“It doesn’t make any sense. They crossed through the gate in perfect health and comfort. Why would their bodies begin failing within hours?”
The Stereopticon displayed the result of Dr. Samuelson’s work on N-dimensional transformations—the press called it the “Mirror Universe.” The results of all robotic exploration, and every sort of preliminary testing that the team could think of demonstrated essentially what the theory had predicted: Another universe, identical to our own, but reflected.
Dr. Samovar showed Samuelson his own hand reflected in a pocket mirror.
“Chirality. Stereoisomers. Right- and left-handed molecules. You’ve got to bring them back, doctor!”
Inspired by this week’s Picture It & Write prompt:
ParkInkSpot 
This one might be too chem-nerdy for the public, guess I should explain. Certain molecules (glucose, for example) come in two mirror-image molecules.
The human body can (generally speaking) only effectively utilize one (left- or right-handed) of those molecules. For instance, the wrong kind of sugar passes right through your body without being broken down and converted.
So starvation is only the slowest result of a person traveling in a “mirror” universe. Some of the mirror molecules are quite dangerous and will kill you much more quickly. (l-methamphetamine is available as an over-the-counter medication, for example, and r-methamphetamine can kill you).
Very cool story (which prompted some Googling of the chemistry terms!).
I reckon there’s a novel there.
With lots of exposition breathing room? Too prone to the big data dump.
I’m glad you explained about the molecules!
Me too! (maybe any1mark66 can ‘splain it to me, now!)
Organic chemistry? The problem is I understand it.
I did, a little bit, thirty-five years ago…heh.
Nice story
Thanks. Bit too chem-nerdy to stand on it’s own..do stories got feets?
Lol, yea I had to read again for that matter lol
Great Sci-Fi take on the prompt!