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"Breeds There a Man...?" is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the June 1951 issue of Astounding and reprinted in the 1967 collection Through a Glass, Clearly and the 1969 collection Nightfall and Other Stories.
Elwood Ralson, a brilliant but psychologically disturbed physicist, becomes convinced that humanity is a kind of genetics experiment being run by an alien intelligence. His behaviour becomes more erratic and suicidal as his thoughts become more entrenched in this idea, and his health fails.
Elwood Ralson, a brilliant but psychologically disturbed physicist, becomes convinced that humanity is a kind of genetics experiment being run by an alien intelligence. His behaviour becomes more erratic and suicidal as his thoughts become more entrenched in this idea, and his health fails.
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1951
2 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Asimov
4,339 books27.8k followersWorks of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles,
The Foundation Trilogy
(1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 8, 2021
Collected in Through A Glass, Clearly, Nightfall and Other Stories and Robot Dreams, this story can also be read here. Ralson, a brilliant physicist, is convinced humanity is a genetic experiment run by aliens. The aliens keep the experiment in control using atomic power as the reset button with a backup plan "penicillin" ring boundary that makes any scientist that tries to invent a defense against atomic weapons commit suicide.
What a great story and concept, exploring the mental stresses on the often secreted and isolated scientists that are asked by the government to make great leaps in science, like the team that invented the atom bomb which eventually ended world war two. The discovery of new knowledge is a exciting drug, but comes with consequences that are not always apparent at the time the scientist is pursuing it. Most of the time once it gets out, there's no putting things back in.
Fun Fact: Carl Sagan listed this as among the "rare few science‐fiction [works that] combine a standard science‐fiction theme with a deep human sensitivity".
What a great story and concept, exploring the mental stresses on the often secreted and isolated scientists that are asked by the government to make great leaps in science, like the team that invented the atom bomb which eventually ended world war two. The discovery of new knowledge is a exciting drug, but comes with consequences that are not always apparent at the time the scientist is pursuing it. Most of the time once it gets out, there's no putting things back in.
Fun Fact: Carl Sagan listed this as among the "rare few science‐fiction [works that] combine a standard science‐fiction theme with a deep human sensitivity".
February 6, 2016
Slightly creepy and bizarre, but fascinating nonetheless.
November 1, 2015
This is another short story by Asimov that has a very interesting chilling concept that I know couldn't be the truth--could it?
A scientist believes that the human race is nothing more than bacteria that is studied by long-lived (alien) beings. We are nothing but bacteria in a microscope to them, but they must keep us contained, just as we must contain all bacteria and viruses in our laboratories.
Each time a civilization's pursuit for knowledge grows to an extensive degree, these "beings" force a war among us to create such havoc, that all intelligent advances are lost.
One scientist gives out that is why all past great societies burn out at their greatest degree of strength and awareness. I have always wondered about these great empires and why they fall at their strongest--though I believe it's the death of a powerful leader, and no one to take his place that cause the great collapses.
The good news for the earth's populace is that the suicidal scientist helps create a barrier against warring enemies and thus help the bacterias (humans) escape the lab.
This story reminds me greatly of The Forgotten, a movie with Julianne Moore. In the film, we are all just lab rats for a race of aliens that play with our emotions and taking away or changing the people in our lives. No one can remember what happened before, except Moore can remember her son, and nothing the aliens do to her can change that.
Humans are at the top of the food chain, and there would be a great horror to realize we are at the bottom--no more important than a stain on a microscope.
This review is from my blog: http://somanybooksssolittletime.blogs...
A scientist believes that the human race is nothing more than bacteria that is studied by long-lived (alien) beings. We are nothing but bacteria in a microscope to them, but they must keep us contained, just as we must contain all bacteria and viruses in our laboratories.
Each time a civilization's pursuit for knowledge grows to an extensive degree, these "beings" force a war among us to create such havoc, that all intelligent advances are lost.
One scientist gives out that is why all past great societies burn out at their greatest degree of strength and awareness. I have always wondered about these great empires and why they fall at their strongest--though I believe it's the death of a powerful leader, and no one to take his place that cause the great collapses.
The good news for the earth's populace is that the suicidal scientist helps create a barrier against warring enemies and thus help the bacterias (humans) escape the lab.
