Neptune’s Laboratory explores the ways in which scientists, politicians, and the public have invoked ocean environments in imagining the fate of humanity and of the planet from the early nineteenth century to the Cold War.
Antony Adler, Research Associate at Carleton College (USA), presented his book Neptune’s Laboratory: Fantasy, Fear, and Science at Sea (Harvard University Press, 2019) on Monday, 4 May, 16:00 Central European time in our Greenhouse online book series.
We have long been fascinated with the oceans, seeking “to pierce the profundity” of their depths. In studying the history of marine science, we also learn about ourselves. Neptune’s Laboratory explores the ways in which scientists, politicians, and the public have invoked ocean environments in imagining the fate of humanity and of the planet from the early nineteenth century to the Cold War—conjuring ideal-world fantasies alongside fears of our species’ weakness and ultimate demise. Embracing our fears, fantasies, and scientific investigations, Antony Adler tells the story of our relationship with the seas.