What do you think?
Rate this book
Why You Can’t Catch a Rocket to Mars: Some Personal Reflections on Science and Society, by Lyndon N. Smith
"Highly engaging – a real page-turner that you won’t want to put down.A fascinating and enjoyable read that is wonderfully well illustrated by the author throughout. If you have ever wondered which are the seminal scientific discoveries and technological developments that have most shaped our modern world or pondered as to who the leading characters were, then this book is most definitely for you. The author takes the reader on a charming personal journey through his take on key historical moments in philosophy, politics, science, and technology, all the while exploring an intriguing interplay with literature, television, and film that goes to the heart of twentieth century western culture. The discussion is underpinned by a solid understanding of the subjects and disciplines touched upon that both seeks to inform and entertain. Areas such as computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI), what they are, how they have developed and where they might lead us, are covered in a way that demystifies what could otherwise be dry and impenetrable subjects and opens the mind to the exciting possibilities that may lie ahead for humankind. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it."Reviewed on 10 December 2022Verified Purchase"The author of these engaging personal reflections on science and society is Professor in Computer Simulation and Machine Vision, in the Centre for Machine Vision, Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of West England. He is also an aficionado of Sherlock Holmes and an accomplished draughtsman as is evident from the many pencil drawings in the book. He makes well-informed speculations as a technological optimist on future potential developments and their likely timing (pp. 134, 270), including ‘immortality’ in terms of cryonics, about which he is sceptical, along with uploading consciousness into a computer. Other topics covered include transport, robotics, time travel and nanotechnology. His view on the future is bright in a realist sense rather than dystopian, but much will depend on how we manage to organise ourselves collectively. The book will be of most interest to readers looking for a thorough briefing on the likely trajectory of science and technology."- David Lorimer in Paradigm Journal of the Scientific and Medical Network“An utterly fascinating book, written in a wonderfully engaging and informal conversational style. Lyndon's book is written in a wonderfully informal style, you can almost hear him chatting to you as you read, he goes off on meaningful tangents, covering an incredibly wide field of topics and explaining both simple and difficult concepts in an easy to understand way. He left me questioning the state of modern science, the way it is funded and taught, the attitudes of teachers and the goals of society. As he deals with a wonderfully broad range of topics Lyndon often anticipates the questions that arose in my mind, and I left each section with new insights and challenging thoughts. I really enjoyed the way in which Lyndon uses the sci-fi of my youth (Star Trek and Gerry Anderson's creations) together with our English detective hero - Sherlock Holmes - to cement his ideas and observations. He's done this in a book which is almost exclusively full of his own superb drawings, paintings and photography, adding to the conversational, informal nature of the work. I came away from this book thinking just how much I would enjoy a conversation with Lyndon over a glass of beer or two. The book is really accessible, never pompous and Lyndon shares his personal views in a very kind and generous manner. I thoroughly recommend it.”- Simon Parnall
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2020
22 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Lyndon N. Smith
1 book3 followersLyndon N. Smith has a strong interest in science and technology, and a particular fascination with developments in physics and engineering that can have potentially revolutionary effects on the way we live. He feels that scientific and technological developments of recent decades have been less dramatic than was expected, say, seventy years ago and that an investigation into why this is the case and what we can do about it is well overdue. He believes that one way to increase the accessibility of science is to employ an informal style, and to make liberal use of quotations and allusions to well-known figures from popular culture. This is what he has aimed to do with his new book. His intention is to make you wonder why we don't hear more about how modern technologies can revolutionise our lives. He believes we need to spend more time and effort on looking to the future rather than agonising over the past. And he uses discussion of people and events from the past, as well as various predictions of the possible future, to throw light on the situation for science and technology, and what developments we might expect going forward. Lyndon lives in Central Somerset, with his wife and son.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 9, 2021
Some books are linear, dry and unimaginatively limited to one subject. Not this one. This book takes you on a colorful whirlwind journey from space elevators to victorian engineering, challenges of research funding, Brexit, deadly viruses, the application of AI in grassland management, shampoo packaging design, close encounters of the third kind and Schrödinger's cat. All peppered with entertaining digressions involving more often than not Sherlock Holmes, Star Trek, the Greek islands and a plethora of British scientists, inventors and political figures.
