Essays by Isaac Asimov From American Way Magazine

Copyright © 1995 by Edward Seiler and Richard Hatcher. All rights reserved.

Solutions

Subject: a tongue-in-cheek approach to problems
First Published In: Jan-74
Collection(s):

The Falling Birthrate

Subject: the changing role of women
First Published In: Nov-74
Collection(s):

Adult Education

Subject: the elderly population
First Published In: Dec-74
Collection(s):

The Watch in Space

Subject: tracking asteroids and meteoroids
First Published In: Jan-75
Collection(s):

Energy Without Geography!

Original Title: Tomorrow's Energy
Subject: energy from fusion
First Published In: Feb-75
Collection(s):

The Other You

Subject: no need for clones
First Published In: Mar-75
Collection(s):

Farewell to Worlds

Subject: space colonies in cylinders
First Published In: Apr-75
Collection(s):

I Can Fly, I Can Fly, I Can Fly

Subject: human flight in low gravity
First Published In: May-75
Collection(s):

The Cosmic Subway Line

Subject: speculations on using black holes
First Published In: Jun-75
Collection(s):

The Indestructible

Subject: future of books
First Published In: Jul-75
Collection(s):

The Fine Print

Subject: light beam communication
First Published In: Aug-75
Collection(s):

The Big Swing

Subject: carbon dioxide and ice ages
First Published In: Sep-75
Collection(s):

Hold That Ice!

Subject: controlling global ice levels
First Published In: Oct-75
Collection(s):

Your Spare Parts

Subject: cloning transplant organs
First Published In: Nov-75
Collection(s):

Who Needs Money?

Subject: electronic funds transfers
First Published In: Dec-75
Collection(s):

Variety!

Subject: cloning extinct animals
First Published In: Jan-76
Collection(s):

Humanity Alone

Subject: the growing mass of humanity
First Published In: Feb-76
Collection(s):

The New Caves

Subject: underground homes
First Published In: Mar-76
Collection(s):

The Future Mariners

Subject: space exploration from a Moon base
First Published In: Apr-76
Collection(s):

To the Stars!

Subject: the time requirements of space travel
First Published In: May-76
Collection(s):

The Endless Mine

Subject: metals from the ocean
First Published In: Jun-76
Collection(s):

Completing the Cycle

Subject: recycling wastes
First Published In: Jul-76
Collection(s):

The Tiniest Slaves

Original Title: Germs to the Grindstone
Subject: uses of bacteria
First Published In: Aug-76
Collection(s):

Out of Adjustment

Subject: the threat of infection
First Published In: Sep-76
Collection(s):

The Safety of Distance

Subject: safer experiments on the Moon
First Published In: Nov-76
Collection(s):

Deep, Deep, Deep!

Subject: disposal of radioactive waste
First Published In: Dec-76
Collection(s):

The New Teachers

Subject: teaching by computers
First Published In: Jan-77
Collection(s):

The Lent to Come

Subject: eating plants versus meat
First Published In: Mar-77
Collection(s):

The Future of Futurism

Subject: if psychohistory became possible, its goal would be to produce a desirable future
First Published In: Apr-77
Collection(s):

Catching a Big One

Subject: using the Moon, Mars, and comets
First Published In: May-77
Collection(s):

The Friends We Make

Subject: the robot form should be human
First Published In: Jun-77
Collection(s):

Whatever You Wish

Subject: choosing your future
First Published In: Jul-77
Collection(s):

The Vanishing Element

Subject: the shortage of helium
First Published In: Aug-77
Collection(s):

The Nearest Source

Subject: helium from Jupiter
First Published In: Sep-77
Collection(s):

Our Intelligent Tools

Original Title: Moral Machines
Subject: computer intelligence
First Published In: Oct-77
Collection(s):

Wanted: Organics

Original Title: Origins of Life
Subject: organic compounds in meteorites
First Published In: Nov-77
Collection(s):

The Dark Worlds

Original Title: Searching for the Road to Life
Subject: organics in Martian satellites
First Published In: Dec-77
Collection(s):

Packaged Water

Subject: fresh water from icebergs
First Published In: Jan-78
Collection(s):

Boy or Girl?

Original Title: Choosing an Unborn Child's Sex
Subject: choice of a baby's sex
First Published In: Feb-78
Collection(s):

The Bright and Heavenly Mills

Subject: moving industry into space
First Published In: Mar-78
Collection(s):

Lubricating the Earth

Subject: preventing earthquakes
First Published In: Apr-78
Collection(s):

The Middle Sea

Subject: thawing the arctic ocean ice
First Published In: May-78
Collection(s):

What Time Is It?

