Science, Technology and the Future is an analysis of the problems of and prospects for the development of science and technology and their role in society. Drawing on the perspectives of Soviet scientists, this book examines the relation between society and nature as well as the prospects for resolving ecological problems with the aid of science and technology. This book is comprised of 33 chapters and begins with a discussion on the role of science and technology in modern society and their place in the solution of global problems. The axiological and ethical aspects of the development of science and the mechanism of scientific and technical progress, economics, and social development are also considered. The next section deals with concrete questions pertaining to the development of natural and technical sciences and their significance for the future of mankind, with emphasis on the role of science in the development of productive forces; the state of and the prospects for resolving the energy problem; the most important achievements in the leading branches of physics, chemistry, and biology; opportunities for utilizing space research for man's daily needs; oceanology and geology in the year 2000; science and fertility of the soils; materials for the technology of the future; and prospects for the development of automation and man's place in future production. This monograph will be of interest to sociologists, environmentalists, and science policymakers.

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“One of the finest, most gripping surveys of the history of Russian science in the twentieth century.” —Douglas Smith, author of Former People: The Final Days of the Russian Aristocracy Stalin and the Scientists tells the story of the many gifted scientists who worked in Russia from the years leading up to the revolution through the death of the “Great Scientist” himself, Joseph Stalin. It weaves together the stories of scientists, politicians, and ideologues into an intimate and sometimes horrifying portrait of a state determined to remake the world. They often wreaked great harm. Stalin was himself an amateur botanist, and by falling under the sway of dangerous charlatans like Trofim Lysenko (who denied the existence of genes), and by relying on antiquated ideas of biology, he not only destroyed the lives of hundreds of brilliant scientists, he caused the death of millions through famine. But from atomic physics to management theory, and from radiation biology to neuroscience and psychology, these Soviet experts also made breakthroughs that forever changed agriculture, education, and medicine. A masterful book that deepens our understanding of Russian history, Stalin and the Scientists is a great achievement of research and storytelling, and a gripping look at what happens when science falls prey to politics. Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction in 2016 A New York Times Book Review “Paperback Row” selection “Ings’s research is impressive and his exposition of the science is lucid . . . Filled with priceless nuggets and a cast of frauds, crackpots and tyrants, this is a lively and interesting book, and utterly relevant today.” —The New York Times Book Review “A must read for understanding how the ideas of scientific knowledge and technology were distorted and subverted for decades across the Soviet Union.” —The Washington Post