Combining scientific rigor and a witty colloquial language, this is the work of Somerset based talented renaissance man and Arthur Conan Doyle enthusiast, Lyndon Smith - university professor, researcher, AI guru, author, gifted illustrator and all in all accomplished engineer.
If you ever found yourself wondering why the progress of science might be hindered, if you are interested the challenges of applied research in modern day Britain, the prevalence of mathematical modelling and niche analysis over synthesis and big idea thinking, this is the perfect book for you. Warmly recommended!
Combining scientific rigor and a witty colloquial language, this is the work of Somerset based talented renaissance man and Arthur Conan Doyle enthusiast, Lyndon Smith - university professor, researcher, AI guru, author, gifted illustrator and all in all accomplished engineer.
If you ever found yourself wondering why the progress of science might be hindered, if you are interested the challenges of applied research in modern day Britain, the prevalence of mathematical modelling and niche analysis over synthesis and big idea thinking, this is the perfect book for you. Warmly recommended!
March 21, 2021
This book presents a kaleidoscopic view of the most prominent discoveries and inventions of our time and their role in the quest for understanding of the Universe. It comes with a fairly intense discussion on what the challenges in science are now and how the near future may be shaped by our decisions.
Although, the opinions come from the academic/ physicist/ engineer point of view, the book is extremely entertaining and accessible. Some hard science peppered with popular culture facts and heroes that make the journey vibrant and entertaining. Lovely and refreshing - I highly recommend this book to anyone!
Although, the opinions come from the academic/ physicist/ engineer point of view, the book is extremely entertaining and accessible. Some hard science peppered with popular culture facts and heroes that make the journey vibrant and entertaining. Lovely and refreshing - I highly recommend this book to anyone!
March 23, 2021
Loved the book. Author has a great way of talking about complicated science in a way that us non-technical folk can understand, and its funny too! Was interesting fro me because I have always loved Sherlock Holmes and Star Trek. Really liked the drawings, and these are not very common in books nowadays. When is the next book coming out?
May 23, 2022
Whether a reader can empathise with the writer of a book essentially driven by personal ambition, hopes, or dreams, depends on how that reader feels about those aims. I confess I’m definitely with the author here. Given the chance of a return flight to Mars, I’d jump at it! After all, having written a sci-fi trilogy set there, I’d love to experience the world in person.
Prof. Smith, an engineer by profession, has a deep understanding of the science and mechanics involved in getting transport off Earth and across millions of miles of hostile space to another planet. He also understands the need for such an enterprise (forgive the pun, but he’s also an avid fan of Star Trek!)
The book is divided into four parts, each subdivided into sections, and starts by examining current science and technology. Part 2 looks at potential and definite threats to his aims, and at possible responses. Part 3 deals with future developments in science and technology. And part 4 contains his concluding remarks.
Remarkable is an apposite description of this sometimes very personal assessment of why science and technology have so far taken humanity only as far as our own moon.
There are a couple of areas only, among a multitude, where I found mild reason to disagree. One was his concern with what he considers ‘the current obsession with political correctness’, which he feels forms an unnecessary barrier to administrative progress in some areas. While understanding his frustrations, I also feel his stance appears to be exactly in line with that expected of a white, male, heterosexual from the West. It’s noticeable that women form a tiny percentage of his scientific and technical world, in spite of their remarkable contributions. My second area of minor disagreement involves his attitude to modern literature, especially sci-fi. As the author of several stories engaging with future worlds, I found his dismissal on grounds of ‘Romance and Dystopia’ a little off the mark. Many writers of such fiction understand the need to include romance in sci-fi as a way of helping readers relate to otherwise male-centric action. Also, there’s an element of social science, an area he rather easily dismisses, that actively helps readers empathise with the players in such stories. With regard to dystopian outcomes, I say many sci-fi writers are so concerned with avoidable catastrophe in the modern world, we see it as our responsibility to let people know the possible consequences of our failure to address our social responsibilities to the planet we inhabit.
However, these are minor concerns given the wide-ranging and in-depth coverage of the major issues tackled by the book.
Political dithering caused by ill-educated and improperly advised would-be leaders, concentration on the fast buck by industry supremos at the expense of rare minerals, childish games designed to set people at odds over inconsequential issues rather than unite them in action to save the natural world, and a ham-strung, inefficient, self-serving and ultra-cautious academic system that fails to encourage and fund real and needed new research are all guilty of damage to our future prospects.
