Examples of Politics and Physicists

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the intersection of politics and physics research, highlighting historical instances where these fields influenced each other significantly. Key examples include the collaboration of mathematicians like Laplace and Poisson during Napoleon's era, the conflict between Galileo and the Catholic Church, and the development of nuclear weapons during World War II, particularly through the Manhattan Project. The Space Race is also noted as a pivotal moment where political motivations drove advancements in physics. Additionally, the contributions of figures like Alan Turing in decoding the Enigma machine during WWII illustrate the direct impact of political needs on scientific research. The conversation touches on ancient innovations in warfare, such as chariots and siege equipment, further emphasizing the longstanding relationship between political power and technological advancement. Albert Einstein's fundraising for Israel is mentioned as a modern example of this intersection.
d3nat
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(Note: This is probably the wrong place for this, but I wasn't sure where to post this)

What are some examples of when politics and physics research coincided or had strong direct impacts on each other?

For example:
Napoleon and Laplace/Poisson
Catholic church and Galileo
WW2 and the Manhattan Project

I'm just curious for some more examples.

Thanks
 
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Physics research for nuclear weapons continued to be a political controversy for decades after WW2. And there is the Space Race.
 
WW2 Allied mathmeticians like Turing worked on decoding the German Enigma machine.
 
Ancient History, Roman & Medievals:
Chariots, Greek fire, quicklime, missile/siege equipment like catapults, ballistas, trebuchets, mangonels. (I've played a lot of Rome & Medieval Total War :biggrin:).
 
d3nat said:
(Note: This is probably the wrong place for this, but I wasn't sure where to post this)

What are some examples of when politics and physics research coincided or had strong direct impacts on each other?

For example:
Napoleon and Laplace/Poisson
Catholic church and Galileo
WW2 and the Manhattan Project

I'm just curious for some more examples.

Thanks

Albert Einstein did a fair amount of fund raising for Israel.
 
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