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EPISODE · Nov 17, 2025 · 21 MIN

The Nine Billion Names Of God by Arthur C. Clarke

from The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories · host Scott Miller

A team of engineers travels to a remote Tibetan monastery to install a computer meant to complete a centuries-long sacred task. But as the machine nears the end of its work, the engineers realize the monks believe its final output will trigger something far greater than they ever imagined. The Nine Billion Names Of God by Arthur C. Clarke. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Today’s story is one of Arthur C. Clarke’s most famous and most debated works—The Nine Billion Names of God. First published in 1953, it blends technology, philosophy, and belief in a way that only Clarke could. In this tale, two engineers trek into the remote Himalayas to help a monastery complete a centuries-old sacred project. What begins as a straightforward installation job slowly reveals an idea so vast and unexpected that it has echoed through science fiction ever since. Clarke is at his most graceful and unforgettable here. The story later earned the Retro Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 2004. It first appeared in Ballantine Books’ Star Science Fiction Stories anthology in February 1953, released in both paperback and hardcover. We are looking for the last story on page 195, The Nine Billion Names Of God by Arthur C. Clarke… Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A desperate treasure hunt on the frozen surface of Mars turns explosive when three men uncover the legendary weapons of a vanished civilization. But the greatest danger is not what the Martians left behind — it’s the ambition boiling inside the humans who find it. The Last Weapon by Robert Sheckley. Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/ Buy Me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLostSciFiPodcast Twitter - https://x.com/LostSciFiPod Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee $200 Someone $100 Tony from the Future $75 James Van Maanenberg $50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener $25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener $15 Every Month Someone $15 Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener $10 Anonymous Listener $5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue $5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listener https://lostscifi.com/podcast/the-nine-billion-names-of-god-by-arthur-c-clarke-episode-454/ Listen without commercials and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes every month with Lost Sci-Fi Premium—start your free 7-day trial today. https://lostscifi.supercast.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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This episode was published on November 17, 2025.

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