The Last Question by Isaac Asimov

"The Last Question" is a 1956 science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It is about a super computer that is asked a question about the end of the universe - and the very, very long time it takes to come up with an answer. Non-Spoiler Summary In A Nutshell: Multivac is a advanced computer that solves many of the world's problems. The story opens on May 14, 2061 when Multivac has built a space station to harness the power of the sun - effectively giving humans access to a nearly unlimited source of power. Ah - and that's the key, it is nearly unlimited. In fact two of Multivac's technicians argue about this very idea - how long will humankind be able to glean energy from the universe? They decide to ask Multivac for the answer, and all it can say is "INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER." Oh well, it was a good idea, and through several smaller stories we see that many more people ask Multivac the same question. Multivac has a difficult time answering - it is a hard question…