Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military

by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Avis Lang

Overview

“Extraordinary.… A feast of history, an expert tour through thousands of years of war and conquest.” —Jennifer Carson, New York Times Book Review

In this far-reaching foray into the millennia-long relationship between science and military power, acclaimed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-author Avis Lang examine how the methods and tools of astrophysics have been enlisted in the service of war. Spanning early celestial navigation to satellite-enabled warfare, Accessory to War is a richly researched and provocative examination of the intersection of science, technology, industry, and power that will introduce Tyson’s millions of fans to yet another dimension of how the universe has shaped our lives and our world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393357462
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	09/03/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	592
Sales rank:	132,871
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist with the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Times best-selling author of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. He lives in New York City.

Avis Lang is a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium. For half a decade, she edited Tyson’s Natural History magazine column, Universe, parts of which became the basis for his Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, and later edited his anthology Space Chronicles. She lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

Prologue xiii

Situational Awareness

1 A Time to Kill 3

2 Star Power 38

3 Sea Power 64

4 Arming the Eye 100

The Ultimate High Ground

5 Unseen, Undetected, Unspoken 165

6 Detection Stories 203

7 Making War, Seeking Peace 234

8 Space Power 317

9 A Time to Heal 381

Acknowledgments 405

Notes 409

Selected Sources 535

Index 551

Editorial Reviews

"With brutal honesty, Tyson and Lang reveal how looking at the stars has always been both ‘pure’ science and an adjunct of war-making.… Thought-provoking and reflective."

Nature - Sharon Weinberger

"Through ample research and nimble storytelling, Tyson and [Lang] trace the long and tangled relationship between state power and astronomy.… Deep and eloquent."

Joshua Sokol

"Exhaustively researched.… Rich with wry humor and vivid descriptions of cosmic goings-on."

Science News

"Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang have provided a wonderful history of the interplay between scientists and warfare. From telescopes to GPS satellites, astrophysicists have been closely linked to the military. A fascinating read with a worthy message for today."

James Clay Moltz

"Throughout history, wars tend to be won by nations that are at the forefront of science. Thus astronomers and physicists have, since ancient times, benefited from an uneasy alliance with the military. This enlightening book explores the history and current implications of this partnership between space science and national security."

Walter Isaacson

"A sweeping panoramic overview of the enduring alliance between astrophysics and the military—from the Greeks to Galileo to GPS."

Science

…clearly organized by scientifically minded authors…the writing is always directed toward illuminating the research…The language moves between the literary and analytical, evenhanded yet passionate. This is not to say the authors don't have a point of view, about which they are transparent from the onset, but the book lets the facts, and the many first-person quotes, speak for themselves…Accessory to War condenses multiple bodies of work into one important, comprehensive and coherent story of the symbiotic developments of astrophysics and war. The authors are…convincing that scientific space endeavors aren't separable from military ones, and they never were. The lesson is not merely a wake-up call for astrophysicists, but for all of us, for anyone with the misapprehension that science somehow marches on separate from the rest of culture.

The New York Times Book Review - Jennifer Carson

08/06/2018
In this comprehensive history of astrophysics–military collaboration, astrophysicist Tyson (Astrophysics for People in a Hurry) and researcher Lang explore how two causes use similar tools for different ends. Over the centuries, the authors write, scientists and warmakers “have more often been in sync than at odds.” Sometimes they’re sides of the same coin, as, for instance, “astrophotography and photoreconnaissance differ only in their choice of target.” From the first telescopes to present-day satellites, the coevolution of science and war has frequently resulted in valuable inventions, like GPS, “whose value to the U.S. economy will soon be upwards of $100 billion” annually. Tyson’s own experience of attending an astrophysics conference in 2003, and realizing how many of the companies present had also contributed to the Iraq invasion, further illustrates the book’s point. While acknowledging how science has enabled war, as with the development of the atomic bomb, the authors argue astrophysics can also be a way to peace. Ventures such as mining asteroids for scarce resources, which could “erase a perennial rationale for war,” are one possibility. But they caution that “weaponization arrives close on the heels of militarization” in space. Well paced and skillfully written, the narrative seamlessly integrates science lessons, military strategy, and world history—surely suiting military and science buffs alike. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Accessory to War is not just about astrophysics. It is a readable account of the intersection between science and security policy, complete with historical background and personal insights and anecdotes from America’s most-trusted scientist. This is a much needed read for both policymakers and the public, who in 'normal' times know and care too little about science, but in today's political climate increasingly show disdain for scientific principles that fail to fit their philosophical reality or political goals. Astrophysics is too often perceived as 'not touching me or my life,' but this book artfully explains otherwise."

