Answer, please answer

"Answer, please answer" by Ben Bova is a science fiction novella written in the early 1960s. The story unfolds at the South Pole, where two astronomers, drafted into military service, are tasked with monitoring meteorological patterns in the midst of an emerging global crisis. The book explores themes of communication, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and the terrifying implications of nuclear technology. The plot revolves around the two main characters, an optical astronomer and his colleague Rizzo, as they discover an inexplicable, repetitive signal emanating from a nearby Cepheid variable star. As they decode this mysterious message, they uncover a desperate plea from an alien civilization that has developed advanced technology and nuclear weapons. The narrative becomes increasingly tense as they realize that the civilization is transmitting its history and expressing a fear of impending doom, ultimately revealing that their star has exploded due to a catastrophic nuclear event. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of technological advancement and humanity's own vulnerabilities.

Summary written by Project Gutenberg, by machine.