Do you think that current wars will affect scientific research?

Question: Do you think that current wars will affect scientific research?
- Keywords:
  affect,
  impact,
  research,
  scientific,
  war
Asked by jaws to David on 23 Mar 2011 in Categories: General.
- David Pyle answered on 23 Mar 2011:
  
  Well, probably. In the US and UK, I think it is the case that government spending on military research and development is larger than government spending on all other science-related research and development. In wars, weapons are effectively tested in the battleground, and used up – so governments will find more money to replace them, and to ‘improve’ them. Most of this research (e.g. new technologies) will have little or no impact on the non-military world for many years. On the other hand, funding for non-military research will probably be squeezed further in order to help to balance the books..

Question: Do you think that current wars will affect scientific research?