The Dawn of a New Era: How Science and Art Developed after World War I
The First World War (1914-1918) marked a cataclysmic event that left deep scars on global society, causing widespread devastation, economic disruption, and cultural disorientation. Despite the devastation, the era that followed World War I saw the birth of two parallel and interdependent strands: science and art.
Scientific Advancements
Scientific progress didn’t halt in the shadow of war; instead, it accelerated and diversified to tackle the new challenges created by the conflict. During the war, scientists rushed to develop technologies that would aid in the war efforts, leading to breakthroughs in areas such as communications, transportation, medicine, and metallurgy.
| Area | Research Focus |
| Communications | New forms of encryption, like the “One-Time-Pad”, to secure sensitive information. |
| Transportation | Efficient cargo transportation technologies, like refrigerated transportation, to keep supplies perishable during the war efforts. |
| Medicine | New treatments, like antitoxin, and blood transfusion techniques to save lives amidst the outbreak of diseases amid the war-torn societies. |
| New processes, like magnesium alloys, for the fabrication of light aircraft and ordnance components. |
Early 20th-Century Breakthroughs:
• Radio Wave Propagation: Guglielmo Marconi’s breakthroughs in the early 20th-century paved the way for wirelessly transmitted information, creating the groundwork for modern technologies like radar and satellite communication.
• Quantum Mechanics: Erwin Schrödinger, Werner Heisenberg, and Louis de Broglie, among others, made groundbreaking contributions to understand the principles of quantum physics, setting the stage for advancements in atomic energy and computer development.
• Atomic Energy: The German physicist Hans Bethe identified the role of the degenerate matter (white dwarfs)_, while Enrico Fermi laid the fundamentals for nuclear reactors, contributing to the discovery of element 93 (Neptunium).
Following the war, scientists leveraged the experience and insight gained to accelerate research. This era also saw notable discoveries and breakthroughs (See below) which transformed our understanding of biology, medicine, and chemical reactions:
| Scientific Contribution | Notable Accomplishment |
| Felix Hoffmann | Discovers Synthesis of Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) |
| Rosalyn Yalow | Juan- Steves develops the concept of Radio immunassay for medical monitoring |
| Zdenko Valentiniuc | Fabricates Dendrimer, macromolecule composed of layers of small molecule building |
| Leo Baekeland | Nomadic the polystyrene, using synthetic plastic (Bakelite) and creating electrical insulation and electrical components and tools. |
The Rise of Art and Literature
Throughout the aftermath of World War I, the arts mirrored the turbulence of the sciences. Art, literature, and music served as expressive outlets for artists grappling with the psychological scars of warfare, leading to the advent of various innovative styles (See below)_.
Literary Directions:
• Absurdism: Writers and artists rejected the traditional storytelling formats and rational thinking due to the brutal realities. Authors like Eugene Ionesco and Samuel Beckett experimented with surrealism. Alberto Caeiro composed Lunar Poens, capturing a senseless and isolated life.
Artistic Breakthroughs:
• Art Nouveau and Expressionism: In painting, Cubism emerged from the disintegration of European culture to reveal fundamental, geometric core forms in Paul Cezanne and Pablo Picasso_.
• Surrealism: Salvador Dalí’s Dream-like pieces explored the realms of hallucination and madness, alongside Max Ernst and Renée Magritte. André Derain introduced an abstract primitivism through his expressionist and non-realist art style._
• Architecture and Urban Planning:
+ **Neo-Futurism:**
+ **Italian Futurists:** Gabriele d'Annunzio, Fortunato Depero, and other Italian figures pushed forward architectural and theoretical advancements that mirrored the experimental and the industrial.By exploring both science and the arts in this era (after 1914-1918)), we begin to understand better how post-war turbulence and destruction became the grounds for transformation, innovation, and creation (Bourdieu’s concept for ‘hysteresis’), an era rich in contrast between the apocalyptic context of war-induced chaos and the birthplaces of breakthroughs in new artistic styles.
Closing
As the world attempted to heal and rebuild post-World War I, both science and art confronted the same urgent questions in the quest for answers through exploration, creation, (In this article: the term "Dawn" captures the inception of these discoveries, just as ‘daybreak breaks’).
