Released: October 1st 2023 (Paperback)
Genre: Non-fiction, History, Society, Science, Technology, Geopolitics
Number of Pages: 298
After analysing many topics including geographical regions, the nationalism of flags and potential conflicts on terra firma, Tim Marshall extends his predictions beyond Earth with The Future of Geography. It’s another intriguing slice of geopolitics placed against the backdrop of science.
Much like his other books, the author begins with a history lesson that includes all the big names. Aristotle, Galileo, Hawking, Gargarin and Armstrong among others. In a simple yet effective manner, we see the long road travelled to reaching the stars. The three big players: America, Russia and China, have major stakes in this journey with many key events often tied in with the Cold War and other international rivalries. This release is especially good at drawing out their major strengths and weaknesses before moving on to smaller-scale efforts from India and the European Space Agency. The paperback version adds an additional section on various science fiction tales told over many centuries; this emphasises how the space beyond our planet has always captivated our species.
In turn, this historical context leads into the immense potential that lies ahead. Countries and corporations are very interested in space and they have a lot to gain from exploiting this new frontier. Precious resources on the moon, beaming energy from the sun down to Earth, future missions to Mars. All of these new ventures are layered along a timeline with plenty of well-layered references to real-world plans. This section of the book is filled with excitement, but the optimism is balanced out by the onset of a new arms race.
On the other hand, we have future conflicts and geopolitical tensions. Marshall has always been highly adept in this field and he runs through some hypothetical scenarios between the big three. Based on the previous and current history, some of them do feel quite plausible. A narrow fly-past of a western moon-base and a Chinese satellite that sabotages others in its radius. Our push to explore the cosmos will likely bring both new advancements and greater anxiety among the masses.
Recommended?
YES: It is more speculative than previous efforts, but The Future of Geography still delivers a fascinating and well-paced look at our future endeavours. From the old space race to the new, the many uses of celestial travel are laid out across simple yet effective chapters. Mining resources, in-orbit warfare and grand expeditions are all addressed. If nothing else, the book conveys the same sense of wonder that has driven mankind for centuries.
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