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STAS 111 – SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
A.Y. ’24 – ‘25
TOPIC OUTLINE
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Information Age
Biodiversity
GMO
Nanotechnology
Global Warming
INFORMATION AGE
Computer Age, Digital Age, New Media Age, Internet Age
historic period in the 21st century characterized by the rapid
shift from traditional industry that the Industrial Revolution
brought through industrialization, to an economy based on
information technology.
Early Developments of Information Age
• 1945 - Fremont Rider described the miniaturized microform
analog photographs, which could be duplicated on-demand for
library patrons and other institutions.
• 1965 - Moore’s law was formulated. It is an observation that the
number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles about
every two years.
• Early 1980 - production of the smaller and less expensive
personal computers allowed for direct access to information.
• 1995 - Nicholas Negroponte published his book, Being Digital,
the similarities and differences between products made of atoms
and bits.
• Primary Information Age - newspaper, radio, television.
• Secondary Information Age - Internet, satellite television and
mobile phones
• Tertiary Information Age - emerged by media of the Primary
Information Age interconnected with media of the Secondary
Information Age.
Pre-Industrial Age
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time before there were machines and tools to help them perform
the tasks.
About 2.5 million years before writing was developed,
technology began with the earliest hominids who used stone
tools, which they may have used to start fires, hunt, and bury
their dead.
Communications were limited between communities.
People used traditional paper and writing materials, signs or
symbols to communicate with each other. For example,
Egyptians used papyrus scrolls. Sumerians used clay tablets
Pre-historic men used hand stencils and simple geometric
shapes to create art on the walls of caves
Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press during
Renaissance period
Industrial Age
encompasses the changes in economic and social organization that
began around 1760 in Great Britain and later in other countries,
characterized chiefly by the replacement of hand tools with powerdriven machines such as the power loom and the steam engine, and
by the concentration of industry in large establishments
Communication During the Industrial Age
• Samuel F.B Morse - invented the telegraph which became the
standard for international communication with a modified code.
• Alexander Graham Bell - patent the telephone, an electric tool
transmitting analogue speech along wires.
• Thomas Edison - invented the phonograph, a device for the
mechanical recording and reproduction of sound.
• Heinrich Hertz - identified and studied radio waves in 1886.
• Guglielmo Marconi - developed the first practical radio
transmitters and receivers.
• Philo Farnsworth - invented the first fully electronic television. It
became an important mass medium for advertising, propaganda
and entertainment
Electronic Age
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began when electronic equipment and large technologies,
including computers came into use.
The invention of the transistor ushered in the electronic age.
People harnessed the power of transistors that led to the
transistor radio, electronic circuits, and the early computers.
In this age, long distance communication became more efficient.
Transistor - led to the creation of other media tool.
Enigma machine - piece of spook hardware used as a way of
deciphering German signals traffic during World War Two.
Transistor radio - became the most popular electronic
communication and device in history.
EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator) first stored program electronic computer.
ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) - first
electronic general purpose digital computer.
UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) - line of electronic
digital stored- program computers.
IBM - first mass produced computer with floating-point arithmetic
hardware.
Hewlett Packard 9100A -early computer or programmable
calculator
Floppy disk - removal magnetic storage medium.
Walkman - originally used for portable audio cassette players
Information Age
People advanced the use of microelectronics with the invention of
personal computers, mobile devices, and wearable technology.
Moreover, voice, image, sound and data are digitalized. We are now
living in the information age
➔YouTube
created by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim. It is an online
video-sharing platform.
allows users to view, upload, share, report, subscribe and comments
on videos.
➔Facebook Inc.
founded by Mark Zuckerberg and his fellow roommates and students.
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vellichor
STAS 111 – SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
A.Y. ’24 – ‘25
popular global social networking website.
offers other products and services such as Facebook Messenger,
Facebook Watch and Facebook Portal.
➔MacBook
discontinued Macintosh portable computer developed and sold by
Apple Inc.
includes a Retina display, fanless design and a shallower butterfly
keyboard and a single USB-C port for power and data.
➔Google LLC
based on multinational technology company that specializes in
internet-related services and products,
include software, hardware, online advertising, a search engine and
cloud computing
➔Microsoft Corporation
develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells computer
software, consumer electronics, personal computers and related
services.
Timeline of the Information Age
3000 BC: The Sumerian writing system used pictographs to
represent words.
2900 BC: Beginnings of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing.
1300 BC: Tortoise shell and oracle bone writing were used.
500 BC: Papyrus roll was used.
220 BC: Chinese small seal writing was developed.
100 AD: The book (parchment codex) was created.
105 AD: Woodblock printing was invented by the Chinese.
1455: Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press using
movable metal type.
