World in a Mirror

"World in a Mirror" by Albert Teichner is a science fiction story from the 1960s about humanity's first trip to another star. On a far-off world live the Newtaneans, beings similar to humans, but the story shows what happens when cultures don't understand each other, made worse by humans acting without thinking. A writer joins a space crew that meets the Newtaneans, but problems start when a crew member named Hacker ignores advice and does something dangerous. He eats food that humans can't digest, and he dies. This sad event makes everyone think about how difficult it is to get along with beings from other planets and how dangerous it can be when different species interact. By the end, the main character thinks about the deep differences between groups and how disagreements can begin with simple things, like what we eat.