This story reminds me greatly of The Forgotten, a movie with Julianne Moore. In the film, we are all just lab rats for a race of aliens that play with our emotions and taking away or changing the people in our lives. No one can remember what happened before, except Moore can remember her son, and nothing the aliens do to her can change that.
Humans are at the top of the food chain, and there would be a great horror to realize we are at the bottom--no more important than a stain on a microscope.
This review is from my blog: http://somanybooksssolittletime.blogs...
December 1, 2019
El personaje de Ralson es sin duda lo más interesante del cuento. Es mejor que nadie te explique de qué va. Léelo virgen.
January 14, 2022
"Breeds There a Man?" shows a different side of Issac Asimov and it's one I found fascinating.
Elwood Ralson is a brilliant physicist who can apparently look at a problem and come up with a solution. As humanity lives under the threat of nuclear war, Ralson may be the only hope for one side to create a defense against nuclear attack. The only issue is that Ralson is suicidal and psychologically unstable.
Ralson operates under the theory that humanity is little more than an experiment in a test tube for higher intelligence and that anytime humankind gets to a certain level, the experiment is wiped out and everything starts over again.
The concept is a compelling, fascinating one and Asimov explores it well in the course of this story. It's interesting to note how early on, Asimov shows an inclination to exploring why there are highs and lows in the history of humanity and how his characters attempt to combat them.
Elwood Ralson is a brilliant physicist who can apparently look at a problem and come up with a solution. As humanity lives under the threat of nuclear war, Ralson may be the only hope for one side to create a defense against nuclear attack. The only issue is that Ralson is suicidal and psychologically unstable.
Ralson operates under the theory that humanity is little more than an experiment in a test tube for higher intelligence and that anytime humankind gets to a certain level, the experiment is wiped out and everything starts over again.
The concept is a compelling, fascinating one and Asimov explores it well in the course of this story. It's interesting to note how early on, Asimov shows an inclination to exploring why there are highs and lows in the history of humanity and how his characters attempt to combat them.
March 31, 2021
Short story by Isaac Asimov was first published in Astounding Jun-51, and first reprinted in Through a Glass, Clearly (1967). It is a dark look at the possibility of man being only the subject of a science experiment by beings with a long timeline.
Brilliant and eccentric physicist Elwood Ralson has a unique problem. He’s convinced that humanity is being run through a bizarre experiment by some nearly-omnipotent aliens who are determined to prevent excessive intellectual or technological development on mankind’s part while still being interested in human intellects and technology. Whenever any human culture gets too far advanced, the aliens do something to bring it to an end.
Brilliant and eccentric physicist Elwood Ralson has a unique problem. He’s convinced that humanity is being run through a bizarre experiment by some nearly-omnipotent aliens who are determined to prevent excessive intellectual or technological development on mankind’s part while still being interested in human intellects and technology. Whenever any human culture gets too far advanced, the aliens do something to bring it to an end.
June 2, 2022
Very interesting story that deals with many themes, such as scientific research under governament's control, atomic bombs and even history. I found the way the genius's theory was presented fascinating: at the beginning it is just a mad theory, but then everything starts to slowly make sense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2019
1951. Standard Flat Government Characters, and one prophetic martyr character.
August 9, 2022
Historia de un científico muy bueno, pero suicida. Historia de ciencia ficción como ya nos tiene acostumbrados Isaac asimov.
November 2, 2023
Narrated by George Guidell. Just not that interesting to me. This story meets at the intersection of genius and madness. 2.5 stars. Narration 4 stars.
August 1, 2025
Not my favorite of the Nightfall & other stories... Very cool premise but it was a bit dry to me... 2.5 / 5
January 15, 2022
Dr Ralson is a brilliant physicist working on a top secret project. His incredible intellect and his classified work has isolated him from normal human interaction. Dr Ralson is also suicidal. The reason for his suicidal urges is the heart of this story.
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May 9, 2015Vermakelijke achterhaalde sci-fi, een futuristisch kijkje over hoe men in het verleden over de toekomst fantaseerde.
October 20, 2015
Science Fiction uit lang voorbije tijden. Niet allemaal even leuk.
July 24, 2020
Loved it. Simulation Theory.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews