Showing results for "The World Set Free" in Science Fiction

The thesis of this story is that “because of the development of scientific knowledge, separate sovereign states and separate sovereign empires are no longer possible in the world. To attempt to keep on with the old system is to heap disaster upon disaster for [hu]mankind and perhaps to destroy our race altogether. The remaining interest of this book now is the sustained validity of this thesis and the discussion of the possible ending of war on the earth.”

World Set Free is a captivating novel by H.G. Wells, first published in 1914. This prophetic work offers a chilling glimpse into the future, foreseeing the emergence of nuclear weapons. A recurring theme in Wellss writings, including his 1901 nonfiction book Anticipations, is the impact of energy and technological advancements on human progress. The novel begins with the thought-provoking line The history of mankind is the history of the attainment of external power. Man is the tool-using, fire-making animal. Drawing on contemporary scientific knowledge about the slow radioactive decay of ...