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001 59616
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040 _aUtSlPG
041 7 _aen
_2iso639-1
050 4 _aPS
100 1 _aWinterbotham, R. R.
_q(Russell Robert),
_d1904-1971
245 1 2 _aA Little Knowledge
264 1 _aSalt Lake City, UT :
_bProject Gutenberg,
_c2019
300 _a1 online resource :
_bmultiple file formats
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
490 1 _aProduced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, December 1956
500 _aRelease date is 2019-05-26
508 _aProduced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
520 _a"A Little Knowledge" by R. R. Winterbotham is a science fiction short story published in the mid-20th century. The narrative explores themes of interplanetary life and the inherent dangers of human ambition, as an alien named Olbu visits Earth to assess whether humanity poses a threat to the galaxy. The story reflects the burgeoning interest in space exploration and societal introspection prevalent during this time. The plot centers around a telecast featuring Olbu, the alien ambassador from the planet Xvik, and Earth scientists Dr. Bruber and broadcaster Ralph Rodkey. As Olbu shares his observations about humanity, he observes that Earthmen are ambitious and dangerous — an assessment that sparks discussions about the future of mankind. Through moments of humor and tension, Olbu reveals his planet's view of Earthlings and the possibility that they may need to be eliminated for the safety of the universe. However, the story takes a twist when Dr. Bruber informs Olbu that his home star has gone supernova, leaving the alien stranded on Earth. Ultimately, the story comments on the cyclical patterns of ambition and destruction inherent in human nature and hints that the fate Olbu feared for humanity may be the one his own kind has already faced. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
534 _nOriginal publication data not identified
653 _aScience fiction
653 _aShort stories
653 _aExtraterrestrial beings -- Fiction
653 _aHuman-alien encounters -- Fiction
653 _aTelevision programs -- Fiction
700 1 _aEmshwiller, Ed,
_d1925-1990
830 0 _aProduced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, December 1956
856 4 0 _uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/59616
999 _c100442
_d100442