1755: Samuel Johnson's dictionary standardized English spelling.
1802: The Library of Congress was established, and the carbon arc
lamp was invented.
1824: Research on the persistence of vision was published.
1830s: First viable design for a digital computer; Augusta Lady Byron
wrote the world’s first computer program.
1837: The telegraph was invented in Great Britain and the United
States.
1861: Motion pictures were projected onto a screen.
1876: The Dewey Decimal System was introduced.
1877: Eadweard Muybridge demonstrated high-speed photography.
1899: First magnetic recordings were released.
1902: Motion picture special effects were used.
1906: Lee De Forest invented the electronic amplifying tube (triode).
1923: The television camera tube was invented by Zworykin.
1926: The first practical sound movie was created.
1939: Regularly scheduled television broadcasting began in the
United States.
1940s: Beginnings of information science as a discipline.
1945: Vannevar Bush foresaw the invention of hypertext.
1946: The ENIAC computer was developed.
1948: Claude E. Shannon proposed the field of information theory.
1957: Jean Hoerni developed the planar transistor.
1958: The first integrated circuit was created.
1960s: The Library of Congress developed LC MARC (machinereadable code).
1969: The UNIX operating system was developed, capable of
multitasking.
1971: Intel introduced the first microprocessor chip.
1972: Philips and MCA developed the optical laserdisc.
1974: MCA and Philips agreed on a standard videodisc encoding
format.
1975: The Altair Microcomputer Kit was released, marking the first
personal computer available to the public.
1977: RadioShack introduced the first complete personal computer.
1984: Apple introduced the Macintosh computer.
Mid 1980s: Artificial intelligence was separated from information
science.
1987: Hypercard was developed by Bill Atkinson, using the recipe
box metaphor.
1991: A CD-ROM was released containing 450 complete works of
literature.
January 1997: The RSA (encryption and network security software)
48-bit internet security code was cracked.
In his article “Truths of the Information Age”, Robert Harris
detailed some facts on the Information Age.
• Information must compete.
• Newer is equated with truer.
• Selection is a viewpoint.
• The media sells what the culture buys.
• The early word gets the perm.
• You are what you eat and so is your brain.
• Anything in great demand will be counterfeited.
• Ideas are seen as controversial.
• Undead information walks ever on.
• Media presence created the story.
• The medium selects the message.
• The whole truth is a pursuit
Computer
• A computer is an electronic device that stores and process data
Types of Computer
• Personal Computer (PC)
• Desktop Computer
• Laptops
• Personal Digital
• Assistants (PDAs)
• Server
• Mainframe
• Wearable Computers
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The World Wide Web
Historians often trace the origin of the Internet to Claude E.
Shannon, an American mathematician known as the “Father of
Information Theory.” Shannon, who worked at Bell Laboratories,
proposed in a paper at age 32 that information could be
encoded quantitatively as sequences of ones and zeroes.
The Internet is a global network of interconnected systems that
enables data transfer between countless computers. Initially, it
was primarily used by scientists for communication. Until 1984,
the Internet remained under government control (Rouse, 2014).
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STAS 111 – SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
A.Y. ’24 – ‘25
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A major early challenge for Internet users was speed, as phone
lines could only transmit data at limited rates. The development
of fiber-optic cables, capable of transmitting billions of bits of
information per minute, addressed this issue. Companies like
Intel advanced microprocessor technology, allowing personal
computers to process data more quickly (Ushistory.org, 2017).
The rise of the Internet led to the rapid growth of companies
based on digitized information, resulting in powerful and wealthy
figures like Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), and Mark
Zuckerberg (Facebook).
Critics argued that the Internet deepened the technological
divide, widening the gap between socioeconomic classes.
Those unable to afford computers or monthly access fees were
excluded from opportunities. Others lamented the impersonal
nature of electronic communication compared to phone calls or
handwritten letters.
The unregulated nature of the Internet has also led to
challenges, such as the widespread distribution of inappropriate
content, including pornography, and the difficulty in protecting
children from harmful influences or dangerous individuals.
Today, the Internet is associated with various forms of crime,
including cyberbullying, which is a global concern.
Applications of Computers in Science and
Research
• One of the significant applications of computers for science and
research is evident in the field of bioinformatics. Bioinformatics
is the application of information technology to store, organize,
and analyze vast amount of biological data which is available in
the form of sequences and structures of proteins. (Madan, n.d.)
How to Check the Reliability of Web Sources
• The Internet contains a vast collection of highly valuable
information but it may also contain unreliable, biased information
that mislead people. The following can help us check the
reliability of web sources that we gather. It is noteworthy to
consider and apply the following guidelines to avoid
misinformation. (Lee College Library, n.d.)
