VJ-23X jokingly suggests that MQ-17J asks the Galactic AC if entropy can be reversed. They realize that the rate of energy expenditure is even higher than the rate of human expansion. Before disposing of the answer, Jerrodd reads the answer again, "INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER."Įven further into the future, two people, VJ-23X of Lameth and MQ-17J of Nicron, are preparing a report for the Galactic Council about humanity's rate of expansion in the galaxy. Reassuring his daughters that Microvac has solved everything, he puts them to bed. A casual mention of entropy by Jerrodd has upset his daughters, so they ask Microvac if entropy can be reversed. Multivac's answer is, "INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER."įar into the future, a family of pioneers, Jerrodd, Jerrodine, and Jerrodette I and II, have exited hyperspace near their new home planet X - 23. So the two technicians challenge Multivac to learn whether entropy might be reversed. Lupov contradicts them, saying that it will only last for billions and billions of years but that entropy means we will run out of energy. Adell says they have enough energy to last forever. The energy that Multivac can generate from the Sun is orders of magnitude more than Earth can generate from coal and other non-renewable resources. The first time humanity asked Multivac the titular question was when two technicians, Alexander Adell and Bertram Lupov, were celebrating Multivac's solution for solar power on 21st May 2061 (the celebration has lasted for seven days). He reportedly was asked constantly about the name of the story, because people would remember the Wham Line, but forget the title.
This story is the most well-known story by Dr Asimov, as well as one of his favourites. First published in Science Fiction Quarterly (November 1956 issue), by Isaac Asimov.
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