The towers of Titan

"The Towers of Titan" by Ben Bova is a science fiction story from the early 1960s that follows Earth scientists trying to figure out strange old machines on Titan, Saturn's biggest moon. The book explores what happens when people try to understand things they don't know, and the fear that comes from finding alien technology that seems impossible to understand. The story focuses on Dr. Sidney Lee, an anthropologist who experienced an emotional hardship on a prior trip to Titan. He comes back to work with Elaine and other scientists to explore these machines, which seem to control gravity waves that could change Earth's climate. The scientists discover that a possibly hostile alien race built the machines, and Lee understands that learning about this technology is extremely important for humankind to survive. The book explores how people try hard to learn new things, even when it means facing possible dangers from space.