“Exhalation” is a 2008 science fiction short story by Ted Chiang. It is about a civilization of mechanical beings who make a startling discovery about the nature of their universe.

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“Tower of Babylon” is a 1990 science fiction novelette by Ted Chiang. It is about the journey of a young miner who ascends the great tower of Babylon to help break through the vault of heaven.

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“What’s Expected of Us” is a 2005 science fiction short story by Ted Chiang. It is about a device that predicts when a person will push a button, and the devastating effect it has upon society.

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“Understand” is a 1991 science fiction novelette by Ted Chiang. It is about a man whose use of an experimental drug makes him super intelligent.

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“The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” is a short story by Ted Chiang that has been nominated for the 2008 Hugo Award for Best Novelette. It is about a fabric merchant in ancient Baghdad who discovers a time portal.

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Ever wondered how difficult it would be to communicate with aliens? Probably a bit harder than Star Trek makes it appear – in fact a person might have to change her whole view of the space-time continuum to truly understand their point of view.

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