Subject: clock and calendars in space colonies
First Published In: Jun-78
Collection(s):

Speaking to All the World

Original Title: Language Arts
Subject: universal language
First Published In: Jul-78
Collection(s):

The Final Fuel

Original Title: Fuel Forever
Subject: using hydrogen for energy
First Published In: Aug-78
Collection(s):

Eye in a Vacuum

Original Title: Orbiting Telescopes
Subject: advantages of a space telescope
First Published In: Sep-78
Collection(s):

The Ocean Difference

Original Title: Ocean Energy
Subject: energy from the ocean
First Published In: Oct-78
Collection(s):

The White Background

Subject: meteorites on the antarctic ice
First Published In: Nov-78
Collection(s):

It's How You Play the Game

Subject: beneficial uses of computers
First Published In: Dec-78
Collection(s):

Plague From Outside

Subject: germs from space are unlikely
First Published In: Jan-79
Collection(s):

It's All in the Mind

Original Title: Blocking Pain
Subject: pain-killing chemicals
First Published In: Feb-79
Collection(s):

Direct Contact

Subject: mental telepathy
First Published In: Mar-79
Collection(s):

Straight Through

Original Title: Communicating Through the Earth
Subject: communication by neutrino
First Published In: Apr-79
Collection(s):

Thought Control

Original Title: Think and the Machine Responds
Subject: controlling machines with thought
First Published In: May-79
Collection(s):

The Laws of Robotics

Subject: analogous laws for tools and robots
First Published In: Jun-79
Collection(s):

Below the Speed Limit

Subject: practical limits of speed in space
First Published In: Jul-79
Collection(s):

Going Back to Coal

Subject: problems with using coal
First Published In: Aug-79
Collection(s):

Where Have All the Monsters Gone?

Original Title: Hunting Modern Day Monsters
Subject: monsters in the sea
First Published In: Sep-79
Collection(s):

The Puzzling Sun

Subject: the puzzle of too few neutrinos from the Sun
First Published In: Oct-79
Collection(s):

Nearly Wiped Out

Subject: mass extinctions/asteroid collision
First Published In: Nov-79
Collection(s):

The Push-button Library

Subject: electronic reference libraries
First Published In: Dec-79
Collection(s):

Whither Weather

Subject: learning from other planets' weather
First Published In: Jan-80
Collection(s):

Pie in the Sky

Subject: control of biology in space colonies
First Published In: Feb-80
Collection(s):

By the Light of the Earth

Subject: viewing the sky from the Moon
First Published In: Mar-80
Collection(s):

The Orange Circle

Subject: viewing solar eclipse from the Moon
First Published In: Apr-80
Collection(s):

The Ocean Worlds

Subject: ice on Jupiter's satellites
First Published In: May-80
Collection(s):

Converting It All

Subject: energy from antiparticles
First Published In: Jun-80
Collection(s):

Where All Is Still

Subject: telescopes on the far side of the Moon
First Published In: Jul-80
Collection(s):

The Tiny Map

Subject: simulating enzyme activity
First Published In: Aug-80
Collection(s):

Play Ball!

Original Title: Play Ball
Subject: sports in low gravity
First Published In: Sep-80
Collection(s):

Quarantine

Subject: isolation of space settlements
First Published In: Oct-80
Collection(s):

Heat Where It Belongs

Subject: using shortwave microwave devices to keep people warm
First Published In: Nov-80
Collection(s):

The Largest Satellite

Subject: Saturn's satellite Titan
First Published In: Dec-80
Collection(s):

The Ultimate Complexity

Subject: brain size in man and animals
First Published In: Jan-81
Collection(s):

The Changing Day

Subject: leap year adjustments
First Published In: Feb-81
Collection(s):

The Missing Crater

Subject: asteroids and the mass-extinction theory
First Published In: Mar-81
Collection(s):

The Invisible Gas

Subject: new information on Titan's atmosphere
First Published In: Apr-81
Collection(s):

Disassembling the Assembly Line

Subject: replacing workers with robots
First Published In: May-81
Collection(s):

Never Again Lost

Subject: personal communication frequency
First Published In: Jun-81
Collection(s):

Gold!