Prof. Smith has studied history, science, technology and mechanics on his route through life. His well-presented arguments relating to what the scientific world believes and/or fails to consider are worthy subjects for discussion.
This book mixes humour with erudition, knowledge with informed speculation, and reaches conclusions with which I fully agree. It’s a fascinating, engaging, and illuminating piece of work.
Prof. Smith, an engineer by profession, has a deep understanding of the science and mechanics involved in getting transport off Earth and across millions of miles of hostile space to another planet. He also understands the need for such an enterprise (forgive the pun, but he’s also an avid fan of Star Trek!)
The book is divided into four parts, each subdivided into sections, and starts by examining current science and technology. Part 2 looks at potential and definite threats to his aims, and at possible responses. Part 3 deals with future developments in science and technology. And part 4 contains his concluding remarks.
Remarkable is an apposite description of this sometimes very personal assessment of why science and technology have so far taken humanity only as far as our own moon.
There are a couple of areas only, among a multitude, where I found mild reason to disagree. One was his concern with what he considers ‘the current obsession with political correctness’, which he feels forms an unnecessary barrier to administrative progress in some areas. While understanding his frustrations, I also feel his stance appears to be exactly in line with that expected of a white, male, heterosexual from the West. It’s noticeable that women form a tiny percentage of his scientific and technical world, in spite of their remarkable contributions. My second area of minor disagreement involves his attitude to modern literature, especially sci-fi. As the author of several stories engaging with future worlds, I found his dismissal on grounds of ‘Romance and Dystopia’ a little off the mark. Many writers of such fiction understand the need to include romance in sci-fi as a way of helping readers relate to otherwise male-centric action. Also, there’s an element of social science, an area he rather easily dismisses, that actively helps readers empathise with the players in such stories. With regard to dystopian outcomes, I say many sci-fi writers are so concerned with avoidable catastrophe in the modern world, we see it as our responsibility to let people know the possible consequences of our failure to address our social responsibilities to the planet we inhabit.
However, these are minor concerns given the wide-ranging and in-depth coverage of the major issues tackled by the book.
Political dithering caused by ill-educated and improperly advised would-be leaders, concentration on the fast buck by industry supremos at the expense of rare minerals, childish games designed to set people at odds over inconsequential issues rather than unite them in action to save the natural world, and a ham-strung, inefficient, self-serving and ultra-cautious academic system that fails to encourage and fund real and needed new research are all guilty of damage to our future prospects.
Prof. Smith has studied history, science, technology and mechanics on his route through life. His well-presented arguments relating to what the scientific world believes and/or fails to consider are worthy subjects for discussion.
This book mixes humour with erudition, knowledge with informed speculation, and reaches conclusions with which I fully agree. It’s a fascinating, engaging, and illuminating piece of work.
May 10, 2021
Interesting, intriguing and enjoyable reading. The book tackles a series of very actual topics, bringing up valuable scientific data, presented and explained in an easily comprehendable manner. The author shares also the fruit of his personal reflections on isocial, economic, educational and other matters - all the same in a casual, non-overdidactic manner, even with a humouristic twist every now and then. A lecture that made me feel enriched and entertained at the same time.
April 9, 2021
An interesting book, a new way to understand life and the world around us. Mr Smith is an author whom you will hear about again in the future.
April 24, 2023
A somewhat interesting, if flawed, set of reflections on the state of modern science research
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The book comprises a series of reflections from the author on the state of modern science research and society, attempting to find answers to the question of why the rate of scientific progress and technological innovation appears to have slowed in today’s world when compared to the giant leaps and grand promises of yesteryear. For this, the author offers up a number of potential reasons with—in some cases wildly—varying degrees of reasonableness. The author also speaks in depth about various topics which could show avenues for advancement, particularly those relating to his field of expertise in machine vision and computer simulation. Sprinkled liberally throughout are pop-culture references and delightful illustrations made by the author. Overall the book was an interesting read for the most part. But all that being said, it did come with some fairly serious problems.
