[rickb]

I'm searching for a short story title & author. I remember reading it in the late 70's

plot:
man keeps these species in a controlled chamber and thier lifespan is very fast; communicated with them via a teletype; to the species he is like god; sends in challanges/commands to them and they have to solve problems; if they don't they are punished; goverment finds out about this and sends planes to destroy place; creatures create a bomb-proof dome and extend it over whole area.

[Lowlander]

The story is called "Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon, one of the best short fiction writers in the history of SF.

I read the story myself in Robert Silverberg's "SF Hall of Fame", a wonderful anthology with 26 of the best SF stories from the golden age of SF. This anthology was published in the early 70's but is now back in print in a trade paperback edition. Recommended !