Subject: the irrational desire for gold
First Published In: Jul-81
Collection(s):

Intelligences Together

Subject: computer vs human intelligence
First Published In: Aug-81
Collection(s):

Invisible Asteroids

Subject: finding miniature black holes
First Published In: Sep-81
Collection(s):

The Green Enemy

Subject: herbicides
First Published In: Oct-81
Collection(s):

Dreams

Subject: dream interpretation
First Published In: Nov-81
Collection(s):

The Looking-Glass World

Subject: right and left handed chemicals
First Published In: Dec-81
Collection(s):

Starting Point

Subject: life's origins throughout the universe
First Published In: Jan-82
Collection(s):

Backward! Turn Backward!

Subject: rerouting rivers for fresh water
First Published In: Feb-82
Collection(s):

Spell That Word!

Subject: simplifying spelling with computers
First Published In: Mar-82
Collection(s):

Gossamer Wings

Subject: solar cells of silicon for space power
First Published In: Apr-82
Collection(s):

Our Evolving Body

Subject: controlling evolution
First Published In: May-82
Collection(s):

Metals for the Picking

Subject: ownership of metals in the oceans
First Published In: Jun-82
Collection(s):

Higher Towers

Subject: decentralizing the population with skyscrapers instead of suburban sprawl
First Published In: Jul-82
Collection(s):

All the Mass

Subject: particle/antiparticle source of energy
First Published In: Aug-82
Collection(s):

Talking to Machines

Subject: computer interfaces that use speech
First Published In: Sep-82
Collection(s):

Sailing the Void

Subject: using solar output in space
First Published In: Oct-82
Collection(s):

Getting the Lead Out

Subject: future plastic batteries
First Published In: Nov-82
Collection(s):

Hey, Alaska, Here We Come!

Subject: Earth's Pacific plate is sliding northward
First Published In: Dec-82
Collection(s):

The Next Explosion

Subject: an object which may be pre-nova
First Published In: Jan-83
Collection(s):

The Superheavies

Subject: elements with high atomic numbers
First Published In: Feb-83
Collection(s):

Splitting Water

Subject: can we duplicate photosynthesis?
First Published In: Mar-83
Collection(s):

The Electronic Mail

Subject: describing electronic mail
First Published In: Apr-83
Collection(s):

The Twenty-six Letters

Subject: high illiteracy; universal alphabet
First Published In: May-83
Collection(s):

The Dangers of Intelligence

Subject: the success of humans vs. animals
First Published In: Jun-83
Collection(s):

Number Ten

Subject: evidence for another planet
First Published In: Jul-83
Collection(s):

Where the People Are

Subject: using pulsars for energy generation
First Published In: Aug-83
Collection(s):

The Drying Puddle

Subject: a project to pump water from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea
First Published In: Sep-83
Collection(s):

Sharpening the Focus

Subject: long baseline radio telescopes
First Published In: Oct-83
Collection(s):

No Accounting

Subject: taste, natural and artificial
First Published In: Nov-83
Collection(s):

Little Things

Subject: the stirrup, horse collar, et al.
First Published In: Dec-83
Collection(s):

Stick to It!

Subject: glues and fasteners
First Published In: Jan-84
Collection(s):

Planets in Birth

Subject: planet formation around Vega
First Published In: Feb-84
Collection(s):

The New Profession

Subject: robot psychology prediction
First Published In: Mar-84
Collection(s):

Beyond Paper

Subject: data storage on magnetic media
First Published In: Apr-84
Collection(s):

Silence!

Subject: the noise of typing and printing
First Published In: May-84
Collection(s):

The 8,000-Year Calendar

Original Title: The Five-Thousand-Year Calendar
Subject: dating with tree rings
First Published In: Jun-84
Collection(s):

Nemesis

Subject: the Nemesis hypothesis that a companion of the Sun causes comet showers
First Published In: Jul-84
Collection(s):

Improving the Odds

Subject: computers analyze sports statistics
First Published In: Sep-84
Collection(s):

Touring Earth

Subject: the lack of weather on space colonies
First Published In: Sep-84
Collection(s):

Shrinking the Microchip

Subject: computing with molecules
First Published In: Oct-84
Collection(s):

Standing Up

Subject: the hominid difference
First Published In: Nov-84
Collection(s):

Four Times Four Times Four -

Subject: DNA and the diversity of life
First Published In: Dec-84
Collection(s):

The Deadly Dust

Subject: causes and effects of nuclear winter
First Published In: 22-Jan-85
Collection(s):

The One-Two Punch

Subject: volcanic eruptions devastated Crete
First Published In: 5-Feb-85
Collection(s):

Mystery of the Missing Mass

Subject: evidence of unseen mass in the universe
First Published In: 19-Feb-85
Collection(s):

Skimming the Comet

Subject: space probes for Comet Halley
First Published In: 5-Mar-85
Collection(s):

