 Why did most of the men and women have a young appearance?
Everyone in the room was aware of the big young man, and most of the humans present were resentful, for he handled himself consciously and arrogantly, as if his appearance alone were enough to make him superior to anyone. As for the extraterrestrials—it was a free bar—they were merely amused, since to them all men were pathetically and irredeemably hideous. There was a short man standing next to the pair—young, as most men and women were in that time, thanks to the science which could stave off decay, though not death—but with no other apparent physical virtue, for plastic surgery had not fulfilled its bright promise of the twentieth century. And that, coming on top of Gabriel Lockard's spectacular appearance, was too much.
 Because of science that could starve off decay.
 Because of science that could starve off decay.  Because of plastic surgery.  Because of the freeze in time.  Because of the allurement of the atmosphere.