• Who is the author of the articles/site?
• Who published the site?
✓ .edu = educational
✓ .com = commercial
✓ .mil = military
✓ .gov = government
✓ .org = nonprofit
• What is the main purpose of the site?
• Who is the intended audience
• What is the quality of information provided on the website?
Examples of Useful and Reliable Web Sources
✓ AFA e- Newsletter
✓ American Memory
✓ Bartleby.com Great books Online
✓ Chronicling America
✓ Cyber Bullying
✓ National Library of Medicine’s Medline Plus
✓ Drugs.com
✓ PDRhealth
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Global Gateway: World Culture and Resources
Google Books
Googlescholars.com
Gutenberg Era
➔Space-based, controlled channels
➔Limited access, institution-driven
➔Mass, passive consumers
➔Precision, controlled messaging
Post-Gutenberg Era
➔Time-based, liberated content
➔Accessible, process-driven
➔Micro, active “prosumers”
➔Authentic, transparent communication
Content Acquisition
Gutenberg: You acquire customers via mass outreach
Post-Gutenberg: Customers find you using crowd intelligence
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BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
variety of all life on earth. It also pertains to the relative
abundance and richness of the different traits, species, and
ecosystems in a particular area or region.
The biodiversity we see today is the outcome of over 3.5 billion
years of evolutionary history, shaped by natural processes and
increasingly, by the influence of humans.
forms the web of life of which we are an integral part and upon
which we fully depend.
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (Earth
Summit in Rio de Janeiro, brazil in 1992), of which Philippines is
one of the 154 member countries who signed the declaration,
defines biodiversity as the variability among living organisms
from all source, including inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other
aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological
Complexes of which they are part: this includes diversity within
species, between species and of ecosystems.
Zamora (1997) defined biodiversity as the ensemble and the
interactions of the genetic, the species, and the ecological
diversity in a given place and at a given time.
World Wild Fund for Nature (1989) defined it as the wealth of life
on earth, the millions of plants, animals an microorganisms, the
genes they contain, and the intricate ecosystems they help build
into the living environment
Types of Biological Diversity
Genetic Diversity
• variations among the genetic resources of the organisms.
• A gene is a unit of hereditary information consisting of a specific
nucleotide sequence in DNA.
• High genetic diversity indicates populations that can more easily
adapt to changing situations and environments, and also greater
assortment of materials than can be found, increasing the
chances of finding a useful compound (Bernhardt, 1999).
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STAS 111 – SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
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A.Y. ’24 – ‘25
Species Diversity
• All different species or kinds of organisms on our planet.
Ecosystem/Ecological Diversity
• variety of different types of species found in a particular area. It
includes terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems.
• Ecosystem - unit of interaction between the biotic community
and its physical environment in a given area. It is a selfcontained community of microorganisms, animals and plants
that interact with each other and with their physical
environment.”
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Habitat is a place in which a particular species of organism lives.
Species By Numbers
According to Census of Marine Life:
➔ 8.7 million total number of estimated species on Earth
➔ 6.5 million species on land
➔ 2.2 million species in oceans.
Approximately 1.2 million – 1.6million species have been
identified:
➔ 950,000 species of insects
➔ 270,000 species of plants
➔ 19,000 species of fish
➔ 9,000 species of birds
➔ 4,000 species of mammals
• There are still millions yet to be classified and named (National
Geographic Society).
• Insect and other vertebrates make up more than half of the
known species.
Importance of Biodiversity
➔ supports healthy ecosystems.
➔ essential part of the solution to climate change
➔ good for the economy.
➔ integral part of culture and identity.
➔ provides raw materials like lumber, food, spices etc.
➔ provides opportunities for recreational activities, such as bird
watching, scuba diving, snorkeling, and nature photography.
➔ serves as the source of medicine.
What Do We Get From Biodiversity?
➔ Oxygen
➔ Food
➔ Clean Water
➔ Medicine
➔ Aesthetics
➔ Lumber
➔ Ideas
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Benefits of Biodiversity
Ecosystem functions
Ecosystem services
➔ Supporting
➔ Provision
➔ Cultural and aesthetic services
➔ Regulating
Food sources
➔ Crop and vegetables
➔ Poultry, meat, & fish products
Raw materials
Medicines
➔ Herbal plants
o Philippine setting
➢ DOH approved medicinal plants
➢ Proclamation No. 689, s. 2004 (November as the
Traditional and Alternative Health Month)
Status of Philippine Biodiversity
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR
2009) claims that in terms of biodiversity, the Philippine was 5th in
the world as to number of plant species; 8th in the world list of
endemic plants; 4th in endemic birds; 5th in endemic mammals; and
8th in endemic reptiles.
