02369cam a22003493u 4500 30491 UtSlPG 20260610133709.0 m cr n 260607r2009||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS De Vet, Charles V., 1911-1997 Vital Ingredient Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2009 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from If Worlds of Science Fiction July 1952. Release date is 2009-11-17 Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net "Vital Ingredient" by Charles V. De Vet is a science fiction short story written in the early 1950s. The narrative centers around a group of extraterrestrial explorers who encounter a native creature on a planet with a low-gravity environment. Their exploration takes a poignant turn when they inadvertently alter the native's body structure, leading to unforeseen consequences regarding its survival in its own environment. The story features a character named Orville Pollnow, who is transformed by the explorers into a being with enhanced physical capabilities, yet it tragically results in his demise due to an inability to consume enough sustenance to support his new form. The dialogue among the explorers grapples with moral and ethical concerns about their interference with a primitive species, as they debate whether they should enhance Orville's capabilities for the greater good of his civilization. Ultimately, their well-intentioned actions become a cautionary tale about the unexpected ramifications of meddling with the natural evolution of life. The narrative explores themes of responsibility, the complexities of intervention, and what it means to truly help another being. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Martin, Bob Produced from If Worlds of Science Fiction July 1952. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30491 71337 71337