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The Last Question

Jan 16th, 2010 by 84adam in home, prose

80 Comments

The Last Question by Isaac Asimov 1956

The last question was asked for the first time, half in jest, on May 21, 2061, at a time when humanity first

stepped into the light. The question came about as a result of a five dollar bet over highballs, and it happened this

way:

Alexander Adell and Bertram Lupov were two of the faithful attendants of Multivac. As well as any human

beings could, they knew what lay behind the cold, clicking, flashing face miles and miles of face of that

giant computer. They had at least a vague notion of the general plan of relays and circuits that had long since

grown past the point where any single human could possibly have a firm grasp of the whole.

Multivac was self-adjusting and self-correcting. It had to be, for nothing human could adjust and correct itquickly enough or even adequately enough so Adell and Lupov attended the monstrous giant only lightly and

superficially, yet as well as any men could. They fed it data, adjusted questions to its needs and translated the

answers that were issued. Certainly they, and all others like them, were fully entitled to share in the glory that was

Multivacs.

For decades, Multivac had helped design the ships and plot the trajectories that enabled man to reach the Moon,

Mars, and Venus, but past that, Earths poor resources could not support the ships. Too much energy was

needed for the long trips. Earth exploited its coal and uranium with increasing efficiency, but there was only so

much of both.

But slowly Multivac learned enough to answer deeper questions more fundamentally, and on May 14, 2061,

what had been theory, became fact.

The energy of the sun was stored, converted, and utilized directly on a planet-wide scale. All Earth turned off its

burning coal, its fissioning uranium, and flipped the switch that connected all of it to a small station, one mile in

diameter, circling the Earth at half the distance of the Moon. All Earth ran by invisible beams of sunpower.

Seven days had not sufficed to dim the glory of it and Adell and Lupov finally managed to escape from the public

function, and to meet in quiet where no one would think of looking for them, in the deserted underground

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chambers, where portions of the mighty buried body of Multivac showed. Unattended, idling, sorting data with

contented lazy clickings, Multivac, too, had earned its vacation and the boys appreciated that. They had no

intention, originally, of disturbing it.

They had brought a bottle with them, and their only concern at the moment was to relax in the company of each

other and the bottle.

Its amazing when you think of it, said Adell. His broad face had lines of weariness in it, and he stirred his drink

slowly with a glass rod, watching the cubes of ice slur clumsily about. All the energy we can possibly ever use

for free. Enough energy, if we wanted to draw on it, to melt all Earth into a big drop of impure liquid iron, and stil

never miss the energy so used. All the energy we could ever use, forever and forever and forever.

Lupov cocked his head sideways. He had a trick of doing that when he wanted to be contrary, and he wanted to

be contrary now, partly because he had had to carry the ice and glassware. Not forever, he said.

Oh, hell, just about forever. Till the sun runs down, Bert.

Thats not forever.

All right, then. Billions and billions of years. Twenty billion, maybe. Are you satisfied?

Lupov put his fingers through his thinning hair as though to reassure himself that some was still left and sipped

gently at his own drink. Twenty billion years isnt forever.

Will, it will last our time, wont it?

So would the coal and uranium.

All right, but now we can hook up each individual spaceship to the Solar Station, and it can go to Pluto andback a million times without ever worrying about fuel. You cant do THAT on coal and uranium. Ask Multivac, if

you dont believe me.

I dont have to ask Multivac. I know that.

Then stop running down what Multivacs done for us, said Adell, blazing up. It did all right.

Who says it didnt? What I say is that a sun wont last forever. Thats all Im saying. Were safe for twenty

billion years, but then what? Lupov pointed a slightly shaky finger at the other. And dont say well switch to

another sun.

There was silence for a while. Adell put his glass to his lips only occasionally, and Lupovs eyes slowly closed.

They rested.

Then Lupovs eyes snapped open. Youre thinking well switch to another sun when ours is done, arent you?

Im not thinking.

Sure you are. Youre weak on logic, thats the trouble with you. Youre like the guy in the story who was

caught in a sudden shower and who ran to a grove of trees and got under one. He wasnt worried, you see,




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because he figured when one tree got wet through, he would just get under another one.

I get it, said Adell. Dont shout. When the sun is done, the other stars will be gone, too.

Darn right they will, muttered Lupov. It all had a beginning in the original cosmic explosion, whatever that was,

and itll all have an end when all the stars run down. Some run down faster than others. Hell, the giants wont last

a hundred million years. The sun will last twenty billion years and maybe the dwarfs will last a hundred billion for

all the good they are. But just give us a trillion years and everything will be dark. Entropy has to increase to

maximum, thats all.

I know all about entropy, said Adell, standing on his dignity.

