Everest by Isaac Asimov Episode #156

Isaac Asimov | December 15, 2023

Everest by Isaac Asimov Episode #156
Isaac Asimov

EVEREST

Episode #156 · Written by Isaac Asimov · Narrated by Scott Miller

A daring plan sends a man to the summit of Everest by air instead of rope. What he discovers waiting at the top isn’t human—and it isn’t from Earth.

It begins with a few fuzzy photographs—dark shapes darting across the snow near the summit of Mount Everest. Explorers call them mirages, Sherpas whisper of mountain spirits, and the Planetary Survey wants answers. When a scientist proposes to drop a man onto the summit by airplane, it sounds absurd… until James Abram Robbons volunteers. Two weeks later, alone amid hurricane winds and air too thin to breathe, he becomes the first true visitor to the roof of the world.

When rescuers finally haul him back, Robbons is alive but shaken, refusing reporters and officials alike. Only his supervisor hears the confession: intelligent beings already inhabit Everest. They live where no human can, watching us through telepathy, quietly observing a species about to reach the stars—and worrying about what we’ll do when we get there. They are not Earthborn. They are Martians.

“Everest,” first printed in Universe Science Fiction (December 1953), shows Asimov in rare atmospheric form—mixing scientific reasoning with eerie restraint. He transforms a feat of exploration into a revelation about surveillance, adaptation, and humanity’s cosmic neighbors. In under 3,000 words, Asimov shifts from mountaineering realism to planetary awe, leaving readers to wonder how long we’ve been the ones under observation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Isaac Asimov (1920–1992) reshaped the imagination of the modern world. Born in Russia and raised in Brooklyn, he grew up surrounded by books in his family’s candy store, teaching himself English and devouring the pulp magazines that lined the shelves. By the time he was nineteen, Asimov was selling stories to Astounding Science Fiction—and soon became one of the magazine’s brightest voices.

A scientist by training and storyteller by instinct, Asimov held a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Columbia University and spent years teaching at Boston University before writing became his full-time pursuit. His style was unmistakable: clear, logical, and endlessly curious. He believed that science fiction should make sense, that it should explore not just rocket ships and aliens but the way people think, build, and believe.

His Robot stories gave us the immortal Three Laws of Robotics, while the sweeping Foundation saga redefined the idea of a galactic civilization and inspired generations of readers, scientists, and filmmakers. Yet Asimov’s imagination reached far beyond science fiction—he wrote about chemistry, history, literature, religion, and humor, producing more than 500 books in his lifetime. Few authors have ever matched his range or productivity.

Behind the intellect was a storyteller who loved humanity, flaws and all. He saw science as an adventure, not a threat, and believed that knowledge was the surest path to freedom. Whether writing about distant planets or the fall of empires, Asimov always returned to one idea: that reason and curiosity are humanity’s greatest strengths.

Today, his stories remain cornerstones of the genre, their influence echoing through modern science, technology, and culture. Isaac Asimov didn’t just imagine the future—he helped build the blueprint for it.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to Everest by Isaac Asimov — a vintage sci-fi story where the world’s highest peak hides intelligent watchers who may not be from Earth.

ISAAC ASIMOV SHORT STORIES

Isaac Asimov did not just contribute to vintage science fiction — he helped build its foundation.

Trained as a biochemist and gifted with a teacher’s clarity, Asimov wrote with clean lines and steady confidence. His prose rarely shouts, yet his ideas carry enormous weight. He trusted logic. He trusted curiosity. And he trusted readers to follow him into laboratories, lunar colonies, crowded cities, distant stars, and the quiet corners of the human mind.

Where some writers chase spectacle, Asimov often begins with a question. What happens when machines think too well? What happens when children grow up with technology their parents barely understand? What happens when one small scientific breakthrough nudges society sideways? He sets the pieces in motion carefully, then watches the consequences unfold with almost mathematical precision.

Yet there is more than cool intellect at work. Beneath the rational surface you’ll find humor, irony, and a quiet affection for human stubbornness. His scientists argue. His bureaucrats bluster. His explorers misjudge what they discover. His aliens rarely behave the way Earth expects. Even at his most playful, there is a steady belief that knowledge matters and that understanding the universe is worth the effort.

Asimov was astonishingly prolific, publishing hundreds of short stories and dozens of novels across science fiction and beyond. In the magazine era that shaped so much classic sci-fi, his name appeared again and again, signaling a story built on a strong central idea and delivered with clarity. He had the rare ability to make complex concepts feel accessible without stripping away their depth.

The stories below show just how wide his range could be. Some lean into robots and hidden identities. Some explore space travel and planetary frontiers. Some turn on a single clever twist that snaps into place in the final paragraphs. Others unfold more gently, revealing how technology reshapes ordinary lives. Each carries that unmistakable Asimov touch — logical, engaging, and quietly confident.

If you want to understand why Isaac Asimov remains one of the central pillars of classic science fiction, these episodes are a perfect place to begin.

ABOUT THE LOST SCI-FI PODCAST

The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is the most listened-to vintage science fiction podcast in the world. Ranked the #1 Science Fiction Podcast in 34 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 3.8 million listens.

Each episode features carefully selected stories from the Golden Age of science fiction, professionally narrated. Timeless storytelling the way it was meant to be heard.

What listeners are saying:

★★★★★ “Simply the Best. Scott your work is outstanding. I love sci-fi now and am especially hooked on these vintage short stories. Quick and easy and so full of character and action. Your narration is pure perfection. Thank you.”
— Irma Stolfo

★★★★★ “Always a joy when a new story drops. Such a wonderful podcast, being able to listen to these great lost sci-fi stories from a range of authors (some well-know, some unknown). The reader does an incredible job bringing the stories to life. I eagerly look forward to next show dropping.”
— Gtree10

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.