Weapons Grade: How Modern Warfare Gave Birth to Our High-Tech World

by David Hambling

David Hambling tells the fascinating story of human ingenuity and the complex world it has created—a world at once safer and yet more perilous than ever. Throughout history, war and the threat of war have driven innovation and accelerated the uptake of new technology—from the nomadic warriors who introduced the stirrup and the kebab to the world, to the British Navy’s funding of Marconi’s newfangled radio. Since 1945 the relationship between military needs and modern business has grown ever closer, especially in the United States.

With the skills of a master storyteller, Hambling traces the history of this relationship in the modern era and shows how precision eye surgery emerged out of the military quest for a “death ray,” how transistors and silicon chips initially helped build better bombs, and exactly why the 747 has such a distinctive shape. Hambling explores the current cutting edge of modern military research as he seeks to identify the technologies that will transform our lives in the decades to come. If history does repeat itself, Weapons Grade is much more than the story of how we got to where we are; it is the story of where we are going, for better or worse.

Genres: Military Fiction, Science

288 pages, Hardcover

First published February 24, 2005

Reviews

[Mark Sodergren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
As it's the sort of book you can dip in and out off, it's been an ongoing read for some time now. I have had it by the sound desk for a good few conferences and it has helped pass the time well. There are some rather fascinating topics and a lot of "Oh, I never knew that, Oi, Mr lighting guy, did you know..........?" going on. Yeah, enjoyed it.