The parts I enjoyed the most were actually the sections on convolutional neural networks, machine vision and future developments for artificial intelligence to aid with scientific research. Many of the other topics I had no problems with at all; I defer to the author’s substantial experience with research university administration, and I could well imagine that such an emerging environment would indeed take lots of valuable time away from scientific research unnecessarily. Also the sections on funding, impact, and reinventing the wheel were enlightening and insightful. As I mentioned above, I loved the author’s own illustrations—while many were undoubtedly there to get around the problem of copyright, he clearly has a deft hand with a pencil and a paintbrush, and they were a lot of fun. However, I did feel that the author has perhaps a naive view of our current technological ability to send a crewed rocket to Mars, and there was clearly a lot of wide-eyed admiration for Elon Musk whose companies in recent times seem to be getting on despite, rather than because of, his leadership. Sadly not a lot of time was spent talking about the actual engineering and technologies which are being developed for Mars projects. It felt like the author is of the opinion that—barring all the roadblocks discussed later in the book—it’s a simple matter which could have been done already.
I don’t usually like to be too detailed with my negatives, but this deserves calling out. There was a lengthy section on how a preponderance on the need for political correctness is holding back science, as well as a comment that could be taken as transphobic, all of which I thoroughly disagreed with and found to be fundamentally flawed in its reasoning. There were also no specific examples given within the section as to why political correctness is the enemy of science, nor what “false claims about reality” it makes. As usual with these kinds of baseless rants, it seems that much is left to innuendo. It came across as the typical nonsense of a white, middle-class man complaining that “you just can’t say anything anymore”. Once I had gotten through this section, I had hoped that would be the end of it, but to my dismay, further “anti-PC” jabs kept on popping up every so often.
There was also a lot of weird pseudoscience in the book, where the author has clearly strayed from his area of expertise. For instance, mentions of the discredited Rupert Sheldrake in order to highlight dogmatism in the scientific community. The author then talks about vitamin C and aspirin to cure cancer as though it were again a simple thing that everyone is ignoring. Plus an equally weird disdain for complex—or rather, “fancy” looking—mathematics as though it were totally unnecessary (as someone who does not understand mathematics at the best of times, it all looks unnecessary to me, but still…)
And finally, towards the end, the book completely goes off the rails and the author betrays a distinct lack of understanding regarding Special Relativity, leading him to declare that time dilation due to velocity isn’t a real effect (someone really should tell our GPS satellites that!) and that it is possible for two spacecraft to accelerate away from one another at a relative velocity greater than the speed of light (no, you cannot simply add velocities together at relativistic speeds. It doesn’t work that way. Our ability to do so at low, everyday speeds is an approximation.)
I think crucial to all of those misunderstandings were some errors in the basic postulates: chiefly that the speed of light has to be relative to something. It isn’t. The second postulate of Special Relativity does not define what the speed of light is, instead it holds that it is the same for all observers in all reference frames. Also an understanding of mass-energy equivalence, which is precisely what prevents anything from simply accelerating to superluminal speeds. I’ve mentioned this on the blog in my previous post—the faster we go, the heavier we get and therefore more energy is needed in order to keep accelerating. And because mass and energy are the same thing, the more energy you put in, the more mass you have. Eventually you get to a point where you would have infinite mass and would need infinite energy to go any faster. That is the speed of light. That is why only massless particles can go that fast.
You can probably tell I got quite frustrated by the end. That kind of physics has become a bit of a pet subject for me.
I will say, bringing it back to the positives, I appreciated the author’s wild speculation about the mid and far futures. There were some interesting ideas here, and I do prefer to take an optimistic outlook. I don’t agree that dystopian stories represent doom-merchantry, I prefer to see them more as a catharsis. But I like to speculate favourably on the heights we could reach as a species out there among the stars. As a sci-fi author, it is my bread and butter, after all. That kind of speculation is healthy, and good, and we definitely shouldn’t limit our imaginations to our current understandings of physics, lest we discard potentially great discoveries out of hand.
Would I recommend this book? Honestly, it’s a mixed bag. It was good for some of its insights, particularly into the role of artificial intelligence in science research (of which I felt like I learned a lot), and there were the other valuable insights mentioned above that made it worth reading. But it did stray significantly and got very weird. If you’re interested in the better observations, and like nice hand-drawn artwork and plenty of discussions about pop-culture, then it might be worth wading through the problematic bits.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The book comprises a series of reflections from the author on the state of modern science research and society, attempting to find answers to the question of why the rate of scientific progress and technological innovation appears to have slowed in today’s world when compared to the giant leaps and grand promises of yesteryear. For this, the author offers up a number of potential reasons with—in some cases wildly—varying degrees of reasonableness. The author also speaks in depth about various topics which could show avenues for advancement, particularly those relating to his field of expertise in machine vision and computer simulation. Sprinkled liberally throughout are pop-culture references and delightful illustrations made by the author. Overall the book was an interesting read for the most part. But all that being said, it did come with some fairly serious problems.
