The 20th century was a time of dramatic achievements in science, from nuclear physics to space exploration to gene sequencing. It also saw the emergence of many of the technologies that underpin our world today: atomic weapons, electronic digital computers, synthetic fertilizers, and high-yield crop varieties, to name a few examples. This course surveys these developments, focusing not only on the histories of specific ideas and techniques, but more broadly exploring the complex relationship between science and technology; the relationship between science, the military, and state power; the changing cultural and political influence of scientists and engineers; the institutions and places where science and innovation gets done; the globalization of science and technology; and the emergence of critiques of science and technology. |