Philippines – Megadiverse Country
● Contains two-thirds of the earth’s biodiversity and between 70%
and 80% of the world’s plant and animal species.
● Ranks fifth (5th) in the number of plant species and maintains 5%
of the world’s flora.
● More than 9,250 vernacular plants (33% of which are endemic).
● There are 612 species of birds of which, 194 are endemic.
● 111 amphibian species and 270 reptile species live here.
List of Identified Endemic Species
➔ Rafflesia manillana - world’s largest flower.
➔ Vanda sanderiana (waling-waling) - world’s largest orchid
species.
➔ Pithecophaga jefferyi (monkey-eating eagle) - largest bird
➔ Rhyncodon typus - largest fish
➔ Tridacna gigas (giant clam) - largest seashell
➔ Pandaka pygmea (dwarf goby) - smallest freshwater fish
➔ Tarsius syrichta (tarsier) - smallest primate
➔ Tragalus nigricans - smallest hoofed mammal
➔ Tylonycteris pachpus (bamboo bat) - smallest bat
➔ Pisidum - tiniest shell in the world
➔ Connus gloriamaris - most expensive shells in the world
➔ Cervus alfredi - most endangered deer
➔ Bubalus mindorensis (tamarau or dwarf water buffalo) - top
ten most endangered species in the world and the largest
endangered animal.
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A declining population is one sign that a species may be
endangered.
The list of endangered species continues to grow over time.
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STAS 111 – SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
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According to the 2000 Red List by the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 418 out of 52,177 species in the
Philippines were categorized as threatened.
The Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priority-setting
Program (PBCPP) identified 121 endemic mammal species as
critically endangered.
BirdLife International reported that 116 bird species in the
country are either threatened or near threatened.
A 2010 report from the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) revealed that 72% of the 584 documented
wildlife species in the Philippines are at risk of extinction.
Many species of plants, frogs, reptiles, and insects have yet to
be documented. Unfortunately, some species are believed to
have disappeared before they could be identified.
Threats to Biodiversity
Environmental Pollution
• Domestic agriculture and industrial wastes are poorly treated
and are often discharged into the sea, and to other bodies of
water, such as rivers and lakes.
• Pollution can lead to diseases and pollution stresses, such as
coral bleaching on reefs.
Over-Exploitation/Over-Hunting/OverHarvesting/Over-Fishing
• Commercial logging, community logging, timber poaching, and
kaingin (slash and burn agriculture).
• In mangrove ecosystem, the extraction of fuel and construction
materials leads to habitat destruction and the loss of critical
coastal protection.
Habitat Loss/Habitat Destruction/Habitat
Alteration
• In coral reefs, coastal development, aquaculture, agriculture,
and land-cover change increasing sediments and nutrients
outflow onto reefs, and the muro-ami fishing technique.
• The development of fishponds (aquaculture) in mangrove forest.
Climate Change
• Drastic changes in the atmosphere can have catastrophic
effects such as increase concentration of greenhouse gases
and destruction of forest.
Invasive Species/Non-native Species
• Invasive species are greater threat to native biodiversity than
pollution, harvest, and disease combined (Simberloff, 2000).
• It can cause alterations either within species groups or within
the environment.
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Underlying Causes of the Loss of Philippine
Biodiversity
The underlying causes of Philippine biodiversity loss are:
Population growth and increasing resource consumption
Ignorance about species and ecosystems
Poorly conceived policies and poor law enforcement
Effects of global trading systems
Inequity of resource distribution
Apathy or failure to account for the value of biodiversity
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GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS
Worldwide, over 191 million hectares have been planted with
genetically modified crops as of 2018, particularly herbicide and
pest-resistant canola, cotton, corn and soybeans.
The United States had the largest area worldwide of GM crops,
followed by Brazil, Argentina, Canada and India (Shahbandeh,
2019).
The first commercially available GM food was called the Flavr
Savr tomato that had an antisense gene that increased its shelf
life and delayed ripening ( Bruening and Lyons, 2000). Designed
by researchers at Calgene (now a division of Monsanto, Inc.).
Monsanto is the leading company in genetically modified crop
based on revenue.
GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms are organisms whose
genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering
techniques, which is a direct manipulation of an organisms
genome.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO,2004) GMOs
are organisms, either plant or animal or microorganism in which
the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does
not occur naturally by mating or natural recombination.
The development of GMOs was perceived to help in the
advancement of technology for the benefit of humans in different
industries like agriculture and medicine.
