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A review by cameliarose
Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Avis Lang
3.0
3.5 star
In Accessory to War, Neil deGrasse Tyson laid out two and half millennia of entanglement between astrophysics (and technology in general) and war. The book is a history of astrophysics–from ancient star watchers and the invention of magnetic compass, to the measurement of longitude, atomic bombs, moon landing, GPS and International Space Station–told in tandem with the history of wars, spies and other military efforts.
The need for military conquest has played an outsized role in advancing science and technology. Do I know the Hubble space telescope has not one but two military twins? Regarding space exploration, science is only piggy-backed onto military efforts. In the last chapter, it said, after Russia annexed Crimea, the US-Russia space collaboration continued despite state sanctions. This 2018 book ended with an optimistic note. As we all know, the situation deteriorated after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Fact one: humans are curious animals with an internal drive to explore. Fact two: humans, so far, have not learned how not to fight wars. In a way, we are a sad species. Does it have to be this way?
Overall, the book could have been organized better. The writing is a little dry.
In Accessory to War, Neil deGrasse Tyson laid out two and half millennia of entanglement between astrophysics (and technology in general) and war. The book is a history of astrophysics–from ancient star watchers and the invention of magnetic compass, to the measurement of longitude, atomic bombs, moon landing, GPS and International Space Station–told in tandem with the history of wars, spies and other military efforts.
The need for military conquest has played an outsized role in advancing science and technology. Do I know the Hubble space telescope has not one but two military twins? Regarding space exploration, science is only piggy-backed onto military efforts. In the last chapter, it said, after Russia annexed Crimea, the US-Russia space collaboration continued despite state sanctions. This 2018 book ended with an optimistic note. As we all know, the situation deteriorated after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Fact one: humans are curious animals with an internal drive to explore. Fact two: humans, so far, have not learned how not to fight wars. In a way, we are a sad species. Does it have to be this way?
Overall, the book could have been organized better. The writing is a little dry.