The parts I enjoyed the most were actually the sections on convolutional neural networks, machine vision and future developments for artificial intelligence to aid with scientific research. Many of the other topics I had no problems with at all; I defer to the author’s substantial experience with research university administration, and I could well imagine that such an emerging environment would indeed take lots of valuable time away from scientific research unnecessarily. Also the sections on funding, impact, and reinventing the wheel were enlightening and insightful. As I mentioned above, I loved the author’s own illustrations—while many were undoubtedly there to get around the problem of copyright, he clearly has a deft hand with a pencil and a paintbrush, and they were a lot of fun. However, I did feel that the author has perhaps a naive view of our current technological ability to send a crewed rocket to Mars, and there was clearly a lot of wide-eyed admiration for Elon Musk whose companies in recent times seem to be getting on despite, rather than because of, his leadership. Sadly not a lot of time was spent talking about the actual engineering and technologies which are being developed for Mars projects. It felt like the author is of the opinion that—barring all the roadblocks discussed later in the book—it’s a simple matter which could have been done already.
I don’t usually like to be too detailed with my negatives, but this deserves calling out. There was a lengthy section on how a preponderance on the need for political correctness is holding back science, as well as a comment that could be taken as transphobic, all of which I thoroughly disagreed with and found to be fundamentally flawed in its reasoning. There were also no specific examples given within the section as to why political correctness is the enemy of science, nor what “false claims about reality” it makes. As usual with these kinds of baseless rants, it seems that much is left to innuendo. It came across as the typical nonsense of a white, middle-class man complaining that “you just can’t say anything anymore”. Once I had gotten through this section, I had hoped that would be the end of it, but to my dismay, further “anti-PC” jabs kept on popping up every so often.
There was also a lot of weird pseudoscience in the book, where the author has clearly strayed from his area of expertise. For instance, mentions of the discredited Rupert Sheldrake in order to highlight dogmatism in the scientific community. The author then talks about vitamin C and aspirin to cure cancer as though it were again a simple thing that everyone is ignoring. Plus an equally weird disdain for complex—or rather, “fancy” looking—mathematics as though it were totally unnecessary (as someone who does not understand mathematics at the best of times, it all looks unnecessary to me, but still…)
And finally, towards the end, the book completely goes off the rails and the author betrays a distinct lack of understanding regarding Special Relativity, leading him to declare that time dilation due to velocity isn’t a real effect (someone really should tell our GPS satellites that!) and that it is possible for two spacecraft to accelerate away from one another at a relative velocity greater than the speed of light (no, you cannot simply add velocities together at relativistic speeds. It doesn’t work that way. Our ability to do so at low, everyday speeds is an approximation.)
I think crucial to all of those misunderstandings were some errors in the basic postulates: chiefly that the speed of light has to be relative to something. It isn’t. The second postulate of Special Relativity does not define what the speed of light is, instead it holds that it is the same for all observers in all reference frames. Also an understanding of mass-energy equivalence, which is precisely what prevents anything from simply accelerating to superluminal speeds. I’ve mentioned this on the blog in my previous post—the faster we go, the heavier we get and therefore more energy is needed in order to keep accelerating. And because mass and energy are the same thing, the more energy you put in, the more mass you have. Eventually you get to a point where you would have infinite mass and would need infinite energy to go any faster. That is the speed of light. That is why only massless particles can go that fast.
You can probably tell I got quite frustrated by the end. That kind of physics has become a bit of a pet subject for me.
I will say, bringing it back to the positives, I appreciated the author’s wild speculation about the mid and far futures. There were some interesting ideas here, and I do prefer to take an optimistic outlook. I don’t agree that dystopian stories represent doom-merchantry, I prefer to see them more as a catharsis. But I like to speculate favourably on the heights we could reach as a species out there among the stars. As a sci-fi author, it is my bread and butter, after all. That kind of speculation is healthy, and good, and we definitely shouldn’t limit our imaginations to our current understandings of physics, lest we discard potentially great discoveries out of hand.