Examples of Genetically Modified Foods (GMFs)
➔ Bt corn
o A type of corn genetically modified to produce proteins from
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a soil bacterium that produces Deltatoxins, which are toxic to certain insects but harmless to others.
o The discovery of Bt began in 1901 when Japanese scientist
Shigeta Ishiwata isolated it from silkworm larvae suffering from
"sotto disease," which had devastated silkworm populations in
Japan.
o In 1911, German scientist Ernst Berliner identified a similar
strain from dead Mediterranean flour moth larvae and named it
Bacillus thuringiensis after the German state Thuringia. Bt has
been used as an insecticide since 1938.
o Bt toxin must be ingested by insects to be effective, unlike
chemical insecticides that target the nervous system. It works by
producing a protein that blocks the insect’s digestive system,
causing starvation and death within days.
o The toxin-producing Cry gene, found in Bt, is transferred to
crops using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a bacterium that forms
root nodules. The cry genes are known for their adaptability,
contributing to the wide range of insects they can target.
o The toxin-producing Cry gene, found in Bt, is transferred to
crops using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a bacterium that forms
root nodules. The cry genes are known for their adaptability,
contributing to the wide range of insects they can target.
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GMOs are part of a rapidly expanding industry marked by
controversy, fear, and skepticism.
The impact of GM foods on human health must be carefully
evaluated.
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STAS 111 – SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
A.Y. ’24 – ‘25
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One significant agricultural issue is the global damage caused
by weed infestations. GM crops have offered considerable
benefits to farmers by addressing this problem.
Key reasons for developing transgenic crops include enhancing
nutritional value, such as protein-enriched maize and golden
rice fortified with Vitamin A and iron.
GMOs have improved growth characteristics, increased yields,
enhanced color and taste, regulated enzyme production, and
extended shelf life.
The use of GMO crops can lead to reduced herbicide and
pesticide use, lower cultivation costs, and labor savings. They
provide resistance to pests, viruses, drought, and herbicides,
allowing farmers to reduce fertilizer and pesticide use while
ensuring higher yields.
Despite these benefits, there is ongoing debate and concern
over whether GM foods are less healthy than their non-GMO
counterparts.
One major issue is the potential development of pesticideresistant pests.
Introducing GMOs into natural ecosystems may disrupt native
communities through competition.
There is a risk that modified genes could transfer from GMO
crops to wild relatives or soil organisms, potentially leading to
new resistant pests and weed problems.
Concerns about allergenicity exist, as GMO consumption could
impact human health by altering the body’s microbial balance or
producing harmful toxins.
GM crops can be costly and time-consuming to develop due to
their laboratory-based creation.
While the debate around GMOs continues, scientists and
researchers are exploring their potential benefits, which come
with critical questions about safety and long-term impact.
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Nanotechnologies are the design, characterization, production
and application of structures, devices and systems by controlling
shape and size at nanometer scale.
Nano refers to a unit meaning one billionth or ten raised to
negative nine.
Nanotechnology refers to the manipulation of matter on an
atomic or subatomic scale
Nanos = dwarf
Father of Nanotechnology – Richard Feynman
History of Nanotechnology
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1959 - Richard Feynman, an American Physicist discussed,
“There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”.
1960 - Mohamed Atalla and Dawon Kahng fabricated the first
MOSFET (metal –oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor)
with a gate oxide thickness of 100nm, along with a gate length
of 20μm.
1974 - Norio Taniguchi, a Japanese scientist of Tokyo University
of Science coined the term "nanotechnology” to describe
semiconductor processes such as film deposition and ion beam
milling exhibiting characteristic control on the order of a
nanometer.
1981 - The invention of Scanning Tunneling Microscope, an
instrument used for imaging surfaces at the atomic level. It was
invented by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer at IBM Zurich
(Nobel Prize in Physics).
1985 - The discovery of fullerenes, an allotrope of carbon whose
molecule consists of carbon atoms connected by single and
double bonds so as to form a closed or partially closed mesh,
with fused rings of five to seven atoms.
1986 – Publication of the book Engines of Creation: The Coming
Era of Nanotechnology by Eric Dexler.
1991 - The discovery of carbon nanotubes by Sumio Lijima
2006 - The discovery of 3nm MOSFET, the worlds ‘smallest
nanoelectronic device was created by Korean Researchers from
the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and
the National Nano Fab Center.
Early Uses of Nanomaterials
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NANOTECHNOLOGY
The engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale.
It is a Hybrid Science combining Engineering, Chemistry and to
a certain extent Biology.
It deals with the creation of functional materials, devices,
systems through control of matter or nanoscale.
It placed the footprints in the field of energy, medicine,
electronics, computing, security and materials.
