All Questions
Tagged with first-contact story-identification
66
questions
35
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Old story where aliens sell humans some machines to heal anything, and then disappear with their loot before we realize we've been scammed
I remember the story fairly well; I've just forgotten the title. (And the author.) I have the impression that the story goes way, way back to the 1950s, but that may be inaccurate. I first read it in ...
- 27.4k
7
votes
1
answer
566
views
Looking for a short story title about an alien that encounters a probe on its own planet [duplicate]
This short story concerns an alien creature of some kind that is slowly feeding on the surface of its home planet. It must stay "in its lane" so to speak because others of its species feeds on either ...
- 705
8
votes
1
answer
298
views
Short story told from vegetarian alien's POV observing astronaut behavior, including laughter [duplicate]
Probably mid to late 20th century story. I believe the title is something like "Farewell Ilya" or "Goodbye..."
The alien tells the story. Actually, perhaps the astronauts are the aliens, since I ...
7
votes
0
answers
161
views
Short story: ship for first contacts, species most like those contacted would seem to be in charge
This story was from the 1960s or earlier, read in a hardbound collection of stories, possibly all from one magazine.
The spaceship was large and sent on first contact missions. It had several ...
- 42.2k
6
votes
1
answer
254
views
Book about suppressing First Contact? Character "Polly Ling"? [duplicate]
This paperback was probably from ca. 1970. The well-off don't want their apple-cart upset by alien tech. Hero saves "Polly Ling" from an alien monster, which turns out to be her husband- she's an ...
- 63
7
votes
1
answer
450
views
Short Science Fiction story similar to "Story of Your Life"
I'm looking for a short story that's similar to "Story of Your Life", I read the story through lightspeed magazine, but can't seem to find on their site. I also think it was a lightspeed magazine ...
0
votes
1
answer
208
views
80's or earlier first contact novel: scientists decode alien signal, only to discover the alien civilization is now long dead [closed]
First contact novel read in the 80's where scientists decode alien signal only to discover the alien civilization is now long dead.
- 17
6
votes
1
answer
199
views
Novelette about contact with intergalactic inhabitants after interstellar jump failure
I read a novelette a long time ago, but I can't remember its name or author, in which an Earth interstellar ship has a problem during a jump from one star to another and ends up returning from the ...
- 183
6
votes
0
answers
118
views
Identifying story on male human protagonist helping aliens crashed in the mountains
This is a story I read about 20 years ago, but translated so it may have been older. Can't find it by google/google books.
What I remember: there was a single, human male protagonist, in the ...
- 61
3
votes
0
answers
230
views
Short story first contact - Earth can ask anyone a question and nobody can answer
It's a short story about making first contact.
I can remember than the Earth is able to ask a question, but nobody can answer it.
In the end some army attacks the place they are going to send the ...
- 39
14
votes
1
answer
766
views
1950s Short Story - Naive Aliens
Short-short story, American author, read in the `1960s, probably in an anthology but might have been a magazine. A pair of gullible aliens are on their first trip to Earth. A (seemingly) friendly ...
- 6,140
7
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Short story about a human who defies aliens who tell him to return to his planet
The short story is told from the point of view of a human captain's lieutenant, who is very nervous and timid. The captain is bold and brash. The two are on a mission to explore past their solar ...
- 81
6
votes
1
answer
385
views
I'm looking for a story about card catalogs and aliens
I'm looking for a story about aliens who are about to make first contact with Earth. These aliens are definitely better than humanity. The President of Earth, or the USA, tells people to destroy ...
6
votes
1
answer
240
views
Explorers find pre-industrial culture that is not conscious/self-aware
Looking for a story (maybe novelette or novella, not a novel), probably in Analog, probably in mid- to late-70's, in which extra-planetary explorers encounter a population that is intelligent but not ...
- 63
15
votes
1
answer
869
views
Distant aliens receive signal with instructions on how to construct humans, long after Earth is extinct
I'm looking for a specific scifi book that I read years ago, I only partially remember the story, and I don't remember the author or the title.
What I remember of the story is:
An alien race picks ...
- 503