Joan Johnson-Freese

"Extraordinary....A feast of history, an expert tour through thousands of years of war and conquest....Condenses multiple bodies of work into one important, comprehensive and coherent story of the symbiotic developments of astrophysics and war....The lesson is not merely a wake-up call for astrophysicists, but for all of us, for anyone with the misapprehension that science somehow marches on separate from the rest of culture"

Jennifer Carson

"Accessory to War is a phenomenal work that should be required reading for policy makers everywhere."

William E. Burrows

"Archimedes and Leonardo worked for their Departments of Defense, and when the telescope was invented it was an immediate instrument of war. Why do astrophysicists even have jobs? asks Neil deGrasse Tyson. Now you can see the inside story, from early times to the cold war, the Apollo program, spy satellites and the Hubble Space Telescope, the Iraq war, and perhaps asteroid mining. A wonderful book and a fascinating read, full of amazing stories, all backed up with deep scholarship."

John Mather

"A wide ranging and provocative set of observations on the two-way relationship between science-based knowledge and national power, especially power of the military variety, replete with trenchant insights. Tyson and Lang’s hopeful concluding message is on-target—that knowledge-based dominance, either in space or on Earth, is not possible in today’s interconnected world, and that cooperation in the use of our knowledge is the necessary path to planetary well-being."

John M. Logsdon

"This is an indispensable, mind-blowing account about a necessary near-future that is, tragically, not inevitable: that the disciplines of astrophysics and politics unite to forge a new frontier—not through ‘Rumsfeldian-Trumpian truculence,’ or by fattening the military while now starving science and the humanities, or by allowing China to continue to lead the U.S. in ‘worldwide research and development spending.’ These have already killed a supposed American Century. Beautifully combining a clear account of cutting-edge astrophysics and politics with a 3000-year historical perspective, this book deserves not only to be read, but to become a guide for those who hope for a better, survivable, near future."

Walter LaFeber

"Fascinating....Retells the history of space exploration, and of the Cold War, excelling in bringing forth the entangled advances of science and military interests....The book’s message rings like a wake-up call."

NPR - Marcelo Gleiser

"A sweeping panoramic overview of the enduring alliance between astrophysics and the military—from the Greeks to Galileo to GPS."

Science

Extraordinary....A feast of history, an expert tour through thousands of years of war and conquest....Condenses multiple bodies of work into one important, comprehensive and coherent story of the symbiotic developments of astrophysics and war....The lesson is not merely a wake-up call for astrophysicists, but for all of us, for anyone with the misapprehension that science somehow marches on separate from the rest of culture—Jennifer Carson, New York Times Book Review

Through ample research and nimble storytelling, Tyson and [Lang] trace the long and tangled relationship between state power and astronomy....Deep and eloquent.—Joshua Sokol, Washington Post

Fascinating....Retells the history of space exploration, and of the Cold War, excelling in bringing forth the entangled advances of science and military interests....The book’s message rings like a wake-up call.—Marcelo Gleiser, NPR

Archimedes and Leonardo worked for their Departments of Defense, and when the telescope was invented it was an immediate instrument of war. Why do astrophysicists even have jobs? asks Neil deGrasse Tyson. Now you can see the inside story, from early times to the cold war, the Apollo program, spy satellites and the Hubble Space Telescope, the Iraq war, and perhaps asteroid mining. A wonderful book and a fascinating read, full of amazing stories, all backed up with deep scholarship.—John Mather, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics

A sweeping panoramic overview of the enduring alliance between astrophysics and the military—from the Greeks to Galileo to GPS.—Science

