Alternate history is one of my favorite topics, and I’m curious to hear your thoughts.

  • dfyx@lemmy.helios42.de
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    1 day ago

    I imagine that we would be more scientifically advanced

    Much of the scientific advances in the second half of the 20th century were driven either directly or indirectly by the Cold War:

    • rockets were first developed to deploy nuclear warheads, then to deploy spy satellites and eventually to demonstrate technological superiority
    • computers were needed to calculate rocket trajectories
    • the internet was developed to connect defense systems in the event of incoming nuclear missiles, either to launch countermeasures quickly or to stay in contact if the surface gets uninhabitable

    Without two super powers of similar strength who have access to both nuclear bombs and rockets, all of this would happen way more slowly and the main reason why the USA and Soviet Union developed rockets at a similar pace was because they both employed German rocket scientists after the war. Without this, there would be no space race, just slow and steady progress of one power who can then keep everyone else from catching up.