<영어로 읽는 공상과학 소설 _ 프리츠 라이버의 외계 생명체의 지구탐험>
"외계 생명체의 지구탐험(Later Than You Think)"는 프리츠 라이버(Fritz Leiber)가 쓴 공상과학 단편소설로, 1950년에 처음 출판되었습니다.
프리츠 라이버(Fritz Leiber)는 미국의 판타지, 호러, SF 작가입니다. 그는 네원이라는 가상의 세계를 배경으로 한 Fafhrd와 Grey Mouser가 등장하는 판타지 시리즈로 가장 잘 알려져 있습니다. Leiber의 작품은 종종 검과 마법의 요소를 유머와 심리적 통찰력과 결합하여 장르에서 주목할만한 소설입니다.
Fafhrd와 Gray Mouser의 이야기 외에도 Leiber는 다양한 추측 소설 주제에 걸쳐 수많은 다른 소설과 단편 소설을 썼습니다. 그는 경력 전반에 걸쳐 Hugo, Nebula 및 World Fantasy Award를 여러 번 수상하여 판타지 및 공상 과학 문학 분야의 영향력 있는 작가 중 한 사람으로서의 위치를 확고히 했습니다.


"Later Than You Think" is a science fiction short story written by Fritz Leiber, first published in 1950.
Fritz Leiber is an American fantasy, horror, and science fiction writer. He is best known for his fantasy series featuring Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, set in the fictional world of Newon. Leiber's works often combine elements of sword and sorcery with humor and psychological insight, making them notable novels in the genre.
In addition to the stories of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Leiber wrote numerous other novels and short stories spanning a variety of speculative fiction topics. He won multiple Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards throughout his career, cementing his position as one of the influential authors of fantasy and science fiction literature.

Summary
It's much later. The question is ... how late?

Fritz Leiber's "Later Than You Think" is the story of future extraterrestrial intelligences discovering and studying relics of an ancient Earth civilization. Two aliens, an archaeologist and an explorer, have a conversation and discuss human history and culture. They talk about humanity's technological advancements, language, and ultimate destruction. Archaeologists suggest that the causes of humanity's extinction were an imbalance between technological and psychological development, misuse of atomic power, and cultural regression. The explorer is initially excited by this discovery, but gradually becomes depressed. Archaeologists console themselves by saying that the death of all species is natural. At the end, the archaeologist reveals the name of this intelligent life form as 'RAT'. This story looks at human history and civilization from an outsider's perspective, and reflects on the rise and fall of civilization and the nature of intelligent life.

Contents
Later Than You Think