All Questions
36
questions
10
votes
1
answer
1k
views
SF first contact short story, alien probe visits earth to exchange information, is asked about religion
I recall a short story where first contact occurs when an alien probe enters the solar system, takes up orbit around earth. Turns out that it's a sublight "ambassador/library" with AI on ...
- 293
11
votes
0
answers
208
views
Short Story about unexpected first contact
I'm trying to help my dad identify a short story he read when he was young. So it must have been written in early 70s or before.
Synopsis as he remembers it:
The far space scout lands his ship on ...
- 211
17
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Looking for SF short story about first contact and humans have to destroy evidence before aliens reach Earth
I read a really great SF short story published in an anthology from the late 1990s (maybe 1996-1997?) that involved humans making first contact with a more advanced alien species whose ambassadors are ...
- 179
13
votes
0
answers
179
views
Short story of an alien society without the concept of suicide until first contact with humans
I’m looking for a very short story about a disastrous first contact between humans and aliens, involving a sort of memetic cross-infection. The aliens had never come up with the concept of ‘suicide’ ...
21
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Short story about alien transmission which ends with the aliens' star exploding
Read this story online a few years back but I am quite sure it was far older, maybe from the 1970s or even earlier.
It has a pair of scientists receiving a transmission from a distant star system. ...
- 1,040
9
votes
1
answer
544
views
Looking for a short story about a posthuman conducting first contact with a primitive alien race on their planet [duplicate]
I probably read this story 20 years ago. I only remember random details about it. The protagonist is a heavily modified human and he is conducting first contact with an alien species on their planet....
- 93
10
votes
0
answers
68
views
Alien rite, teens tied in trees [duplicate]
After a family discussion we've thought of another memorable but unidentified old short story.
Some astronauts land on a shrubby planet where there are humanoid people with a simple civilization, ...
- 4,635
11
votes
1
answer
503
views
Short story involving Aliens attempting to make contact with humanity at a distance
The story involves multiple sets of aliens attempting to make contact with humanity, but not by visiting. Instead, these aliens are broadcasting towards Earth. One group (possibly the first) of aliens ...
- 288
5
votes
1
answer
246
views
Short story from an anthology: school children use superior military strategy to defeat an alien invasion
As I remember, the main characters played strategy games at playtime, rather than ball games with the rest of the boys, making them outcasts. But one playtime, aliens land in the playground and ...
- 51
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
A short story (possibility written in the 80's), where humans visit an alien race that evolves fast?
I was from a wikipedia article. Humans discover a primitive race of aliens that are very small, whose sense of time is much more accelerated. Communication with the aliens can take hours for humans, ...
- 169
10
votes
1
answer
367
views
80's or earlier story called "There Stands a Statue"(?)
In the 80's(?) I read a story in an secondhand anthology that may be called "There Stands a Statue." The plot I remember is something like this.
In the park there stands a statue; like many others it ...
- 109
10
votes
0
answers
136
views
Humanity as a galactic ring species [duplicate]
Short story, published before 1976.
Humanity has spread along the circumference of the galaxy (apparently avoiding the core), and diversified. The main characters are a married couple of a hairless ...
- 1,768
8
votes
1
answer
210
views
SF first contact story where it is revealed that it is humanity's destiny to merge with alien
I believe story was written between 1950-1970. I read it in a large paperback anthology in the 1980s. It was a short story - deep space encounter with alien intelligence. The first astronaut to ...
- 81
8
votes
1
answer
477
views
Short story, where humans encounter an alien race, tell them stories; the aliens act out the stories and kill the researchers
Can't remember author or title of the story.
Seem to remember the protagonist is an investigator of some sort trying to find out why previously-peaceful alien race has killed the research or liaison ...
- 81
6
votes
1
answer
374
views
60s-70s short story: distant future, mankind has spread throughout the galaxy, and make "first contact" with other descendants of Earth [duplicate]
I vividly remember a scene from a short story (?) I read back in the sixties or seventies, and am trying to remember the publication and title. If it sounds familiar to you, please post.
The scene ...
- 63