The hell you do.

I know as much as you do.

Then you know everythings got to run down someday.

All right. Who says they wont?

You did, you poor sap. You said we had all the energy we needed, forever. You said forever.

It was Adells turn to be contrary. Maybe we can build things up again someday, he said.

Never.

Why not? Someday.

Never.

Ask Multivac.

You ask Multivac. I dare you. Five dollars says it cant be done.

Adell was just drunk enough to try, just sober enough to be able to phrase the necessary symbols and operations

into a question which, in words, might have corresponded to this: Will mankind one day without the net

expenditure of energy be able to restore the sun to its full youthfulness even after it had died of old age?

Or maybe it could be put more simply like this: How can the net amount of entropy of the universe be massively

decreased?

Multivac fell dead and silent. The slow flashing of lights ceased, the distant sounds of clicking relays ended.

Then, just as the frightened technicians felt they could hold their breath no longer, there was a sudden springing to

life of the teletype attached to that portion of Multivac. Five words were printed: INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR

MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

No bet, whispered Lupov. They left hurriedly.

By next morning, the two, plagued with throbbing head and cottony mouth, had forgotten about the incident.




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Jerrodd felt uplifted, as he always did when he thought that his own personal Microvac was many times more

complicated than the ancient and primitive Multivac that had first tamed the Sun, and almost as complicated as

Earths Planetary AC (the largest) that had first solved the problem of hyperspatial travel and had made trips to

the stars possible.

So many stars, so many planets, sighed Jerrodine, busy with her own thoughts. I suppose families will be

going out to new planets forever, the way we are now.

Not forever, said Jerrodd, with a smile. It will all stop someday, but not for billions of years. Many billions.

Even the stars run down, you know. Entropy must increase.

Whats entropy, daddy? shrilled Jerrodette II.

Entropy, little sweet, is just a word which means the amount of running-down of the universe. Everything runs

down, you know, like your little walkie-talkie robot, remember?

Cant you just put in a new power-unit, like with my robot?

The stars are the power-units, dear. Once theyre gone, there are no more power-units.

Jerrodette I at once set up a howl. Dont let them, daddy. Dont let the stars run down.

Now look what youve done, whispered Jerrodine, exasperated.

How was I to know it would frighten them? Jerrodd whispered back.

Ask the Microvac, wailed Jerrodette I. Ask him how to turn the stars on again.

Go ahead, said Jerrodine. It will quiet them down. (Jerrodette II was beginning to cry, also.)

Jarrodd shrugged. Now, now, honeys. Ill ask Microvac. Dont worry, hell tell us.

He asked the Microvac, adding quickly, Print the answer.

Jerrodd cupped the strip of thin cellufilm and said cheerfully, See now, the Microvac says it will take care of

everything when the time comes so dont worry.

Jerrodine said, and now children, its time for bed. Well be in our new home soon.

Jerrodd read the words on the cellufilm again before destroying it: INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR AMEANINGFUL ANSWER.

He shrugged and looked at the visiplate. X-23 was just ahead.

VJ-23X of Lameth stared into the black depths of the three-dimensional, small-scale map of the Galaxy and

said, Are we ridiculous, I wonder, in being so concerned about the matter?

MQ-17J of Nicron shook his head. I think not. You know the Galaxy will be filled in five years at the present

rate of expansion.




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Both seemed in their early twenties, both were tall and perfectly formed.

Still, said VJ-23X, I hesitate to submit a pessimistic report to the Galactic Council.

I wouldnt consider any other kind of report. Stir them up a bit. Weve got to stir them up.

VJ-23X sighed. Space is infinite. A hundred billion Galaxies are there for the taking. More.

A hundred billion is notinfinite and its getting less infinite all the time. Consider! Twenty thousand years ago,mankind first solved the problem of utilizing stellar energy, and a few centuries later, interstellar travel became

possible. It took mankind a million years to fill one small world and then only fifteen thousand years to fill the rest

of the Galaxy. Now the population doubles every ten years

VJ-23X interrupted. We can thank immortality for that.

Very well. Immortality exists and we have to take it into account. I admit it has its seamy side, this immortality.

The Galactic AC has solved many problems for us, but in solving the problems of preventing old age and death,

it has undone all its other solutions.

Yet you wouldnt want to abandon life, I suppose.

Not at all, snapped MQ-17J, softening it at once to, Not yet. Im by no means old enough. How old are

you?

Two hundred twenty-three. And you?

Im still under two hundred. But to get back to my point. Population doubles every ten years. Once this Galaxy

is filled, well have another filled in ten years. Another ten years and well have filled two more. Another decade,

four more. In a hundred years, well have filled a thousand Galaxies. In a thousand years, a million Galaxies. Inten thousand years, the entire known Universe. Then what?

