinosuars ate plants, which were fed by the sun) we are just using fossil fuels quicker than they can be "manufactured."
    • scom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1for a long time. but not forever
      The story is pretty bleak really if you think about it
    • joquarky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Note that fossil fuels mostly formed from plant biomass, rather than animals. =)

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuels
  • jammerb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+38The Last Question is one of my favorites... but my absolute favorite Asimov short story is Nightfall:

    http://doctord.dyndns.org:8000/Stories/Nightfall.htm
    • magnakai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Mmm, that's a great one. It was expanded into a full novel, which I never got around to reading.

      My favourite Asimov book is Second Foundation.

      I actually read it without reading the two previous books (Foundation and Foundation And Empire), and the mystery and subtle nods to unseen past events made it quite an experience. Plus the concept (that stretches back into Foundation And Empire) is such a fantastic twist on the original Foundation (both book and fictional organisation.)

      Second from that would probably be... I, Robot. An obvious choice, but it's famous for all the right reasons.
    • hobieorris, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2It was also made into a *really* bad movie!
    • Filksinger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@magnakai

      "Mmm, that's a great one. It was expanded into a full novel, which I never got around to reading."

      I wouldn't bother. The short story "Nightfall" was classic, one of the finest ever, possibly better than "The Last Question". The novel was one of the few books ever that I didn't bother finishing. This might simply be because what made the short story so great, the idea, was relegated to nothing but the opening event of the book. This alone was enough to make me want to stop reading, even though it was inevitable. You can't turn "Nightfall" into a novel without removing the impact of the basic idea.
  • Smills, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3that story is brilliant. very interesting way of looking at the universe.
  • peorth, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11Dugg because it's Asimov
  • Nephilym, on 10/12/2007, -0/+28"For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn."

    This was Hemingway's favourite short story and he claimed it was the best thing he ever wrote.
    • andreascliment, on 10/12/2007, -16/+4Well then, if that was the best thing Hemingway wrote he has nothing on Asimov ;)
    • Lord_oftheTrons, on 10/12/2007, -0/+24http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/sixwords.html

      They had those six word fiction stories in wired a few issues ago inspired by that very quote Nephilym. That is a link to a few of them, my favs:

      Computer, did we bring batteries? Computer?
      - Eileen Gunn

      Vacuum collision. Orbits diverge. Farewell, love.
      - David Brin

      Machine. Unexpectedly, I’d invented a time
      - Alan Moore

      Epitaph: Foolish humans, never escaped Earth.
      - Vernor Vinge

      Lie detector eyeglasses perfected: Civilization collapses.
      - Richard Powers

      The baby’s blood type? Human, mostly.
      - Orson Scott Card

      We went solar; sun went nova.
      - Ken MacLeod

      TIME MACHINE REACHES FUTURE!!! … nobody there …
      - Harry Harrison

    • magnakai, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Nephilym, that IS a fantastic story. Consider exactly what each pair of words implies. There's a lovely amount of (supposed) information you can glean from it.
      It's not the best story ever, but it is particularly elegant and efficient.

      Thanks for that link Lord OfTheTrons, there are some great things there. I'm particularly pleased that Alan Moore contributed.
  • richie5um, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2Another great short story...
    http://www.research.ibm.com/deepblue/learn/html/e.8.2.shtml
    • ubuwalker31, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Not really that great of a story. Had to dig down your comment.
  • Ysaric, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4I don't remember the first time I read this story, it's been a long, long time it seems. But I remember that it made quite an impression on me as a boy; it was, within this span of just a few pages, an entirely new way to conceive of the universe.

    I could imagine this story having been read by one of the Wachowski brothers years and years ago, and eventually becoming The Matrix.
    • betterth, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5You mean the poor Japanese author whom the brothers took the entire concept and idea from, right? There's a reason the Animatrix was made and that the vast majority of the artists in it are Japanese -- the concept of the Matrix is Japanese in origin.

      But I digress, this story was amazing. Amazing! Such a mind! I wish I could conceive ideas like this and relate them onto paper so.
  • DeviantBoi, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4This is one helluva amazing story!

