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''Methuselah's Children'' is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in ''Astounding Science Fiction'' in the July, August, and September 1941 issues. It was expanded into a full-length novel in 1958. The novel is usually considered to be part of Heinlein's ''Future History'' series of stories. It introduces the Howard Families, a fictional group of people who achieved long lifespans through selective breeding. The space ship in this novel, the ''New Frontiers,'' is described in the ''Future History'' timeline as a second generation ship, following the ''Vanguard'', the vehicle for Heinlein's paired novellas "Universe" and "Common Sense". According to John W. Campbell,〔 〕 the novel was originally to be called ''While the Evil Days Come Not''. This provisional title stems from a quotation from Ecclesiastes that was used as a password on the second page of the story. ==Plot summary== Ira Howard became rich in the California Gold Rush, but died of old age in his 40s. The trustees of his will carried out his wishes to prolong human life, by financially encouraging those with long-lived grandparents to marry each other and have children. By the 22nd century the "Howard families" have a life expectancy exceeding 150 years and keep their existence secret with the "Masquerade", in which the members fake their deaths and obtain new identities. The Masquerade helped the Families survive the dictatorship of Nehemiah Scudder, but as an experiment some Howard members reveal themselves to The Covenant, hoping that the free society established after Scudder's defeat will be friendly. They are mistaken; others refuse to believe that the Families obtained their lifespan by selective breeding, instead insisting they have developed a secret method to extend life. Administrator Slayton Ford, leader of Earth, believes that the Families are telling the truth, but cannot prevent efforts to force Howard members to reveal their alleged rejuvenatory abilities. Lazarus Long, the eldest member of the Families, proposes that the Families hijack the colony starship ''New Frontiers'' to escape Earth. Using an inertialess drive invented by Howard member Andrew Jackson "Slipstick" Libby, the Families leave the Solar System with the deposed Ford. The first planet they discover has humanoid inhabitants domesticated by indescribable godlike natives. When Earthly humans prove incapable of similar domestication, they are expelled from the planet. The second planet is a lush environment with no predators and mild weather. Its inhabitants are part of a group mind, with the mental ability to manipulate the environment on the genetic and molecular level, but do not distinguish between individuals. This becomes evident when Mary Sperling, second oldest of the Families, joins the group mind to become immortal. The Families are further horrified when the group mind genetically modifies the first baby born on the planet into a new, alien form. A majority of the Families returns to Earth to demand their freedom; Libby, with the help of the group mind, builds a new faster-than-light drive to take them home in months instead of years. The Families return to the Solar System 75 years after their original departure because of time dilation, and discover that Earth's scientists have artificially extended human lifespans to several centuries, replicating what they believe is the Families' secret. The Howard members are now welcomed for their discovery of travel faster than light. Libby and Long decide to recruit other members of the Families, and explore space with the new drive. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Methuselah's Children」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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