Never Get Lost

Subject: receivers that let you always know your location
First Published In: 19-Mar-85
Collection(s):

Back to Basics

Subject: turning rocks to new ceramics as an alternative to plastics
First Published In: 2-Apr-85
Collection(s):

In Between

Subject: an object in between a planet and a star
First Published In: 16-Apr-85
Collection(s):

Hotter Than Hot

Subject: accelerating larger particles
First Published In: 30-Apr-85
Collection(s):

On the Rise

Subject: carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
First Published In: 14-May-85
Collection(s):

The Third Sense

Subject: smell, natural and artificial
First Published In: 28-May-85
Collection(s):

Moon Splashes

Subject: meteorites from Moon and Mars
First Published In: 8-Jun-85
Collection(s):

The Weakest Waves

Subject: detecting gravitational waves
First Published In: 11-Jun-85
Collection(s):

A Mirror in Pieces

Subject: multiple-mirror reflecting telescopes
First Published In: 25-Jun-85
Collection(s):

The DNA "Fingerprint"

Subject: DNA differences among species
First Published In: 9-Jul-85
Collection(s):

Lightweight

Subject: alloys, etc. for lighter airplanes
First Published In: 23-Jul-85
Collection(s):

The Dying Forests

Subject: the need to save forests
First Published In: 6-Aug-85
Collection(s):

The Robot as Enemy?

Subject: possible dangers from robots
First Published In: 20-Aug-85
Collection(s):

The Double Star

Subject: possibility of life near Alpha Centauri
First Published In: 3-Sep-85
Collection(s):

Growing Thirstier

Subject: irrigation techniques save water
First Published In: 17-Sep-85
Collection(s):

Ticking 642 Times a Second

Subject: using pulsars as clocks
First Published In: 1-Oct-85
Collection(s):

Perchance to Dream

Subject: creative dream experiences
First Published In: 15-Oct-85
Collection(s):

Dial Versus Digital

Subject: losing the meaning of "clockwise" in a digital world
First Published In: 29-Oct-85
Collection(s):

The Uses of Error

Subject: the true story of Columbus's trip
First Published In: 12-Nov-85
Collection(s):

Fish Farming

Subject: the best way to harvest food from the sea
First Published In: 26-Nov-85
Collection(s):

Growing Cities

Subject: city size throughout history and the future
First Published In: 10-Dec-85
Collection(s):

Beyond X-rays

Subject: magnetic resonance advantages
First Published In: 24-Dec-85
Collection(s):

Enzymes by Design

Subject: advances in forming useful chemicals
First Published In: 7-Jan-86
Collection(s):

Zeroing In?

Subject: chance of Earth's collision with asteroid
First Published In: 21-Jan-86
Collection(s):

Space Junk

Subject: the problem of man-made debris in space
First Published In: 4-Feb-86
Collection(s):

Robots! Beware!

Subject: making robots safe around humans
First Published In: 18-Feb-86
Collection(s):

Into the Giant

Subject: the space probe Galileo will examine Jupiter
First Published In: 4-Mar-86
Collection(s):

The Quaking East

Subject: earthquakes outside the Pacific rim
First Published In: 18-Mar-86
Collection(s):

Global Conference

Subject: global communications (ala the Internet)
First Published In: 1-Apr-86
Collection(s):

The Very Beginning

Subject: inflationary theory of the origin of the universe
First Published In: 15-Apr-86
Collection(s):

The Very End

Subject: disappearing protons could end the universe
First Published In: 29-Apr-86
Collection(s):

Not Quite Zero

Subject: string theories of subatomic particles
First Published In: 13-May-86
Collection(s):

The Most Common

Subject: converting abundant cellulose to fuel
First Published In: 27-May-86
Collection(s):

Cooling Particles

Subject: the relation of low solar neutrino counts and WIMP particles
First Published In: 10-Jun-86
Collection(s):

There Goes the Neighborhood

Subject: will aliens be kind or cruel to humans?
First Published In: 24-Jun-86
Collection(s):

No Solution

Subject: factoring prime numbers
First Published In: 8-Jul-86
Collection(s):

Backward in Time

Subject: the second law of thermodynamics precludes time travel
First Published In: 22-Jul-86
Collection(s):

That's All There Is

Subject: sources of energy on Earth are finite
First Published In: 5-Aug-86
Collection(s):

The Perfect Name

Subject: picking names for Uranus' satellites
First Published In: 19-Aug-86
Collection(s):

The First E. T.