Accessory to War is a phenomenal work that should be required reading for policy makers everywhere. —William E. Burrows, author of Deep Black: Space Espionage and National Security and This New Ocean: The Story of the First Space Age

This is an indispensable, mind-blowing account about a necessary near-future that is, tragically, not inevitable: that the disciplines of astrophysics and politics unite to forge a new frontier—not through ‘Rumsfeldian-Trumpian truculence,’ or by fattening the military while now starving science and the humanities, or by allowing China to continue to lead the U.S. in ‘worldwide research and development spending.’ These have already killed a supposed American Century. Beautifully combining a clear account of cutting-edge astrophysics and politics with a 3000-year historical perspective, this book deserves not only to be read, but to become a guide for those who hope for a better, survivable, near future.—Walter LaFeber, Tisch Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, Cornell University

Throughout history, wars tend to be won by nations that are at the forefront of science. Thus astronomers and physicists have, since ancient times, benefited from an uneasy alliance with the military. This enlightening book explores the history and current implications of this partnership between space science and national security.—Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs and professor of history, Tulane University

Accessory to War is not just about astrophysics. It is a readable account of the intersection between science and security policy, complete with historical background and personal insights and anecdotes from America’s most-trusted scientist. This is a much needed read for both policymakers and the public, who in 'normal' times know and care too little about science, but in today's political climate increasingly show disdain for scientific principles that fail to fit their philosophical reality or political goals. Astrophysics is too often perceived as 'not touching me or my life,' but this book artfully explains otherwise. —Joan Johnson-Freese, professor of national security affairs, Naval War College

A wide ranging and provocative set of observations on the two-way relationship between science-based knowledge and national power, especially power of the military variety, replete with trenchant insights. Tyson and Lang’s hopeful concluding message is on-target—that knowledge-based dominance, either in space or on Earth, is not possible in today’s interconnected world, and that cooperation in the use of our knowledge is the necessary path to planetary well-being.—John M. Logsdon, professor emeritus, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University

From the Publisher

The relationship between science and the military is thousands of years old. This fascinating audiobook connects the two with regard to the contemporary world, discussing how the universe is being used for industry and government power. DeGrasse Tyson reads the introduction, and he does a terrific job. He has a silky, deep voice, and he paces himself well. He could credibly read the entire work himself, but instead he hands off the audiobook to Courtney B. Vance, whose voice is just as deep but more formal, even regal. Vance does a magnificent job continuing the story with a tone that supports Tyson and Lang’s words. The result is an audiobook that speaks to all of us, even those who know little about astrophysics. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2018 - AudioFile

2018-06-18
An exploration of the bonds, fiscal and intellectual, between science and the military.Every 3.6 days, write renowned astrophysicist Tyson (Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, 2017, etc.) and Lang, a research associate at the Hayden Planetarium, an unclassified research paper by a scientist affiliated with the Los Alamos National Laboratory appears, swelling the literature of astrophysics with work on supernovas, gamma ray bursts, and all such manner of future-shock science. The authors deliver a history that is broader than its subtitle suggests; though Tyson is a space scientist, the military-industrial complex leverages workers in every scientific discipline, from agronomy to zoology. This linkage has become ever tighter in the years since 9/11, when it was "a fine time to be a mercenary, a military engineering firm, or a giant aerospace company." Science and technology workers were close behind, flush with billions of dollars delivered to a wide variety of projects. Though academic scientists were a minor part of the mix, writes Tyson, "it has long been clear to me that the space research my colleagues and I conduct plugs firmly and fundamentally into the nation's military might." Thus it ever was, perhaps. Between 1903 and 1916, write the authors, only 1,000 planes were manufactured in the United States, but put on a war footing and with federal funds flowing, the aerospace industry was turning out twice that many planes every month, the product of the close relationship among industry, science, and government that has reigned ever since. The leveraging of science in the national interest goes against the basic spirit of the enterprise, since science is supposed to be universal and "in space there is no religion, culture, or politics"—and yet the military is where the money is even if the funding for astrophysics, and indeed basic science, is the tiniest fraction of military spending overall.An intriguing history. Look for mines and ray guns on the final frontier, for, as the authors conclude, "what a country funds is what that country prioritizes."

Kirkus Reviews