Playboy and the Slime God, also known as What Is This Thing Called Love?, is a science-fiction short story by Isaac Asimov.
A standalone story, it was first published in the March 1961 issue of Amazing Stories. It was later collected in 1969's Nightfall and Other Stories.
Summary[]
A non-human alien species from the distant reaches of the galaxy visits Earth. They abduct a man and a woman and bring them aboard their spaceship to study them. The aliens, who reproduce asexually, are baffled by humanity's biological and social structures. They question the two humans extensively about human interaction and their method of reproduction, which involves two sexes and the combination of genes from two individuals—a concept the alien crew finds difficult to comprehend.
The lead alien researcher concludes that this form of sexual reproduction is a dangerously unstable trait and argues that humanity should be exterminated as a potential threat. However, the researcher cannot convince the rest of the alien crew, who are unable to grasp the fundamental concepts of two sexes and genetic combination.
The humans react with indignation when the aliens request a practical demonstration of their reproductive process. Faced with this refusal and the inability to complete their research, the aliens abandon the project and return the two humans to Earth.
As the alien ship departs, the two humans, now back on Earth, find themselves drawn to one another and engage in the very reproductive activities the aliens had wanted to observe. The lead researcher monitors them remotely and witnesses the process, but before the evidence can be shown to the rest of the crew, the spaceship makes a jump through hyperspace, breaking the communication link and preventing the researcher from proving the initial hypothesis about humanity's danger.
See Also[]
List of short stories by Isaac Asimov
External Links[]
- Full text (pdf March 1961 issue of Amazing Stories)