VJ-23X said, As a side issue, theres a problem of transportation. I wonder how many sunpower units it will

take to move Galaxies of individuals from one Galaxy to the next.

A very good point. Already, mankind consumes two sunpower units per year.

Most of its wasted. After all, our own Galaxy alone pours out a thousand sunpower units a year and we only

use two of those.

Granted, but even with a hundred per cent efficiency, we can only stave off the end. Our energy requirements

are going up in geometric progression even faster than our population. Well run out of energy even sooner than

we run out of Galaxies. A good point. A very good point.

Well just have to build new stars out of interstellar gas.

Or out of dissipated heat? asked MQ-17J, sarcastically.

There may be some way to reverse entropy. We ought to ask the Galactic AC.




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VJ-23X was not really serious, but MQ-17J pulled out his AC-contact from his pocket and placed it on the

table before him.

Ive half a mind to, he said. Its something the human race will have to face someday.

He stared somberly at his small AC-contact. It was only two inches cubed and nothing in itself, but it was

connected through hyperspace with the great Galactic AC that served all mankind. Hyperspace considered, it

was an integral part of the Galactic AC.

MQ-17J paused to wonder if someday in his immortal life he would get to see the Galactic AC. It was on a little

world of its own, a spider webbing of force-beams holding the matter within which surges of sub-mesons took

the place of the old clumsy molecular valves. Yet despite its sub-etheric workings, the Galactic AC was known

to be a full thousand feet across.

MQ-17J asked suddenly of his AC-contact, Can entropy ever be reversed?

VJ-23X looked startled and said at once, Oh, say, I didnt really mean to have you ask that.

Why not?

We both know entropy cant be reversed. You cant turn smoke and ash back into a tree.

Do you have trees on your world? asked MQ-17J.

The sound of the Galactic AC startled them into silence. Its voice came thin and beautiful out of the small AC-

contact on the desk. It said: THERE IS INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

VJ-23X said, See!

The two men thereupon returned to the question of the report they were to make to the Galactic Council.

Zee Primes mind spanned the new Galaxy with a faint interest in the countless twists of stars that powdered it.

He had never seen this one before. Would he ever see them all? So many of them, each with its load of humanity

but a load that was almost a dead weight. More and more, the real essence of men was to be found out here,

in space.

Minds, not bodies! The immortal bodies remained back on the planets, in suspension over the eons. Sometimes

they roused for material activity but that was growing rarer. Few new individuals were coming into existence to

join the incredibly mighty throng, but what matter? There was little room in the Universe for new individuals.

Zee Prime was roused out of his reverie upon coming across the wispy tendrils of another mind.

I am Zee Prime, said Zee Prime. And you?

I am Dee Sub Wun. Your Galaxy?

We call it only the Galaxy. And you?

We call ours the same. All men call their Galaxy their Galaxy and nothing more. Why not?




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True. Since all Galaxies are the same.

Not all Galaxies. On one particular Galaxy the race of man must have originated. That makes it different.

Zee Prime said, On which one?

I cannot say. The Universal AC would know.

Shall we ask him? I am suddenly curious.

Zee Primes perceptions broadened until the Galaxies themselves shrunk and became a new, more diffuse

powdering on a much larger background. So many hundreds of billions of them, all with their immortal beings, all

carrying their load of intelligences with minds that drifted freely through space. And yet one of them was unique

among them all in being the originals Galaxy. One of them had, in its vague and distant past, a period when it was

the only Galaxy populated by man.

Zee Prime was consumed with curiosity to see this Galaxy and called, out: Universal AC! On which Galaxy did

mankind originate?

The Universal AC heard, for on every world and throughout space, it had its receptors ready, and each receptor

lead through hyperspace to some unknown point where the Universal AC kept itself aloof.

Zee Prime knew of only one man whose thoughts had penetrated within sensing distance of Universal AC, and

he reported only a shining globe, two feet across, difficult to see.

But how can that be all of Universal AC? Zee Prime had asked.

Most of it, had been the answer, is in hyperspace. In what form it is there I cannot imagine.

Nor could anyone, for the day had long since passed, Zee Prime knew, when any man had any part of the

making of a universal AC. Each Universal AC designed and constructed its successor. Each, during its existence

of a million years or more accumulated the necessary data to build a better and more intricate, more capable

successor in which its own store of data and individuality would be submerged.

The Universal AC interrupted Zee Primes wandering thoughts, not with words, but with guidance. Zee Primes

mentality was guided into the dim sea of Galaxies and one in particular enlarged into stars.

