12. DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Definition of the science
From the beginning of people’s existence they have used tools, various types of energy and materials in order to produce almost
everything in our world. Almost every process in the world (getting ticket from the ticket machine, driving car,
…………………………..……………………………………..) depends on the use of the proper technological tools and processes.
It is hard to figure out what makes something a science. There are some characteristics that science can be defined with. Firstly
every scientist wants to get information about the properties/qualities of the physical world. (The word science comes from the
Latin word meaning “the knowing”). Scientists study only the physical world. They often use scientific instruments to discover
these qualities. For example the astronomer uses the ………………. to discover the outer galaxies, or the biologist uses
the…………………………..to get some information about the structure of human cell. Secondly every science tries to answer the
questions that can be tested. That is why the astronomers ask questions: “How old is the universe?”, or “How will the universe
continue in the future?”. Each of these questions can be answered by doing the experiment. The experiment can prove the
scientist’s theory or disapprove it. After the experiment has proven the scientist’s theory he or she generally shares his results
with other scientists and publish it in the scientific magazine,
Questions:
- define the science
- present the things that make the science unique
2. The greatest discoveries of science and technology
Since the early times of the human history the man invented new gadgets and techniques that would make his life easier. In early
human history the only power available was the muscle power. The invention of wheel (about 300 B.C) made the transport of
people and materials much easier and faster. It was followed by the invention of the watermill and windmill. In the 18th century
first working steam engine was developed and improved by the British scientist and constructor James Watt. The sudden boom of
the technical and scientific development that began in Britain in second half of the 18 th century is called the industrial revolution.
Electricity as the most useful and convenient form of energy used for commercial needs was introduced in the early 1880s. The
invention of the internal-combustion engine inn 1876 made it possible for the constructers to produce the first petrol-driven
motorcar. This invention made transport faster and much more comfortable. Nuclear form of energy started to be used in the
1940s. The 20th century was the richest on the scientific and technological discoveries and improvements e.g.
.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……….
Since the beginning of the science not only the inventions encountered boom but also the materials and production processes. The
natural materials such as wood, stone, wool were replaced by plastic materials e.g. polyester, rubber, and automation was
introduced into the process of production,
3. The importance of the science and technology
Plenty of inventions and discoveries have influenced and changed human life, such as aircraft, radio, television, telephone
(including mobile), X-ray machines, photograph, penicillin and vitamin C. Undoubtedly the transistor, computer and laser were the
three inventions that had the greatest impact on modern-day life. Since the 1960s people began to talk about the importance of the
science and technology in contributing/helping to solve the problems of people on the Earth: to protect the environment, to plant
enough food for the people, to fight against such diseases as cancer, AIDS, which threaten our world. However, some of the
inventions and discoveries meant the destruction for the environment and for the people e.g. nuclear bombs, factories, electric chair,
gas.
Questions on the text:
1. What does modern industry depend on?
2. What inventions helped to save the muscle power?
3. What phenomena stimulated the industrial revolution?
4. When did the electricity begin to be used and why is it convenient?
5. What inventors and scientists affected the use of electricity?
6. Why was the invention of the internal combustion engine so important?
7. What are the current and future energy sources?
8. How did the materials change throughout human development?
9. What synthetic materials were developed and when?
10. What kind of machinery helped in the production process?
11. When and where automation used for the first time?
12. What inventions and discoveries changed human life and how?
13. What do you know about space flights?
14. What problems of mankind should science and technology solve?
15. Do you know any abuses of scientific achievement?
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