Nanoscience is the study of phenomena and manipulation of
materials at atomic, molecular and macromolecular scales,
where properties differ significantly from those at a larger scale.
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In Mesopotamia, nanoparticles were used for creating a
glittering effect on the surface of pots.
In modern times, pottery from the middle Ages and Renaissance
often retains a distinct gold- or copper-colored metallic glitter.
In Rome, Lycurgus cup is made of a glass that changes colour
when light gleamed through it.
In pre-columbian Mayan City of Chichen Itza, a corrosion
resistant azure pigment known as “Maya Blue” contains
nanopores to create an environmentally stable pigment.
In Middle East, Damascus steel swords contain oriented
nanoscale wire-and-tube-like structures
Classification of Nanomaterial
● Zero Dimensional :
➔ These nanoparticles are spherical in size and the diameter of
these particles will be in the 1-50 nm range.
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● One Dimensional :
➔ These materials are long (several micrometers in length) but with
a diameter of only a few nanometres.
● Two Dimensional :
➔ These include different kinds of Nano films such as coatings and
thin-film-multilayers, Nano sheets or Nano-walls. The area of the
Nano films can be large (several square micrometer),
but the thickness is always in Nano scale range
● Three Dimensional :
➔ These include bulk materials composed of the individual blocks
which are in the nanometre scale (1- 100nm).
Carbon-Based Nanotubes
Types of Carbon Nanotubes
● Single Walled Nanotube (SWNT)
● Multi Walled Nanotube (MWNT)
Properties of Nanotubes
● Tensile & Compressive Strength :
➔ The tensile strength of” carbon nanotubes is
approximately 100 times greater than that of steel of the same
diameter”.
● Hardness :
➔ SWNT nanotube hardness about 25× 109 Pa. It is higher than
Diamond and Prepared
under high pressure and temperature. Nanotube is super hard phase
and they
have bulk modulus of 465-546 GPa (1GPa=10 9)
● Electrical Properties :
➔ metallic nanotubes can carry an electric current density of 4 × 109
A/cm2, which is
more than 1,000 times greater than those of metals such as copper,
where for copper interconnects current densities are limited by
electro migration. It acts as Superconductivity up to 12 K.
● Thermal Properties :
➔ SWNT has thermal conductivity 3500 W/ m.K while Copper has
385 W/m.
➔ Thermal stability in vacuum up to 3100 K and 1000 K in air.
Some Ancient Nanomaterial
● 1000 years ago different size “Gold Nanoparticles' 'were used to
produce stained glass windows.
● 2000 years ago “Sulphide Nanocrystals” were used by the Greek
and Roman for dyeing the
hair.
● Lycurgus Cup (Roman 4th Century)
➔ The glass contains gold-silver alloyed
nanoparticles, which are distributed in such a way to make the glass
look green in reflected light but, when light passes through the cup, it
reveals a brilliant red.
Fundamental Concepts in Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology
•
It’s hard to imagine just how small nanotechnology is. One
nanometer is a billionth of a meter, or 10-9 of a meter. Here are
a few illustrative examples:
➔ There are 25,400,000 nanometers in an inch
➔ A sheet of newspaper is about 100,000 nanometers thick
➔ On a comparative scale, if a marble were a nanometer, then one
meter would be the size of the Earth.
Different Approaches to Nanotechnology
• Nanotechnologies can be:
➔ Top-down
o Etching a block of material down to the desired shape
o Chips and processors
➔ Bottom-up
o Building materials atom by atom - like lego
o Nanoparticles such as C60, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots
Application to Nanotechnology
Energy Source :
● Microbial Fuel Cell :
➔ Microbial fuel cell is a device in which bacteria consume watersoluble waste such as
sugar, starch and alcohol and produce electricity plus clean water.
● Anode Reaction: C12H22O11 + 13H2O ---> 12CO2 + 48H+ + 48e● Cathode Reaction: 4H+ + O2 + 4e- 2H2O
● Hydrogen Fuel cell :
➔ A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a
fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction of positively charged
hydrogen ions with oxygen or another oxidizing agent.
➔ Hydrogen fuel cells power the shuttle's electrical systems,
producing a clean by- product - pure water, which the crew drinks. A
fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, heat,
and water.
Health Sector :
● Nano Robotics :
➔ His first useful applications of Nano machines may be in
Nanomedicine. For example, biological machines could be used to
identify and destroy cancer cells.
➔ Another potential application is the detection of toxic chemicals,
and the measurement of their concentrations, in the environment
● Nano Sponges :
➔ The development of new colloidal carriers called Nano sponges
has the potential to solve these problems. Nano sponge is a novel
and
emerging technology that can precisely control the release rates of
controlled drug delivery for topical use.