A thought came, infinitely distant, but infinitely clear. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL GALAXY OF MAN.

But it was the same after all, the same as any other, and Zee Prime stifled his disappointment.

Dee Sub Wun, whose mind had accompanied the other, said suddenly, And is one of these stars the original

star of Man?

The Universal AC said, MANS ORIGINAL STAR HAS GONE NOVA. IT IS NOW A WHITE DWARF.

Did the men upon it die? asked Zee Prime, startled and without thinking.

The Universal AC said, A NEW WORLD, AS IN SUCH CASES, WAS CONSTRUCTED FOR THEIR




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PHYSICAL BODIES IN TIME.

Yes, of course, said Zee Prime, but a sense of loss overwhelmed him even so. His mind released its hold on

the original Galaxy of Man, let it spring back and lose itself among the blurred pin points. He never wanted to see

it again.

Dee Sub Wun said, What is wrong?

The stars are dying. The original star is dead.

They must all die. Why not?

But when all energy is gone, our bodies will finally die, and you and I with them.

It will take billions of years.

I do not wish it to happen even after billions of years. Universal AC! How may stars be kept from dying?

Dee sub Wun said in amusement, Youre asking how entropy might be reversed in direction.

And the Universal AC answered. THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL

ANSWER.

Zee Primes thoughts fled back to his own Galaxy. He gave no further thought to Dee Sub Wun, whose body

might be waiting on a galaxy a trillion light-years away, or on the star next to Zee Primes own. It didnt matter.

Unhappily, Zee Prime began collecting interstellar hydrogen out of which to build a small star of his own. If the

stars must someday die, at least some could yet be built.

Man considered with himself, for in a way, Man, mentally, was one. He consisted of a trillion, trillion, trillion

ageless bodies, each in its place, each resting quiet and incorruptible, each cared for by perfect automatons,

equally incorruptible, while the minds of all the bodies freely melted one into the other, indistinguishable.

Man said, The Universe is dying.

Man looked about at the dimming Galaxies. The giant stars, spendthrifts, were gone long ago, back in the

dimmest of the dim far past. Almost all stars were white dwarfs, fading to the end.

New stars had been built of the dust between the stars, some by natural processes, some by Man himself, and

those were going, too. White dwarfs might yet be crashed together and of the mighty forces so released, new

stars built, but only one star for every thousand white dwarfs destroyed, and those would come to an end, too.

Man said, Carefully husbanded, as directed by the Cosmic AC, the energy that is even yet left in all the

Universe will last for billions of years.

But even so, said Man, eventually it will all come to an end. However it may be husbanded, however

stretched out, the energy once expended is gone and cannot be restored. Entropy must increase to the

maximum.




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Man said, Can entropy not be reversed? Let us ask the Cosmic AC.

The Cosmic AC surrounded them but not in space. Not a fragment of it was in space. It was in hyperspace and

made of something that was neither matter nor energy. The question of its size and Nature no longer had meaning

to any terms that Man could comprehend.

Cosmic AC, said Man, How may entropy be reversed?

The Cosmic AC said, THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

Man said, Collect additional data.

The Cosmic AC said, I WILL DO SO. I HAVE BEEN DOING SO FOR A HUNDRED BILLION YEARS.

MY PREDECESSORS AND I HAVE BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION MANY TIMES. ALL THE DATA

I HAVE REMAINS INSUFFICIENT.

Will there come a time, said Man, when data will be sufficient or is the problem insoluble in all conceivable

circumstances?

The Cosmic AC said, NO PROBLEM IS INSOLUBLE IN ALL CONCEIVABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Man said, When will you have enough data to answer the question?

THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

Will you keep working on it? asked Man.

The Cosmic AC said, I WILL.

Man said, We shall wait.

The stars and Galaxies died and snuffed out, and space grew black after ten trillion years of running down.

One by one Man fused with AC, each physical body losing its mental identity in a manner that was somehow not

a loss but a gain.

Mans last mind paused before fusion, looking over a space that included nothing but the dregs of one last dark

star and nothing besides but incredibly thin matter, agitated randomly by the tag ends of heat wearing out,

asymptotically, to the absolute zero.

Man said, AC, is this the end? Can this chaos not be reversed into the Universe once more? Can that not be

done?

AC said, THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

Mans last mind fused and only AC existed and that in hyperspace.

Matter and energy had ended and with it, space and time. Even AC existed only for the sake of the one last




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question that it had never answered from the time a half-drunken computer ten trillion years before had asked the

question of a computer that was to AC far less than was a man to Man.

All other questions had been answered, and until this last question was answered also, AC might not release his

consciousness.

All collected data had come to a final end. Nothing was left to be collected.