Would I recommend this book? Honestly, it’s a mixed bag. It was good for some of its insights, particularly into the role of artificial intelligence in science research (of which I felt like I learned a lot), and there were the other valuable insights mentioned above that made it worth reading. But it did stray significantly and got very weird. If you’re interested in the better observations, and like nice hand-drawn artwork and plenty of discussions about pop-culture, then it might be worth wading through the problematic bits.
January 19, 2022
Can’t buy a round-trip ticket to Mars? Read this book and you’ll find out why.
And believe me, that will be just the start. You’ll also learn all about AI, both the General and Special Theories of Relativity, the world’s oldest iron bridge, the status of Brexit, and everything you ever wanted to know about the Romulan cloaking device but were afraid to ask. To observe that its author, Lyndon N. Smith, has a protean mind is like saying Tiffany’s owns a few diamonds.
At times you will find yourself overwhelmed. At times merely whelmed instead. And if you’re not fond of digressions, asides, fanciful flights of thought or complete non-sequiters, you might end up grumbling a bit. But who could resist such a boundless free spirit? Who wouldn’t be captivated? And who would suspect that this middle-aged don is in fact a five-year kid, constantly asking how the world works, and why it can’t work even better.
So next time we throw a dinner party (Dinner Party? Remember Those?) we’ll make sure to leave an empty seat at the head of the table. And if we’re lucky, maybe Smith will drop on by and regale us with his wisdom. If not, we’ll take turns reading excerpts and playing Star Trek role games.
And I’ve got dibs on the Gorn.
And believe me, that will be just the start. You’ll also learn all about AI, both the General and Special Theories of Relativity, the world’s oldest iron bridge, the status of Brexit, and everything you ever wanted to know about the Romulan cloaking device but were afraid to ask. To observe that its author, Lyndon N. Smith, has a protean mind is like saying Tiffany’s owns a few diamonds.
At times you will find yourself overwhelmed. At times merely whelmed instead. And if you’re not fond of digressions, asides, fanciful flights of thought or complete non-sequiters, you might end up grumbling a bit. But who could resist such a boundless free spirit? Who wouldn’t be captivated? And who would suspect that this middle-aged don is in fact a five-year kid, constantly asking how the world works, and why it can’t work even better.
So next time we throw a dinner party (Dinner Party? Remember Those?) we’ll make sure to leave an empty seat at the head of the table. And if we’re lucky, maybe Smith will drop on by and regale us with his wisdom. If not, we’ll take turns reading excerpts and playing Star Trek role games.
And I’ve got dibs on the Gorn.
August 29, 2023
personal, captivating and thought-provoking
"Why You Can’t Catch a Rocket to Mars: Some Personal Reflections on Science and Society" is a captivating and thought-provoking journey through the world of science and society, presented in an engaging and informal conversational style. Lyndon's unique approach draws readers in as if they're part of a friendly chat, allowing complex ideas to be easily understood. The book covers a vast array of topics, touching on the state of modern science, its funding and teaching, and the broader attitudes within society.
Lyndon's ability to anticipate readers' questions and concerns is impressive, providing insightful answers and sparking new perspectives. The book's use of beloved sci-fi references, like Star Trek and Sherlock Holmes, not only makes the content relatable but also reinforces the author's observations and insights. The inclusion of the author's own artwork and photography adds an intimate touch, enhancing the informal nature of the book.
What truly sets this book apart is Lyndon's genuine and generous sharing of his personal views. He navigates complex subjects without an air of pretentiousness, making the content accessible and relatable to a wide range of readers. After reading, you'll feel as if you've had an enriching conversation with the author, leaving you pondering the intersections of science, society, and personal beliefs.
In a world often dominated by inaccessible academic language, "Why You Can’t Catch a Rocket to Mars" is a refreshing and recommended read for anyone curious about the connections between science, society, and the human experience.
"Why You Can’t Catch a Rocket to Mars: Some Personal Reflections on Science and Society" is a captivating and thought-provoking journey through the world of science and society, presented in an engaging and informal conversational style. Lyndon's unique approach draws readers in as if they're part of a friendly chat, allowing complex ideas to be easily understood. The book covers a vast array of topics, touching on the state of modern science, its funding and teaching, and the broader attitudes within society.
