FairAndUnbiased
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Apparently, from what I've been told (I could be totally wrong btw), the biggest 3 applications of theoretical astrophysics and/or astronomy in the real world is, surprise, not actual astronomy, but in finance, global positioning and hydrogen bomb design.
This is because nuclear weapons in general, and the hydrogen bomb in particular, follow the laws of radiation hydrodynamics, which take place in conditions where the energy and radiation is so strong, that it can actually affect the way matter moves in a macroscopic way. For example, during the compression of the hydrogen boost inside a hydrogen bomb as it is compressed by the primary nuclear explosion.
This subject is taught in one place and one place only: in graduate astronomy/astrophysics programs (usually it is applied to things like the interior of a star). there is no engineering or science that teachs this subject. Therefore, we can say that a country's nuclear program's strength is directly proportional to the number of astronomy and theoretical astrophysics PhDs that it graduates every year, as without these people, the knowledge to build hydrogen bombs is lost.
Radiation hydrodynamics isn't easy. You can't just pick up a book and learn it. It's insanely hard math that needs supercomputers to solve. So there's no substitute for astronomy PhDs.
Now from what I've heard, Indian students prefer going into engineering and then either leaving the country, or getting an MBA. In that case, who is going to maintain India's nuclear arsenal?
This is because nuclear weapons in general, and the hydrogen bomb in particular, follow the laws of radiation hydrodynamics, which take place in conditions where the energy and radiation is so strong, that it can actually affect the way matter moves in a macroscopic way. For example, during the compression of the hydrogen boost inside a hydrogen bomb as it is compressed by the primary nuclear explosion.
This subject is taught in one place and one place only: in graduate astronomy/astrophysics programs (usually it is applied to things like the interior of a star). there is no engineering or science that teachs this subject. Therefore, we can say that a country's nuclear program's strength is directly proportional to the number of astronomy and theoretical astrophysics PhDs that it graduates every year, as without these people, the knowledge to build hydrogen bombs is lost.
Radiation hydrodynamics isn't easy. You can't just pick up a book and learn it. It's insanely hard math that needs supercomputers to solve. So there's no substitute for astronomy PhDs.
Now from what I've heard, Indian students prefer going into engineering and then either leaving the country, or getting an MBA. In that case, who is going to maintain India's nuclear arsenal?
