One man’s cosmic fight using mathematical weapons against a universe-destroying wave and alien civilizations...
Stories for 'Universe Spanning'
Sorted by date of original publication
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This novella explores a tense scenario revolving around a group of scientists grappling with the implications of a catastrophic experiment that threatens the universe. The narrative intricately weaves themes of existential dread, the hubris of humanity in the face of cosmic powers, and a desperate struggle for survival against an awakening entity capable of annihilating existence. The climax culminates in the realization that their actions have unleashed forces beyond their control, leading to an ambiguous but thought-provoking conclusion about the nature of reality and human responsibility.
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This novel by Fred Hoyle explores the implications of a mysterious cosmic cloud approaching Earth which may block sunlight, leading to catastrophic climate changes hence causing concerns about its potential impact on life and the environment. As scientists study the cloud’s properties and trajectory, they debate the likelihood of a catastrophic event while grappling with political and ethical dilemmas regarding the dissemination of their findings.The narrative highlights the vulnerabilities of Earth to cosmic phenomena, suggesting that humanity’s understanding of the universe is still limited and that such threats can emerge unexpectedly, challenging our preparedness.
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A short story where a mathenaut who is a topologist, describes his fifth trip aboard the spaceship Abrecht Dold, under the Private Enterprises Act. The spaceship's crew, comprises of eccentric individuals like a physicist, a pataphysicist and a meta-mathematician. The protagonist struggles with a malfunction in the ship’s systems, leading to a tense situation as the walls of the ship begin to close in. The story reflects the challenges and peculiarities of space travel in a mathematical context. The diverse backgrounds of the crew members illustrate the importance of collaboration across different scientific disciplines in achieving complex goals.
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A charming, if extremely pulpish, story about one of those mathematical physicists who miraculously find a way of implementing their wildest of ideas… and how bipeds and the English language are obviously present in the deepest recesses of reality…
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The story intertwines music, science, and existential questions. The protagonist, a composer, grapples with a profound melody that emerges during a retreat to Cornwall. As he navigates the complexities of creativity and modern music, he is drawn into a mysterious scientific phenomenon involving signals from the Sun. The narrative explores the intersection of human emotion, consciousness, and the potential existence of extraterrestrial intelligence and raises profound questions about consciousness and the nature of reality, challenging characters (and readers) to consider wider possibilities. -
A short story about Michael, who seeks to use monkeys and typewriters to replicate Shakespeare’s works as a punishment for Boshel, who hesitated at the dawn of time. Through cosmic cycles, Boshel learns about time and randomness as the monkeys work to produce Shakespearean texts, facing various challenges and humorous setbacks until they finally approach success, all while the universe undergoes cycles of creation and collapse.
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In “The Missing Item,” the Black Widowers Society debates Emmanuel Rubin’s rejected story about a locksmith conspiracy, sparking a discussion on belief systems. Jonathan Thatcher voices concerns about his wife’s involvement with the Mars-focused Tri-Luciferian cult. Analyzing the cult leader’s claims, the group identifies the omission of Earth’s Moon, exposing flaws in the cult’s ideology.
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The story takes place in Leningrad, USSR, apparently in the 1970s.The protagonist, Dmitry Alekseyevich Malyanov is an astrophysicist who realizes that he is on the verge of a revolutionary discovery worthy of a Nobel Prize. But then bizarre events start to disrupt his work, which include mysterious visitors, unexplained gifts, and a neighbor's death that implicates him in a murder. Malyanov and his peers realize a mysterious force is sabotaging their scientific pursuits across various fields. Mathematician Vecherovsky theorizes this as the Universe's homeostatic resistance to prevent advanced civilizations from destabilizing its equilibrium. Under mounting pressure, most abandon their research, leaving Vecherovsky to confront the cosmic resistance alone.
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A story that revolves around a seven year old unusually genius boy named Elijah Brandon, and a dangerous multiyear mission to search for outer rim of the known Universe with the help of a spaceship. The title "double möbius sphere", also called the twisted cylinder, which has a one-sided surface and looks like an infinite loop with no boundaries is basically used as a metaphor to summarise the story. The setting is several centuries from now, in a federation of most of the lesser sentient species, such as humans. It turns out that the telepathic boy may have unlocked the secret to the universe by decoding an uncrackable message received from aliens called Capacians. The protagonist and several others believe it to be a tragedy, and are convinced that "discovering everything" will ruin the human race and everything they have fought for.
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The text discusses themes from various works of science fiction and culture, focusing on the evolving portrayal of isolating figures like heroes and rebels in literature and film. It contrasts traditional characters who rebelled against societal norms with contemporary depictions of individuals such as Roy Neary from Steven Spielberg's SciFi movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Neary sacrifices his family and stability for a connection with benevolent extraterrestrials, echoing a longing for deeper meaning and connection in life. The narrative emphasizes the price of such journeys, suggesting that real progress often involves prolonged struggle and personal sacrifice, ultimately advocating for a shift towards more relatable, grounded heroes in modern storytelling.