The World Set Free

A speculative narrative envisions the discovery and harnessing of a new, immensely destructive source of energy, its use to create weapons that make industrialized war catastrophic, and the subsequent worldwide conflict and social collapse that follow. After devastation exposes the inadequacy of sovereign states, a movement toward international reconstruction emerges, led by scientifically minded planners who reorganize production, education, and governance to abolish war and institute a stable commonwealth. Interwoven chapters trace the technological origins, the conduct and consequences of the conflict, and philosophical arguments about science, social reform, and the necessity of global cooperation to manage powerful new resources.