Surface Tension (short story)
- Surface Tension (short story)
Infobox short story |
name = Surface Tension
author = James Blish
country = flag|USA
language = English
series =
genre = Science fiction short story
published_in =
publication_type =
publisher =
media_type = Print (Magazine)
pub_date = 1952
followed_by =
"Surface Tension" is a science fiction short story by James Blish originally published in 1952.
Plot summary
Humans crash on a distant planet which is earthlike but all but completely water-covered; their ship is too damaged to take off, nor do they have sufficient supplies to survive for long. The humans create a race of microscopic aquatic humanoids to carry on their legacy before themselves dying off. The majority of the story concerns these creatures and their intelligence, curiosity, and evolving technology. In particular, the aquatic humanoids develop a "space ship", or rather "air ship", which enables them to pierce the previously impenetrable surface of the water and travel through what is, to them, hostile space--open air--to other worlds in other bodies of water.
"Surface Tension" was among the stories selected in 1970 by the Science Fiction Writers of America as one the best science fiction short stories of all time. As such, it was published in "The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume One, 1929-1964".
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