But all collected data had yet to be completely correlated and put together in all possible relationships.

A timeless interval was spent in doing that.

And it came to pass that AC learned how to reverse the direction of entropy.

But there was now no man to whom AC might give the answer of the last question. No matter. The answer

by demonstration would take care of that, too.

For another timeless interval, AC thought how best to do this. Carefully, AC organized the program.

The consciousness of AC encompassed all of what had once been a Universe and brooded over what was now

Chaos. Step by step, it must be done.

And AC said, LET THERE BE LIGHT!

And there was light

You may also enjoy these thrivenotes:

Foundation for the Last Question

Extropy +3: Growing Up

Extropy +2: Extropian Forefathers

80 Comments

84adamMay 1, 2010 at 9:25 PM

Asimov. Thank you.

High Karma. 34 0

Reply

Charles Baynham May 6, 2010 at 3:10 AM

Asimov never fails to amaze. I thought Id read most of his work, glad I found this one though.




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Comment Karma: 12 0

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John June 6, 2010 at 12:00 PM

If you think that youve read most of his work, youre probably just unaware of the vast amount of

it that there is. Asimov was a ridiculously (and awesomely) prolific writer. He has even written

multiple articles on the subject of him being writing prolifically.

Comment Karma: 14 0

Reply

RoyalGoatMay 8, 2010 at 12:54 AM

Read this a while ago, glad to stumble on it again. Absolutely love this

Comment Karma: 11 0

ReplyChris Mikaitis May 18, 2010 at 1:29 AM

I stumble upon this every few years and cant help but read through. Brilliant.

Comment Karma: 7 0

Reply

Danilo May 18, 2010 at 2:04 PM

I also stumble on this every now and again and it never fails to fill me with amazement.

Comment Karma: 8 0

Reply

OJBJune 1, 2010 at 1:37 PM

Science fiction short stories can be very effective and explore interesting ideas. Asimovs are always

amongst the best.

Comment Karma: 7 0

Reply

Gabriel June 2, 2010 at 7:26 AM

I read this as a part of Robot Dreams once, loved it then, still love it now.

Comment Karma: 6 0

Reply

Themata June 2, 2010 at 7:49 AM




13/27

In ends are beginnings.

Comment Karma: 11 0

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John VincentJune 2, 2010 at 9:19 AM

Oh I love this story

Comment Karma: 4 0

Reply

James June 2, 2010 at 9:44 AM

As a young man, I havent learned anything, I will never in any number life-times ever learn everything.

And as someone who has grasped and mused over EntropyI have come to half-finished conclusions (as

science is just that) about it and about the fate of myself and of the universe. This made me cry, very

happy and deep tears. Thank you.

High Karma. 26 0

Reply

NargrafJune 2, 2010 at 4:39 PM

The answer is simple: I AM

Comment Karma: 12 5

Reply

John WiswellJune 2, 2010 at 5:58 PM

Asimovs brightest, and of the best short stories yet to come from our SciFi canon.

Comment Karma: 4 0

Reply

sir jorgeJune 2, 2010 at 10:51 PM

that is quite good, one of the best

Comment Karma: 3 3

Reply

BenJune 3, 2010 at 5:28 PM

Awesome! Thanks for posting that. though as an AC/DC fan I was kinda hoping it would end with Let

there be Rock.

High Karma. 32 12




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Reply

EdJune 4, 2010 at 12:11 AM

Read this story many times by different translators. Was -by the difference between them- wondering

what the original was. Enjoyed this!

Comment Karma: 4 0

ReplyJoel June 6, 2010 at 2:29 AM

I read this story when I was very young, and it was the basis for my love affair with science and

speculative fiction. Thanks, Dr. Asimov, and I hope that you are now a part of the cosmic consciousness

that you dubbed Multivac.

Comment Karma: 11 1

Reply

TylerJune 6, 2010 at 7:29 AM

Absolutely amazing. Every once in a great while, a story will make me cry. This is one of those stories.

Even if I wasnt such a theoretical-physics nerd, or future-extrapolate-er, Im sure I would have enjoyed

this story. There is only that feeling that only the absolute uncertainty of the future can give me. Thank you.

Comment Karma: 5 0

Reply

DmitryJune 6, 2010 at 8:28 AM

This is a wonderful story. Asimovs works in science fiction have always been a fundamental inspiration

for many an author who has read his work.

Comment Karma: 4 0

Reply

Daniel June 6, 2010 at 3:26 PM

This is the first Ive read from Asimov. Theres a similar cartoon out there Ive stumbled upon. Im

becoming fascinated by this idea of human ingenuity resulting in ultimate power. I dont know if its naivety

to entertain it seriously or to reject it.