Lyndon's ability to anticipate readers' questions and concerns is impressive, providing insightful answers and sparking new perspectives. The book's use of beloved sci-fi references, like Star Trek and Sherlock Holmes, not only makes the content relatable but also reinforces the author's observations and insights. The inclusion of the author's own artwork and photography adds an intimate touch, enhancing the informal nature of the book.
What truly sets this book apart is Lyndon's genuine and generous sharing of his personal views. He navigates complex subjects without an air of pretentiousness, making the content accessible and relatable to a wide range of readers. After reading, you'll feel as if you've had an enriching conversation with the author, leaving you pondering the intersections of science, society, and personal beliefs.
In a world often dominated by inaccessible academic language, "Why You Can’t Catch a Rocket to Mars" is a refreshing and recommended read for anyone curious about the connections between science, society, and the human experience.
July 20, 2023
Why advances in science and technology have not been as rapid as expected
Why You Can’t Catch a Rocket to Mars is Professor Smith’s personal view of technology and science’s advancement from Brunel to the present day. In his book, he explains why advances have not been as rapid as expected. His approach enables the non-scientist to understand his arguments, and he supports them with anecdotes from popular culture, particularly Star Trek and Sherlock Holmes.
What Professor Smith excels at is providing the bigger picture, in a style that is enjoyable and you feel the author is speaking directly to you. He has many illustrations, most are his own artwork and they directly relate to his work. His book explains where we are, how we have got here, and why the advancements have not been as rapid as many would have hoped. Development is limited by politics, management, and other forces, as well as by English, European, and American traits. Throughout this is a good-natured account and makes an enjoyable read. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in scientific developments and I learned a great deal.
Why You Can’t Catch a Rocket to Mars is Professor Smith’s personal view of technology and science’s advancement from Brunel to the present day. In his book, he explains why advances have not been as rapid as expected. His approach enables the non-scientist to understand his arguments, and he supports them with anecdotes from popular culture, particularly Star Trek and Sherlock Holmes.
What Professor Smith excels at is providing the bigger picture, in a style that is enjoyable and you feel the author is speaking directly to you. He has many illustrations, most are his own artwork and they directly relate to his work. His book explains where we are, how we have got here, and why the advancements have not been as rapid as many would have hoped. Development is limited by politics, management, and other forces, as well as by English, European, and American traits. Throughout this is a good-natured account and makes an enjoyable read. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in scientific developments and I learned a great deal.
August 5, 2023
As a diehard Trekker, I absolutely loved Why You Can't Catch a Rocket to Mars: Some Personal Reflections on Science and Society. It's rare to find a work of popular science writing that manages to be both entertaining and informative, but this book does just that. The book appears to be primarily concerned with the recent trend toward conservatism rather than innovation in the scientific community. The author's perceptive analysis challenges readers to ponder the far-reaching implications of these innovations. Anyone interested in pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge and questioning established truths should read this book.
November 16, 2021
Looking into the future! A lot of far out ideas and predictions of the future here. Plus cool drawings and quotes from a whole range of my favourite writers, musicians and more. With humor thrown in, it's not so easy to put down. Some of the ideas and science are pretty heavy and need careful reading, but the jokes make it easy to read. LOved it - and the Star Trek one - and and will be looking for any other books by the author. Recommended - especially if you are into the future of science and technology.
January 9, 2022
Too much Star Trek, not enough star talk.
I thought the author spent a bit too much time on flights of fancy with no real basis and seemed to talk out of both sides of his mouth at times.
I thought the author spent a bit too much time on flights of fancy with no real basis and seemed to talk out of both sides of his mouth at times.
Read
August 12, 2021This book made me rethink my attitude to the state of modern science. I see some processes are going wrong but it is good to read from such an author an extended variant of your own thoughts.
This book directs us to think twice for every new thing we start to do.
I did not buy the book immediately I saw it but now I think it is a "must have" book. With it refined and meaningful analysis of the development of scientific research, it helps us in our own work, making many events clearer.
I am happy to have this book.
This book directs us to think twice for every new thing we start to do.
I did not buy the book immediately I saw it but now I think it is a "must have" book. With it refined and meaningful analysis of the development of scientific research, it helps us in our own work, making many events clearer.
I am happy to have this book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews