Isaac Asimov

“The Feeling of Power” is a short story by the American writer Isaac Asimov, published in February 1958 in If magazine and later included in 1959 in the book Nine Tomorrows. In a future dominated by technology, humanity depends on computers and has forgotten even the most elementary mathematical operations. In the midst of a long war against Deneb, programmer Jehan Shuman summons military and political leaders to introduce them to Myron Aub, a humble technician with an unusual talent: he has developed a method that allows him to perform arithmetic calculations using only his mind, a pencil, and a sheet of paper. Intrigued and skeptical, the high-ranking officials witness a demonstration that could change the course of the conflict.

“I’m in Marsport Without Hilda” is a short story by American writer Isaac Asimov, published in November 1957 in Venture Science Fiction Magazine. Max, an agent of the Galactic Service, arrives in Marsport for a three-day stopover before returning to Earth. The occasion seems perfect: his wife, Hilda, will not be able to join him, leaving him free to call Flora, a former lover. But just when everything seems to be leading toward the long-awaited encounter, Rog Crinton, an official of the Service on Mars, assigns him an urgent mission: to discover which one of three important passengers is carrying a dangerous contraband substance capable of threatening space travel.

“Someday” is a short story by Isaac Asimov published in August 1956 in the magazine Infinity Science Fiction. Set in a future in which machines have replaced much of everyday work, the story follows Niccolo and Paul, two friends who discover an old Narrator, a device that automatically creates and tells stories. The two friends complain that the machine only tells stories set in a world with horses, cows, and other things they do not recognize. While Paul tries to improve the device, he tells Niccolo that there was once a time—before computers—when people had to do something called “reading” in order to learn new stories.

“The Fun They Had” is a short story by Isaac Asimov, published in December 1951 in Boys and Girls Page. Margie and Tommy, two children living in a future society, discover something they have never seen before: a real book printed on paper. The two friends—and Margie in particular—are fascinated by this unusual object, which describes a distant time when education was conducted in a way very different from the one they know.

“First Law” is a short story by Isaac Asimov published in October 1956 in Fantastic Universe magazine. The story follows Mike Donovan, a veteran robotics engineer, who recounts an unusual situation that occurred on Titan, one of Saturn’s moons. There, during a mining mission, an experimental robot model from the MA series exhibits unexpected behavior that seems to contradict the First Law of Robotics: “A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” The story presents an intriguing situation that challenges the fundamental principles of artificial intelligence.