Other Applications
• Catalysts
➔ EnviroxTM cerium oxide
• Nanoremediation
➔ SAMMS technology to remove mercury.
• Paper
➔ Photographic paper
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• Filters
➔ Nanofibers
• Toothpaste
➔ To remineralize teeth
• Food
➔ Packaging
• Paint
➔ Improved adhesion and antifungal qualities/anti-graffiti
• Clothes
➔ Non-staining and anti-radiation
• Batteries
➔ (Black & Decker) phosphate nanocrystal technology
• Cleaning products
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Advantages of Nanotechnology
Protect drugs from being degraded in the body before they
reach their target
Enhances the absorption of drugs into tumors and into the
cancerous cells themselves.
Allows for better control over the timing and distribution of drugs
to the tissue, making it easier for oncologists to assess how well
they work.
Prevent drugs from interacting with normal cells, thus avoiding
side effects.
Disadvantages of Nanotechnology
Adverse health effects in humans from deliberate or accidental
exposure
Adverse effects on the environment from deliberate or
accidental exposure
Potentially explosive properties of nanostructures
Very difficult to detect without sophisticated equipment
Difficult to predict how particles will behave in the environment
(dispersed/clumped)
Small size may result in particles passing into the body more
easily (inhalation, ingestion, absorption)
May be more reactive due to surface area to volume ratio
Potential to adsorb toxic chemicals
Persistence - Longevity of particles in the environment and body
are unknown
GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth's
average surface temperature, primarily attributed to human
activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and
industrial processes.
This is the result of the accumulation of greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere caused by carbon emissions and release of
cfc's, trapping heat and causing a rise in temperatures
worldwide.
Difference between climate change and global warming; Climate
change refers to a broader spectrum of alterations in global
climate patterns, encompassing not only temperature rise but
also shifts in rainfall, sea level increase, melting ice caps,
•
intensified weather extremes, and ecosystem transformations
due to long-term climate shifts, while Global warming refers to
the prolonged rise in Earth's average surface temperature,
caused predominantly by human-induced greenhouse gas
emissions. To summarize, global warming is a specific facet of
climate change, highlighting temperature escalation, while
climate change encompasses a more comprehensive array of
shifts occurring in Earth's climate system.
Understanding and addressing climate change is crucial to
protect the environment, human health, economies, promote
social justice, foster global cooperation, and ensure a
sustainable future for generations to come.
Causes of Global Warming
➔ Greenhouse gases
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - This gas is primarily released through
the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. It
also stems from deforestation and industrial processes.
• Methane (CH4) - A potent greenhouse gas, methane is emitted
during the production and transport of fossil fuels, livestock
digestion, and the decay of organic waste in landfills.
• Nitrous Oxide (N2O) - This gas results from agricultural and
industrial activities, as well as the combustion of fossil fuels and
solid waste.
• Water Vapor (H2O) - While not directly emitted by human
activities, changes in other greenhouse gases can influence
water vapor levels, amplifying the overall greenhouse effect
• Human activities Contributing to Emissions
➔ Energy production
• Fossil Fuel Combustion
• Alternative Energy Transportation
• Vehicles
• Sustainable transportation Industrial processes
• Cement production
• Technological innovation Agricultural
• Livestock
• Fertilizer
• Sustainable agriculture
➔ Deforestation and Land-use Changes
• Deforestation
o Refers to the decrease in forest areas across the world that
are lost for other uses such as agricultural croplands,
urbanization, or mining activities. Greatly accelerated by
human activities since 1960, deforestation has been
negatively affecting natural ecosystems, biodiversity, and
the climate.
o Loss of carbon sink
o Biodiversity impact
• Land-use changes
o Land use change is a process by which human activities
transform the natural landscape, referring to how land has
been used, usually emphasizing the functional role of land
for economic activities.
o Urbanization
o agricultural expansion
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Other Contributing Factors
➔ Aerosol - Aerosol particles also shape the climate as they
circulate in the atmosphere. Some of these particles can reflect
sunlight, helping to cool the atmosphere. Other aerosol particles
absorb heat from sunlight. This causes the atmosphere to warm.
➔ Black Carbon - Black carbon is the sooty black material emitted
from gas and diesel engines, coal-fired power plants, and other
sources that burn fossil fuel. It comprises a significant portion of
particulate matter or PM, which is an air
pollutant.
Evidence of Global Warming
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Earth’s temperature has risen by an average of 0.14°
Fahrenheit (0.08° Celsius) per decade since 1880, or about 2° F
in total.
The rate of warming since 1981 is more than twice as fast: 0.32°
F (0.18° C) per decade.
2022 was the sixth-warmest year on record based on NOAA’s
temperature data.