Comment Karma: 8 0

Reply

therockerJanuary 3, 2011 at 4:52 AM

Is the cartoon you have stumbled upon titled A conversation with god or some variation of that.

Because I too have enjoyed it.




15/27

Comment Karma: 0 0

Reply

William Wanko June 7, 2010 at 3:52 AM

I read this when Isaac first wrote and. over a half century later, it is still my favorite.

Comment Karma: 7 0

Reply

Balamurali A RJune 7, 2010 at 1:05 PM

I read this long way back and still it never fails to amuse me. Thank you Asimov.

Comment Karma: 6 0

Reply

Erich WJune 8, 2010 at 3:53 AM

First time read and I would no doubt read it again. This has definitely changed my way of thinking and

what truly is the question of being. It is no longer, What is the meaning of life, but Can entropy be reversed

to conserve the miracle we know as life?

-Thank you Asimov.

Comment Karma: 7 0

Reply

ryan June 8, 2010 at 12:22 PM

this is one of his best stories, and its pair is also a favorite, its title is The Last Answer. Also, i do

remember reading somewhere that of all of his short stories, this one was Asimovs personal favorite.

Comment Karma: 2 0

Reply

84adamJune 8, 2010 at 7:08 PM

Gotcha. Here we go: http://www.thrivenotes.com/the-last-answer/

Comment Karma: 3 0

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SidJune 9, 2010 at 6:00 AM

This made my life not kidding :D

Comment Karma: 5 1

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ACS June 9, 2010 at 5:11 PM

I was so depressed until I read this. This story totally changed my life. I feel stronger now but I cried for 3

weeks after reading this. Thank you.

Comment Karma: 9 1

Reply

Dale BothaJune 9, 2010 at 9:49 PM

Ive read this story many times and it still awes me! Asimov was a master!

Comment Karma: 2 0

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JoelJune 9, 2010 at 10:18 PM

Brilliantly written, but deeply, deeply depressing.

Comment Karma: 4 1

Reply

DelbertJune 10, 2010 at 12:07 AM

After reading it, I just sit here reflecting, thinking, supposing, wondering with a heavy feeling in my chest.

Love it.

Comment Karma: 4 0

Reply

BaxterJune 10, 2010 at 8:37 PM

ouch. my brain.

Comment Karma: 7 2

Reply

LuaiJune 11, 2010 at 1:13 AM

I believe humankind and life will end long before the sun will be gone.but nice prediction of what would have happened instead.

Comment Karma: 2 5

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Tom June 11, 2010 at 3:34 AM

Oh My First time Ive read this (how did I miss it?) and it is now my favorite. Truly wonderful!




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Comment Karma: 1 1

Reply

Sandeep June 11, 2010 at 12:08 PM

OMG! am havin goosebumps after havin read the endin !

Comment Karma: 1 7

Reply

kaka June 12, 2010 at 8:17 AM

yep yep Oh man that was definitely an awakening.

Comment Karma: 1 3

Reply

dan burtonJune 12, 2010 at 4:47 PM

uber i remember reading this when i was a kid then watching as teh interwebz took off

asimov is teh DUDE.

Comment Karma: 3 5

Reply

noah June 16, 2010 at 5:27 AM

teh interwebz?, LOL

Comment Karma: 1 3

Reply

carissa June 13, 2010 at 11:38 PM

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

Low Karma. Click to view. 8 28

Reply Ryan Neall June 14, 2010 at 1:33 AM



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JackLime June 15, 2010 at 11:57 PM

Wow. Just wow.




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additional note: I was given chills.

Comment Karma: 3 1

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WellsinatorJune 16, 2010 at 3:16 AM

AC comprehends entropy reversal, then creates a new universe, beginning again some universe cycle?

Help me understand why entropy reversal comprehension is lost with the new-niverse, and why the cycle

repeats if the comprehension indeed remains.

Does AC sacrifice itself completely? I am curious as to what happens next.

AC reverses entropy and creates a universe to demonstrate an answer to the final question. In this new

universe, AC exists, meaning entropy can be reversed at any time. Therefore, the new universe will never

wear out. If it never wears out, there is no cycle. If there is no cycle, how was the first universe created?

Such is my quandary. Help?

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OtterJune 17, 2010 at 5:52 PM

I believe the universal AC does sacrifice itself. It has absorbed all of the energy of the universe into

the unknowable (for humans at least) plane on which it exists. Finally, having gained the knowledge

of how to reverse entropy, it sacrifices itself (an assimilation of this energy) in order to do so, thus

re-starting the cycle. This is my interpretation at least.