    Dugg with gusto!
  • ski309, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1*****, he stole my story idea! That bastard!
  • jjsonickde, on 10/12/2007, -2/+36'The Last Question' sneaks up on you so slowly and so unassumingly that when you reach the end and realize what transpired, you are utterly floored. Once you have absorbed the shock of the obvious answer presented, you spend the next few days reviewing its ramifications on your own outlook on the universe. In the end you realize your own answer is, 'Why not?' This story made a huge impact when I read it as a teenager, and that is something considering I've read nearly all of his non-fiction work. I'm happy to see this article on Digg. Now many more people can enjoy it. Asimov RULES! (sorry, had to get that out... ;) )
    • praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -4/+6I'd say about half way through I saw where this was going. Still, it is a great story.
  • andreascliment, on 10/12/2007, -13/+3Great story. In the end it all comes down to everything being an infinite loop with man creating God (the AC) and God creating man.
  • Sornos, on 10/12/2007, -6/+5Terrific. Asimov pulls off uniting the divine with science. Showing that, really, there is no diffrence. He deserves the title of the Master.
  • adaud, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Thank you for bringing this gem of a story back to my attention. I read few books as a tennager, but I made sure I read all of Asimov's works.
  • azathothx, on 10/12/2007, -34/+0Deep Thought would kick AC's ass any day. At least Deep Thought had the understanding of the chat-show circuit - a far more valuable talent than halting entropy...

    I think the problem with Asimov was his lack of vision. Asimov's books are simply "In the future, things will be exactly the same as they are now, but with shinier suits... oh and it will be IN SPACE."
    • logicalnoise, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11if you had read the story just posted you'd see he has plenty. BTW the Movie Irobot hardly represents Asimov's vison.
    • Veritate, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"lack of vision"????
    • dlbear, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2What a hopeless dick
  • loquax, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3***Spoiler Alert*****

    Asimov was one of those human phenomena that happens once in an age. The guy wrote more books than just about anyone else about stuff ranging from the bible to science to what have you. I liked the story, however there is one problem I see with it--When the other (in this case Man) dies out, leaving only the last consciousness (AC) and the empty void (not even that as space and time "ceased"), there is no way to say anything or think anything as both require time-space to unfold. Technically, AC would have to say it just before time-space was snuffed out (if there is an "out").
    Am I wrong about this?
    • logicalnoise, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3not rreally the AC was basically everything at that point. Asimov brushes over it but all the matter in the universe still exists it just was incalcuably dispersed. In the end when AC knew the answer it simply reconfigured all matter in the universe(understated I know).
    • link7373, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5No, AC existed outside of space and time.
    • rossinio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11I think AC actually exists in hyperspace, thus outside the same physical plane as the universe, not sure tho..
    • betterth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4That was the point. Christian theology holds that God exists outside of space and time, which is why we say He is everywhere, in all of us. He is at our birth and deaths simultaneously, he knows our whole lives and is in every moment them always. Since Asimov was saying that over billions of years we created God or AC, that in the very end, when all of mankind merges with his supreme consciousness, he breaks free of whatever tied him to space and time. He exists outside of space and time.
    • davestar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1questions like these are why i generally avoid sci-fi. they're good, valid questions, but are ultimately futile.

      so much of sci-fi (that i've encountered) either constructs a "universe" with a set of rules or adopts the rules of our universe, then attempts to tell a story that doesn't break any of those rules. this ultimately defeats the story (the important part), because so much effort gets wasted in constructing and obeying these rules. most of the time even this fails, and the reader is left wondering "what was the point in detailing this universe, struggling to obey its constraints, only to abandon everything in the end?"
    • Leopards, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I Digg it, mainly because it is Asimov and it is sure to P.O. the "Born Agains" God is a Computer, Love it!!!
    • fluxion, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1so....i guess i was wrong in thinking "LET THERE BE LIGHT" referred to a "demonstration" of the answer rather than a physical manifestation of the answer? i assumed that AC in effect created "the matrix", and that each "matrix" creates an identical matrix to continue existence.
  • logicalnoise, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Thank you to the person who posted the story. I have been reading nothing but short stories in my free time at work and this one never made it into my queue. I'm glad I was able to read it.
    • vuke69, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10Your boss must be quite impressed with your work ethic. Now get back to work you lazy SOB.

      Although I must admit, I read it at work too.
  • stellamaris, on 10/12/2007, -1/+32I first discovered Asimov when I got my first all-day in school suspension in ninth grade. The day before, I went to the library to get a good book. I wandered over to the science section and noticed a great deal of books by this one guy Asimov. I picked up "Life and Time" and the next day, I read the whole thing while incarcerated. That's when my love affair started with his writings.

    I read everything of his I could get my hands on. I started with a lot of Nonfiction at first, and he basically re-sparked my interest in science in High School (I'm a girl, and the natural curiosity had faded somewhat after adolescence. Asimov brought it back with a vengeance). Even though his books were 40, 50, 60 years old, most of what he said was still relevant. He was warning us back in the 70's that if we didn't do something about pollution and global warming back then, we'd get to a critical point where the earth couldn't handle it and the climate would change dramatically at the beginning of the next century... Gee, wonder is he was right?

