Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site topaz.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!columbia!topaz!RPS385%MAINE.BITNET From: RPS385%MAINE.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Life Probe Message-ID: <2708@topaz.ARPA> Date: Sun, 14-Jul-85 12:48:39 EDT Article-I.D.: topaz.2708 Posted: Sun Jul 14 12:48:39 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 17-Jul-85 08:32:32 EDT Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 28 From: RPS385%MAINE.BITNET@WISCVM.ARPA (Jeff Smith) There is a really good story dealing with artificial intellegence, man's first contact with extra-terrestrial intellegence, and FTL travel, called "Life Probe". *********************** PSUEDO-SPOLIER ******************************* It is about a race of creatures, called The Makers, who are have a strong desire for the seeking of knowlage, exploration, and all that other good stuff. They have populated all the planets in thier solar system, and some around nearby stars, but they are still unsatisfied. The only method of space travel they know is slower-than-light, called Slow Boats. In order for them to colonize and explore more rapidly, they set out to find the secret of FTL travel. They work up a few good theories, but they all fail in practice, so they send out several hundred thousand "Life Probes", which will scour the universe in search of intellegent life, but more importantly intellegent life that know the secret of FTL travel. One of these probes happens across Earth, and decides to instigate it's prime function. To establish contact with the Humans.. ******************* END PSEUDO-SPOILER SECTION ********************* This book is really great, and the author has written more, but I can't seem to remember his name.