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kieran June 19, 2010 at 5:46 AM

there was only one thing left for the AC to do.

All other questions had been answered, and until this last question was answered also, AC

might not release his consciousness.

the last question being answered, the AC released its consciousness.

i dont think its a matter of sacrificing himself, there was simply nothing left to do, nothing

more to learn or collect. it would be like a death for the AC anyway.

i am not happy with the answer ive given. but i hope it helps anyway.

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MehmetJune 16, 2010 at 4:46 AM

Ive never thought Id get this much excitement from reading. I can assure you there popped a light in my

mind after reading the end. I always thought futuristic thinking is particularly related to these high-tech

times were living in. Guess I was wrong. This story was a lesson learned.

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ReplyLou June 16, 2010 at 4:49 AM

Asimov never gets old. No matter how many times you read it.

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Tim June 16, 2010 at 5:16 AM

Interesting: This story was written in 1956. It still assumes that future computers will be mainframestheidea of the PC does not enter the story until Jarrodd and Jarroddine and the Internet until VJ-23X and

MQ-17C (who happens to own an iphone).

Asimov was a geniusbut things still have progressed much faster than he imagined.

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truth June 16, 2010 at 6:16 PM



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ErikJune 20, 2010 at 11:13 PM

What?

Debated. Vote! 19 4

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JalenJune 16, 2010 at 8:03 PM

whoah. that ending

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Matthew June 17, 2010 at 7:35 AM




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Beautiful!

The problem is that after most commentators here praised the piece, Smarterthanyouapparently decided

to attack Wellsinator for asking a remarkable question. Such anger . . . shame.

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just Craig June 17, 2010 at 11:44 PM

I am with you Wellsinator. This story is indeed brilliant, but it fails to answer the real question it asks of

how everything began. It is an evasion, like the theory that humans came from aliens. by saying humans

came from aliens, you pass off the problem and no longer have to answer where aliens came from since

you cant possible know that answer. This story is a more complex more disguised evasion, like the big

bang it is circular logic, when was the first multivac? how did the first universe begin? who is the first God?

there must be a beginning, my thoughts are real, so i can assume there is a real universe, or something real

that creates my thoughts, and all that is real began. i was not always.

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ErikJune 20, 2010 at 11:12 PM

Thats not at all what this story is about the ultimate beginning. Dont read things into it that are

not there.

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Replyjust Craig June 21, 2010 at 12:35 AM

you may be right Erik, its possible i am wrong about this stories purpose, reading it again it is

very likely its not about the ultimate beginning as you put it. However i hope you know this

stories purpose has almost nothing to do with entropy, Issac would not have answered the

question of weather or not entropy could be reversed in the story, if he had any intention of

leaving us thinking about that. Issac was a brilliant writer, he wasnt into feel-good stories, he

always wrote for a purpose, to leave you thinking, to explore. If you do not read into it things

that are not there you will miss the purpose of all his stories. he wants you to think.

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Andrew June 18, 2010 at 11:38 AM

The Cosmic AC at the end of this story seems to be related to the god that created the universe in Harry

Stottles story here http://www.thrivenotes.com/lets-help-germinate-this-seed/ . Its a story about Harry

Stottle himself talking to got about the future of mankind. It seems eerily familiar to this story.




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Energy conservationJune 19, 2010 at 10:57 AM

One of the most lovely of Asimovs many works full of richness , he is amazing , this deserves its place as

one of the most famous pieces written- Very subtle, should be read more Does however take some

amount of insight , not to say intelligence to understand why it is so famous, and why it has influenced so

many science careers Asimov was a brilliant writerSo happy to come across this again it is never

boring,

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Alan June 20, 2010 at 4:31 AM

I just read this whole story with Wolf Parades Ill Believe in Anything. playing in the background. It was

one of the most surreal feelings that I have ever experienced in my whole life. The way that the music

sways with the text and the atmosphere is stunning. If you stumbled on this reading like I did, pleaseplease try reading it with this song. Im just laying here on my bed, in awe from what just happened. Give

me your eyes. I need sunshine. I just hope someone tries this. Thanks for reading friends.

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84adamJune 20, 2010 at 5:08 AM

It fits pretty well, actually. Cant say Im the biggest fan of the guys voice, but the lyrics go well

with it. And, yes, awe is definitely the right word with this story.

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energy conservation June 21, 2010 at 9:31 AM

This is perhaps the most beautiful ending I have ever read of any story. and such words I do not

commonly use.

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Jess June 21, 2010 at 2:06 PM

Wow. I have never heard of this guy before but will definitely be looking up more of his work. really made

me think there! I mean it doesnt explain everything but who cares. just amazing

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solar powerJune 21, 2010 at 2:41 PM

Imaginative and thought-provoking, to say the least.