Subject: celebration of births in space
First Published In: 2-Sep-86
Collection(s):

The Flawless Crystal

Subject: growing better GaAs in low gravity
First Published In: 16-Sep-86
Collection(s):

Danger in the Home

Subject: radon gas and its dangers
First Published In: 1-Oct-86
Collection(s):

The Lumpy Universe

Subject: did radiation cause matter coalescence?
First Published In: 15-Oct-86
Collection(s):

Huge Antacid Pill

Subject: treatment for lakes ruined by acid rain
First Published In: 1-Nov-86
Collection(s):

The Distant Molecules

Subject: examining the thin dust in space
First Published In: 15-Nov-86
Collection(s):

Buried Heat

Subject: energy from Earth's internal heat
First Published In: 1-Dec-86
Collection(s):

Twenty Years

Subject: highlights of the rapid advance of technology between 1966 and 1986
First Published In: 15-Dec-86
Collection(s):

The Newest Preserver

Subject: irradiated food and its benefits
First Published In: 1-Jan-87
Collection(s):

The Jobs Not Wanted

Subject: robots will take over unpleasant jobs
First Published In: 15-Jan-87
Collection(s):

The Gentle Push

Subject: ion drives good for propulsion in space
First Published In: 1-Feb-87
Collection(s):

The Liquid Mirror

Subject: using liquid mercury to construct large telescope mirrors
First Published In: 15-Feb-87
Collection(s):

The Unlikely Source

Subject: helium-3 obtained from the Moon and used for fusion
First Published In: 1-Mar-87
Collection(s):

Beyond the Moon

Subject: a trip to Mars is the next logical step in space
First Published In: 15-Mar-87
Collection(s):

The Soap Bubble Universe

Subject: the surprising distribution of galaxies
First Published In: 1-Apr-87
Collection(s):

The Sweetest Thing

Subject: a new synthetic sweetener
First Published In: 15-Apr-87
Collection(s):

A Variety of Starch

Subject: we must preserve variety in agriculture
First Published In: 1-May-87
Collection(s):

Speed Record

Subject: the highest orbit speed ever observed is in a binary star system
First Published In: 15-May-87
Collection(s):

Astronomers' Luck

Subject: Pluto-Charon double planet eclipses
First Published In: 1-Jun-87
Collection(s):

The Squashed Football

Subject: the shape of Mimas, Saturn's satellite
First Published In: 15-Jun-87
Collection(s):

Hidden Water

Subject: the possibility of ice in the Moon's shadows
First Published In: 1-Jul-87
Collection(s):

A Little More Exact

Subject: the precision of numerical values in science
First Published In: 15-Jul-87
Collection(s):

Green Genes

Subject: DNA in other cell parts besides the nucleus
First Published In: 1-Aug-87
Collection(s):

The Inner Sphere

Subject: deductions about the nature of Earth's metal core
First Published In: 15-Aug-87
Collection(s):

The Oldest Fall from Heaven

Subject: what we learn from meteorites
First Published In: 1-Sep-87
Collection(s):

Warming the Perfect Current

Subject: advances in and the potential of superconductivity
First Published In: 15-Sep-87
Collection(s):

The Great Attracter

Subject: gravity between huge galactic clusters
First Published In: 1-Oct-87
Collection(s):

The Size Explosion

Subject: the past 5 million years of hominid evolution
First Published In: 15-Oct-87
Collection(s):

Action at the Center

Subject: the evolution of galaxies and quasars
First Published In: 1-Nov-87
Collection(s):

Sailing off to Mars

Subject: Soviet and U.S. efforts to explore Mars
First Published In: 15-Nov-87
Collection(s):

A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea

Subject: an impact crater in the ocean floor implies others may exist
First Published In: 1-Dec-87
Collection(s):

Where Is Everybody?

Subject: no contact with advanced civilization has ever been made
First Published In: 15-Dec-87
Collection(s):

Numbers that Only Computers Love

Subject: the number of neutrinos from supernovas
First Published In: 1-Jan-88
Collection(s):

The Fifth Force

Subject: differences in inertia and gravitation
First Published In: 1-Feb-88
Collection(s):

A Hole in the Sky

Original Title: Holes in the Heavens
Subject: puzzles of galaxy distribution
First Published In: 1-Mar-88
Collection(s):

The Hot-Blooded Giants

Original Title: Dinosaurs: Hot-Blooded or Cold?
Subject: tracing dinosaur evolution
First Published In: 15-Mar-88
Collection(s):

Guide to Essays
Authors:
Edward Seiler
ejseiler@earthlink.net

Richard Hatcher (hatch888@airmail.net)