Surface Tension by James Blish « Biology in Science Fiction: Free Fiction

Humans stranded on a watery planet create a race of microscopic aquatic humanoids to carry on their legacy

Title: Surface Tension

Author: James Blish

Length: short story

First Publication: Galaxy Science Fiction, 1952; audio from X-Minus One radio program, broadcast in 1956

What the Story is About: Humans crash land on a water covered planet. As their supplies are running out they create a race of microscopic aquatic humanoids to carry on their legacy. The small creatures eventually develop technology advanced enough to escape the bounds of their environment, breaking through the surface tension of their watery world in an “air ship”.

Related Biology in Science Fiction blog post: Mer-Women and Fish-Men: Humans Engineered for Ocean Living

Note: Only available in audio format. There’s an alternate audio link at Archive.org

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