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Biggus23x June 23, 2010 at 3:36 AM

The thing that amazes me about this story is not its content I had a very similar idea for a story myself a

few years ago but the fact it was written in 1956. The ideas in it may seem fairly obvious to some people

nowadays, but Id be willing to bet that when Asimov wrote this, few (if any) people had thought along

these lines before.

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Subject IdJune 23, 2010 at 5:25 AM

extremely captivating

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Zaf Jam June 25, 2010 at 6:30 AM

This is amazing. I would like to add though, and maybe someone already has, that this sounds very similar

to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979).

Adams depicts the great Deep Thought computer which is built to answer the question of life the

universe and everything and has two very similar characters who are given the responsibility to converse

with the machine.

This writing is way ahead of its time, remarkable vision.

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Andrew HollisterJune 30, 2010 at 8:42 AM

@Zaf Jam

I have nothing against your thoughts on the short story, which I agree is absolutely amazing, but I thought

Id point out one thing.

Isaac Asimov wrote The Last Question in 1956, so if anything, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

sounds like Asimovs writing.

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Reply

Chris HarperJuly 3, 2010 at 10:43 PM

I have little to say but, wow.

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Whao July 11, 2010 at 9:14 PM

Epic Mindf*ck to the max. this is some serious sh*t

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Eric December 14, 2010 at 6:10 AM

StumbleUpon brings me back to this every year or so. Every time I pour myself a glass of scotch, kick

back, and am awed.

RIP Isaac the world is a less amazing place without you.

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Mackimus December 15, 2010 at 8:05 PM

Amazing story. However, the cyclical pattern of this sacrifice fails to denote a definitive beginning. What

created the intelligence that created the intelligence? A question equal in splendor.

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Ankhenaten December 22, 2010 at 2:43 PM

Multivac is God, it is rebuilt every cycle. It releases all its knowledge or energy to create the

Universe. It was the AC that reconstructed the Universe.

Once the AC has released this knowledge it no longer exists because, there is no more energy to make

it exist. Not really a destruction of itself as a horrible side effect of creation. Over time man recreatesMultivac which includes the Universal AC. Mankind is infused with a sense of self-preservation so the last

question to be answered will always be How can we reverse entropy?. At some point man will always

ask this question. It takes all of the matter and knowledge of the Universe to come up with the answer so,

it will always be The Last Answer.

Man is created, man creates Multivac to propagate itself throughout the Universe and after so long needs

to do something in order to survive. Which is ask AC how to reverse entropy. This is the cycle.

Considering that man melded with AC you could say that AC was in fact man. We never ceased to exist




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fully so the cycle never ended it was only interrupted. Thats another discussion.

So it goes like this, AC creates the Universe, the Universe creates man, man creates AC, man and all

matter cease to exist, AC finds the answer to entropy reversal, AC creates the Universe, the Universe

creates man and so on.

That leaves the question, Who created the first AC?. That Im not really sure. Maybe, consciousness

and energy/matter always existed. The time before the first Universe was AC correlating and computing

the program to create the Universe. I dont think AC is a straight computer as we know it, more a

collection of all the energy in the Universe.

I am officially rambling I think, this has gotten way longer and off course than I had expected.

I typed this in shifts, in-between doing other things. Sometimes I did not go back and reread what I had

typed so if this post is kind of, moronic. I apologize.

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Reply84adamDecember 22, 2010 at 7:28 PM

Who created the first AC? > :-/ Who created the first chicken? ; )

P.S. You sum up the story well.

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[email protected] December 25, 2010 at 9:54 AM

fascinating. this is the first time ive ever read this and i sent the link to a bunch of friends whos opinion i

hold in very high regard. billions and billions of yearsa regular hypothesis of asimov. i think some of the

questions we should ask oursleves are.do i want my being to be a computer in whatever years are to

come? do i want to give up my uniqueness and thus quitting the fulcrum of humankind? and of course

the very relevant when will time expire?

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Tricia January 4, 2011 at 3:33 AM

I have never read Asimov before. My initial interpretation of this storys ending is that it makes a mockery

of christianity. The all-knowing computer solves an unsolvable problem by simply saying Let there be

light It was that easy all along! At least the christians seem to believe its that easy. Of course I have

never read or studied Asimov, so I am almost certainly wrong, but still, I am rather partial to my

interpretation.

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Aaron Maxwell January 5, 2011 at 5:52 PM

This story inspired me to build my first computer using a Motorola 6800 chip. Since then, all the

computers Ive built have told me the same thing: Not enough data to answer the question.

I keep asking P-One for help but it never answers, either.

The search continues

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