The 2022 surface temperature was 1.55 °F (0.86 °Celsius)
warmer than the 20th-century average of 57.0 °F (13.9 °C) and
1.90 ˚F (1.06 ˚C) warmer than the pre-industrial period (18801900).
The 10 warmest years in the historical record have all occurred
since 2010.
Temperature is fundamental measurement for describing the
climate, and the temperature in particular places can have wideranging effects on human life and ecosystem.
Consequences of Global Rising
➔ Increase in severe weather events
➔ Increase in the extinction of animals
Effects of Global Warming
➔ Sea level rise
➔ Extreme weather events
➔ Human cause
➔ If people keep adding greenhouse gases into the atmosphere at
the current rate, the average temperature around the world could
increase by about 4 to 12°F by the year 2100.
➔ If we make big changes, like using more renewable resources
instead of fossil fuels, the increase will be less —about 2 to 5°F.
Impacts of Global Warming
➔ Environmental
• Biodiversity loss - It encompasses the reduction in the number
of species, their genetic diversity, and the variety of ecosystems
they inhabit. The change of habitats due to rising temperatures
creates a challenge for many different species trying to adapt,
eventually resulting in a loss of biodiversity.
• Changes in Ecosystem - Global warming affects natural
ecosystems. This means it modifies the timing of seasonal
events such as migration and flowering, disrupts food chains,
and could lead to an imbalance in the relationship between
predators and prey.
➔ Social and Economical
• Agricultural - Heatwaves, storms, and droughts have an impact
on the productivity of agriculture, which can cause food
shortages and economies to fall apart in areas where farming is
the primary source of income
• Human Health - Environmental factors such as air pollution,
heat waves, and changes in disease patterns can make people
sick
• Displacement and migration - People are forced to migrate
due to extreme weather events and rising sea levels, which
creates social, economic, and political challenges.
Mitigation Strategy
➔ means an action or program to reduce or eliminate the risk
generated by a hazard.
Reduction of Greenhouse Emission
• Shifting to alternative technologies that either don’t need
gasoline
• Transition to renewable energy – Refers to the global energy
sector's shift from fossil-based systems of energy production
and consumption.
• Energy Efficiency measures – Any machine, software, system,
practice or retrofit that leads to a general reduction in energy
usage, without significantly impacting level-of-service can be
called an energy efficient measure.
Adaptation Measures
• Large-scale infrastructure changes, such as building defenses
to protect against sea-level rise, as well behavioral shifts, such
as individuals reducing their food waste.
• Building resilient infrastructure – Support states, local
communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard
mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters
and natural hazards.
• Sustainable land-use planning – The use of land to meet
changing human needs (agriculture, forestry, conservation)
while ensuring long-term socioeconomic and ecological
functions of the land.
International Agreements/Initiatives
➔ Montreal Protocol (1987 – 1989)
• Its primary goal was to address the status and the slow but
immense depletion of the ozone layer at the time of its creation
by effectively targeting, suppressing, and presenting to the
limelight or publicizing the harmful effects of continuous use of
CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons), halons, and other substances
collectively named as ODS (ozone depleting substances).
• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
(MAY 9, 1992)
• The convention sets the framework for annual conferences of
the parties (COP) where nations discuss and negotiate actions
to combat climate change. It recognizes that both the developed
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and developing countries plays a role and has different
responsibilities in addressing climate change.
➔ KYOTO Protocol (February 6, 2005)
• It introduces market-based mechanisms such as emissions
trading and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to help
countries meet their targets more cost-effectively.
➔ Paris Agreement
• Agreed on December 12, 2015 and was adopted on November
4, 2016
• Its main goal is to limit global temperature increase to well below
2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit
the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, where each country sets its
own nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
Opportunities
➔ Unified goal towards global warming
➔ Same identity and attitude in engaging threats
➔ Recovery and anticipation on what might be
➔ Common but differentiated responsibilities
Challenge
➔ Common but differentiated responsibilities
Roles of Individuals
➔ Sustainable lifestyle choice
• Being committed to sustainability will reduce your carbon
footprint and the amount of toxins released into the
environment, making it safe. When we focus on sustainability,
the entire world benefits and gets to live in clean, more healthy
living conditions.
✓ Become a member of a community garden
✓ Recycle
✓ Save water
✓ Drive less
✓ Avoid burning our waste
✓ Use reusable shopping bags
➔ Advocacy and Awareness
• Community Engagement
➢ How to get involve?
✓ Seminar about Global Warming
✓ Recyclable materials exchange to school supplies
✓ Creation of Environmentally Friendly Homes
✓ Engage people to use eco-friendly materials
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