Life in a World Controlled by the Scientists

In 1937 Winston Churchill wrote a series of articles for the News of the World under the general heading “Great Events of Our Time.” In the tenth article, published on 31 October, Churchill illustrated a “Vision of the Future through Eyes of Science,” ending with speculation about atomic power. In his next article, published one week later and reprinted here, Churchill picked up where he left off, as he turned to considering the social and ethical consequences of “Life in a World Controlled by the Scientists.” Both articles reflect the vast extent to which Prof. Frederick Lindemann kept Churchill informed about scientific developments, but the possible ramifications described here are pure Churchill.

In reaching last week the fringes of mankind’s future life, if the promise of science is fulfilled, I suggested that there exists a source of energy a million times greater than coal which we have not yet learned to harness or apply. That energy lies in the atom. For example: If one could induce the atoms of hydrogen in the Serpentine to combine to form helium they would produce enough heat to change the whole climate of England for a year.

We are startled today when we hear that a man has travelled from London to Baghdad between sunrise and sunset. If nuclear power were available, the