Science Questions

How dependent are we on satellites? If somebody put a computer bug in them, what would happen? Simon in Wellingborough

It could vary. Communication is big business in terms of satellites, so that could have a very large impact. I wouldn't be so upset about losing some of the television channels! In terms of other impacts, I think we could usually work around them. As a scientists I spend my life trying to figure out ways of working around problems so I don't think it would be the end of civilisation but I think money changers would be brought to its knees for a while, but we would definitely recover.

January 2006