    Then I read "Asimov's Mysteries" and "I, Robot", and I knew I was a die hard Asimov-fan for life. I'm a librarian, and I feel like there are very few books worth owning (because of free access to almost anything), but my small collection is dominated by Asimov's works. Did you guys know that Asimov is the only author to be in every section of the Dewey Decimal system? He also wrote a series of science books for kids.

    The man was truly a genius and it's a shame that he had to die in such a way. He will always be remembered and he'll always have fans, for the rest of time. I suggest that instead of beaming cosmic messages or music at stars, hoping they'll answer, we should read Asimov's stories to them.

    P.S. All you guys need to bring back the Asimov 'chops. You know what I'm talking about: http://atuleirus.weblog.com.pt/arquivo/Asimov-thumb.gif
    • jjsonickde, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Asimov rocked the chops.
    • magnakai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2My sideburns are at least halfway there...
      But I'm not posting a picture of myself on Digg. Do you think I'm mad?
    • Holyfool19, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Digging you up because you claim to be a girl, and love Asimov.
    • adholden, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3lots of us girls like asimov!
    • romana, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Another woman/girl expressing the Asimov love!
    • Genghis1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I recommend the book "Its Been a good life". Asimov's life story - he died of aids from a blood transfusion. This short story is in the book as his favorite
  • Absurdum, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Well, I think that "The Roadside Picnic" is still the best sci fi story,
    but this one is also very good.
  • ramaz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Asimov was awesome in so many ways.

    Along with his great fiction works, I recommend his short non-fiction book "Only a Trillion".

    I have to say, though, that I had not read this story before. Though it may have been the author's favorite, it's not mine. Oh well ...
  • stellamaris, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The first time I read this story, I was sitting in math class, and was blown away by the ending. I even made a few copies (whoops) to share with my friends.
  • spikyface, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That was freaking awesome! I loved every bit of it's entropy laced godspinning goodness
  • sponeil, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Asimov's concepts are usually awesome, but his story-telling is usually not so awesome IMO. My favorite sci-fi short stories are from Ray Bradbury and Robert Heinlein (his older stuff).
    • elev, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I went through a summer in high school where I read tons of Sci-Fi. Bradbury definately stuck with me more than most with Fahrenheit 451, and The Sound of Thunder. I also read Starship troopers that summer. That's probably the reason I didn't sign up for the USAF.
  • ggudggid, on 10/12/2007, -12/+1"But there was now no man to whom AC might give the answer of the last question. No matter. The answer -- by demonstration -- would take care of that, too."

    That was a very good story.

    It's interesting. The Bible teaches that man has no excuse to deny God's existence because creation points to Him. Creation is quite the demonstration.
  • saiftk, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Anyone else feel that when they are reading they are leaving out half the text?
    i read it once, and understood it. I read it again and noticed things i didnt notice before.
    Very nice story btw....thanks for sharing.....
  • 91degrees, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I'd say it's just a variant of the old Shaggy God Story.
  • weprin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4This is just silly. Everyone knows we'll explode ourselves out of existence within the next couple generations.
    • elev, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"This is the way the world ends
      Not with a bang but a whimper. "
  • Spanky2112, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I choose to believe he's describing the "Big Bang". Since the AC had collected all that was, It seems to reason that the AC itself could then restart the process by "detonating" itself. (my 2 cents)
  • funkspiel, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1I don't read stories, I'll have an intern read it for me.
  • gute321, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1quit downloading this everyone- you're clogging the tubes
  • emet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1great story....
  • Darkness123, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2That was a very good short story, they should make it into a short film or something.
    • cleverhanz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1There is a planetarium show version of this. I have been lucky enough to see it twice (after I read the story). It is Asimov reading the story, with a few minutes of commentary beforehand. The show is just slide of scenes from the book, with a few planetarium projector effects thrown in. It is really good. Just sitting in the dark, listening to him read it. Good times.
  • Topher06, on 10/12/2007, -9/+1These kinds of postings are really dumb. They are so subjective and almost ripe for flaimbait. While I admit I am a huge Asimov fan, I wouldn't go around saying this is the best sci-fi short story ever, that is one persons opinion. Then people have to argue over what is the best story they have ever read.

    Instead of saying "Its the best" just say, here is an excellent short story by a Sci-Fi great.

