Search the Sky · Chapter
XI explained
Ross and the doctor travel through a restricted area to reach a museum, where Ross discovers historical records revealing the origin of the Joneses and the genetic formula L_T = L_0 e^{-T/2N}.
What happens
Ross and the doctor travel through a restricted area to reach a museum, where Ross discovers historical records revealing the origin of the Joneses and the genetic formula L_T = L_0 e^{-T/2N}. He realizes the planets are losing genetic diversity, leading to societal decay, and that Earth is not what he expected.
Themes in this chapter
Genetic Decline and Hybrid Vigor
Ross discovers the genetic formula explaining gene loss in isolated populations, linking it to the decline of planetary colonies and the Joneses' obsession with purity.
Societal Decay and Stagnation
The museum's decay, the booby-trapped road, and the taboo area reflect a society that has stagnated and actively suppresses its own history.
The Cost of Progress and Technology
The mantraps, mines, and decaying infrastructure illustrate the dangerous legacy of past technological and political conflicts.
Individual vs. Societal Conformity
The Joneses enforce conformity through genetic and ideological purity, as seen in the museum's Jonesology texts and the persecution of deviants.
Characters to notice
- Ross
Ponders the genetic formula and its implications for humanity; explores the museum and uncovers the history of the Joneses; travels with the doctor through a mined restricted area.
- Doc Jones
Helps Ross escape and drives him through the taboo area to the museum; shows knowledge of the local dangers and bribes a local with Jones's Juice.
- Ben Jones
Confronts the doctor about taking Ross away; expresses anger and suspicion.
- Helena
Mentioned as being left behind with Bernie when the doctor took Ross; Ross worries about her.
- Bernie
Mentioned as being left behind with Helena; Ross worries about him.
Key passages
“In the formula L T means the number of genes after the lapse of T years, L 0 means the original number of genes, e means the base of the natural system of logarithms and N means number of generations.”
The equation describes how the number of genes in a population decreases over time, depending on the number of generations.
Ross reflects on the genetic formula that explains the decline of isolated colonies.
“Reduce man to a single type and he is certain to succumb, sooner or later, to the inevitable disaster that his one type cannot cope with.”
If humanity becomes genetically uniform, it will eventually be unable to survive any catastrophe.
Ross concludes that genetic diversity is essential for survival.
“Eliminate the impossible, and what remains, however unlikely, is true.”
After ruling out impossible explanations, the remaining possibility must be correct, no matter how improbable.
Ross applies logical reasoning to his situation on the strange planet.
“The inexorable law of nature, L T =L O e −T⁄2N , was the begetter of that holocaust from which our planet has emerged purified—”
The genetic formula is cited as the natural cause of the war that supposedly purified the planet.
A pamphlet in the museum uses the formula to justify the conflict.