Some homuncululi may have been injured in the production of this banana peel based construction material
August 4, 2010 5:24 PM
Help me identify a dimly remembered short story... A scientist has created or evolved a race of tiny super intelligent creatures. By setting cruel puzzles for them (such as a descending weight that threatens to crush them) he gets them to invent things for him, one of which was a super strong material made out of banana peel. It most likely ends badly for the scientist.
Hmm...
"He got messing around with sisal fiber, found out how to fuse it, and boomed the banana industry by producing a practically unbreakable cord from the stuff."
Looks like that's it. Damn you people are good.
posted by Artw at 5:38 PM on August 4, 2010
"He got messing around with sisal fiber, found out how to fuse it, and boomed the banana industry by producing a practically unbreakable cord from the stuff."
Looks like that's it. Damn you people are good.
posted by Artw at 5:38 PM on August 4, 2010
also, data point about Theodore (from wiki) :
"In 1951, Sturgeon coined what is now known as Sturgeon's Law: 'Ninety percent of SF [science fiction] is crud, but then, ninety percent of everything is crud.' This was originally known as Sturgeon's Revelation; Sturgeon has said that 'Sturgeon's Law' was originally 'Nothing is always absolutely so.' However, the former statement is now widely referred to as Sturgeon's Law."
posted by radiosilents at 6:18 PM on August 4, 2010
"In 1951, Sturgeon coined what is now known as Sturgeon's Law: 'Ninety percent of SF [science fiction] is crud, but then, ninety percent of everything is crud.' This was originally known as Sturgeon's Revelation; Sturgeon has said that 'Sturgeon's Law' was originally 'Nothing is always absolutely so.' However, the former statement is now widely referred to as Sturgeon's Law."
posted by radiosilents at 6:18 PM on August 4, 2010
If you want a cheap used paperback with that story, plus a lot of good other old SF, I can recommend Giants Unleashed.
posted by fings at 7:34 PM on August 4, 2010
posted by fings at 7:34 PM on August 4, 2010
FWIW: "Microcosmic God" was the basis for the "Genesis Tub" sequence in the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror VII episode.
posted by Chrysostom at 12:32 PM on August 9, 2010
posted by Chrysostom at 12:32 PM on August 9, 2010
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posted by strangely stunted trees at 5:30 PM on August 4, 2010