    Having said that, I really wish Hollywood would start tapping into his extensive archive of stories and novels. iRobot was a pale immitation of an Asimov story, but I think there is a lot of potential in the Asimov library for some thought provoking Sci-Fi, unlike the drivel George Lucas and Roddenberry has unleashed on us over the years.
    • cleverhanz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I agree that "I, Robot" the movie does not even deserve to have the same title as the book. And I also agree that George Lucas should crawl on his hands and knees from his ranch to Dr.Asimov's grave and pray for enlightenment, sitting cross-legged with the top of his head below the top of Dr. Asimov's gravestone. If he wanted to apoligize to every child he crawled past on his way, for what he did to the Star Wars franchize, that would be fine too. But yes, I think there are some great Asimov books and stories that should be made in to movies, if done well.
  • lburgguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'm not great at physics but doesn't the law of conservation of energy mean that energy does not go to zero, it just changes form. So all the energy in the universe is the same net amount it was at the big bang (or creation) and it will be the same at "the end". Just wondering.
    • Awap, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4You are correct, the total amount of energy (counting matter) does not change. However, the story is talking about entropy, a measure of disorder. In all physical processes, entropy either stays the same (reversible processes), or increases. As the entropy increases, the order and structure of the system breaks down. It is theorized that the universe will eventually experience a "heat death" where all thermal energy is spread uniformly randomly (highest entropy) across the universe, and no physical processes can continue.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_death
  • Treoinmypocket, on 10/12/2007, -8/+0I'm surprised you all like this story THAT much. I don't think its brilliant at all. It was obvious from the the moment the 2nd person asked the question where it was going to end up. Don't get me wrong, I liked it. but certainly not brilliant and not even close to one of Asimov's best. I love Asimov - met him once at a conference and he signed his newly published "Robots of Dawn" for me. I was young, he was friendly and I'll never forget it but comon..this story is just average. Asimov said himself the reason he liked it was because it came all at once and flowed out of him fully formed...what he DIDN'T say was that he thought it was one of his BEST...just one of his favorites because of how easy it was to write.

    I think you're all drunk.
    • scom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1there certainly is complexity in its workings. He takes a picture of all human progress in a single story only a few paragraphs long. Dreams aspirations accomplishment god universe energy questions all wrapped up
      read into it man its not a simple story
    • Treoinmypocket, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0I didn't say it was simple ...i said it was obvious. I get it. I don't have to read into it cause it had no depth. That why I said it was obvious. I knew the ending before I got a quarter of the way thru.

      I also said I liked it but for an Asimov story I don't think it was all that great. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers ever - that doesn't mean everything he wrote is great.
  • rockhauler, on 10/12/2007, -6/+0Asimov,
    Yep, good stuff. With science fiction you have to 'suspend disbelief', but it makes a good story.
    Skipping some of the logic holes, assuming somethings not yet known, taking it on faith that the problems can be solved. Kinda makes it a religion, doesn't it?
  • batfink3312, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Not bad, but not exactly original and I personally thought the end was a bit of cop-out and let down; and the science is a bit questionable. Better in my opinion, and in a similar vein is "olaf stapledon - starmaker" - which was first published circa 1910.
  • michaelb1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Brilliant!
    Didn't see that coming. I thought the AC would become the conscienceness inside a human brain and the entire history of the universe was happening inside the molecules of a brain.

    "THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."
  • totorototoro, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3I thought this was going to be a link to Colin Powells WMD speech to the UN.
  • zanvann, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Holy *****.
    I'm gonna go lie down and think that one through.
  • mtomovich, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3i'm currently reading second foundation, and i absolutely love the series. are the two prequel books worth reading, or any of the books that come after the original three? Dune kinda tapered off like that...
    • lostsinner, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1All of the Foundation books are worth reading, if only to see the fully fleshed-out universe Asimov was working in. The final book in the series, Foundation and Earth, isn't listed as part of the series (look inside the first couple pages of your copy - you won't see it listed there), though it does finish the series off. It's quite different in tone and character from the previous books, which might contribute to its being unlisted.

      But yes, read them all.
  • drewskyjones, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I have read this story dozens of times...one of the best stories from the best (IMHO) sci-fi author. If you are looking to buy this, the book "9 tomorrows" has it along with 8 other great stories. Double Digg!...if I could ;-)
  • asmitty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I wish I could digg a story twice
    • rockhauler, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Close your browser, come back later, digg it up or down, as often as you like.
      Probably a cookie there somewhere.
  • Fetching more discussions...
    Show 51 - 100 of 111 discussions
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.