Huang Laiqiang of Tsinghua University discovered that for one type of orchid, "procreating is a lonely affair" - it self-pollinates!
Rather than depending on insects or even the wind for pollination, scientist have discovered that the orchid Holcoglossum amesianum actually fertilizes itself, according to a report in this week's Nature.
The orchid produces no scent or nectar, and the researchers did not see a single instance of pollination by an insect or by wind. Instead, the pollen-bearing anther uncovers itself and rotates into a suitable position to insert into the stigma cavity, where fertilization takes place.
I grew up in a household that had every Galaxy and Astounding from the 50s and quite a few Astounding from the 40s. I had the privilege of reading Asimov's stories in their original format. Recommendations from 1945 to today: Asimov's collection of short stories originally published as Nightfall and Other Stories, Heinlein's Have Spacesuit, Will Travel and Card's Speaker for the Dead.
Anything by those three are good, many are great. These are just my favorites.
I have to agree with your choices 100%. I would like to add two of my old favorite short stories. The first is "For A Breath I Tarry" by Roger Zelazny. That one got a bit of press because of its influence on the film Wall-E. The other is "5,271,009" by Alfred Bester. I used to have copies I would loan to people who were curious about science fiction.
I've always had a weakness for Asimov's story "The Last Question." I saw it produced as a planetarium show when I was small and just the memory of it still gives me chills.
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Anything by those three are good, many are great. These are just my favorites.