science and technology in the modern world essay

Science and Technology in Shaping of the Modern World

Introduction, scientific revolution, information technology, works cited.

The impact of science and technology in the modern world can be viewed from two perspectives. Firstly, the world has largely benefited in various ways through advancements that have added value to life.

On the other hand, advancements in science and technology have negative the y affected the world by promoting terrorism, which has become a global security scourge. This essay focuses on how science and technology have shaped the modern world. In this regard, the paper will explore some of the historical events, which prove the impact of these advancements.

In general, science refers to the systematic study of how the physical and natural world operates through experiments and observations. Through science, an array of discoveries have been made, most of which have shaped the modern world.

On the other hand, technology seeks to apply scientific knowledge, for the purpose of establishing practical results (Hepp 106). It, therefore, follows that the ability of human beings to conceptualize and apply ideas is what has led to massive developments in the world today. Nonetheless, the negative impact of this ability cannot be overlooked.

Discoveries that were made by ancient scientists between 1550 and 1700 marked a major stage in human history and the application of scientific ideas in the real world (Temin 63). This period, which is commonly referred to as the scientific revolution, saw the world attain another level of advancement. For instance, Nicholas Copernicus explored the cosmos position and lived between 1473 and 1543.

Another important person who immensely contributed to the scientific world was Isaac Newton, who did elaborate and conclusive discoveries about the laws of gravity, focusing on universal laws and the mechanical universe (Hepp 107). These early discoveries laid a solid foundation for other inventions that revolutionized the world.

Importantly, the introduction of mandatory education and the contributions of Charles Darwin in discovering the origin of a man affected the world. Such contributions made the world to appreciate the role of science and technology and the need of having an educated workforce in the world (Felipe 530).

Science and technology also led to the industrial revolution, which was mainly based on the practical application of scientific knowledge into the world of manufacturing.

These applications allowed the use of machines in the early 1700s to promote massive production of industrial products. It is worth noting that this revolution took place in Britain because of the wealth that was being generated from her colonies and the desire for technological exploration (Temin 64). This led to transportation revolution that took place after 1750.

Before this time, the transport was largely by water since land transportation was considered to be slow and expensive. It was during this time that human and animal transportation was at its peak even though it was not effective. These difficulties created the need to develop transportation. The introduction of the steam railway in 1825 put Britain ahead in terms of improving transportation in the world (Hepp 116)

The discovery of electricity in early 1900s was also a milestone in advancing science and technology. Electricity became a major element in manufacturing as most of the firms heavily relied on it. Additionally, other sectors like transportation and communication were equally developed using electricity. Unlike steam, electricity has remained efficient, with numerous advantages (Felipe 778).

Today, electricity is an economic pillar in the world. It can be transmitted to various destinations, using simple power cables. As a result, electricity has contributed to the realization of a centralized society. In essence, people can be served with electricity regardless of their location.

Furthermore, the development of an industrialized society has promoted high food production to meet the needs of the world population (Temin 65). Unlike when food was a luxury, reserved for the rich in society, these scientific and technological advancements have provided solutions to food shortage and starvation.

While industrialization has positively shaped the world, it is paramount to note that there are several negative effects of the industrial revolution, which continue to haunt the modern world. For instance, the world is threatened by environmental pollution, which has become a major menace to people and governments (Temin 70).

Through industrial processes, gases and other waste products are emitted into the environment, leading to air, water, and soil pollution. Importantly, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide have led to global warming, emanating from the destruction of the ozone layer, which shields the world from being hit by dangerous rays.

Science and technology have also shaped how the world solves conflicts. From World War I to cyber crimes, technology has transformed warfare in the world. This is based on the type of weapons used by different countries to protect citizens from external aggression. Unlike ancient wars that employed crude weapons such as spears, modern technology allows the use of atomic bombs and drones.

These have significantly shaped the world in terms of warfare. Nevertheless, most of these technologies have been developed for a long period. During the Second World War, most nations exploited advanced warfare tactics.

On the other hand, the advancements made warfare to be fatal than before. Today, there is a high risk of civilians losing lives whenever a country makes an attack. In 2006, Israel’s attack on Lebanon became unpopular as a result of a higher number of civilians who died as compared to the combatants.

Atomic bombs have also been used as a result of scientific and technological advancements. In 1945, the United States hit Japan with two atomic bombs, causing massive deaths of civilians and destruction of property. Some of the effects of the two atomic bombs are still felt today (Creveld 312).

For years, several countries have ventured in the development of weapons of mass destruction. The development of nuclear weapons by countries like Iran has created conflicts among world leaders, who argue that such developments may lead to massive loss of lives (Hepp 125).

In discussing the impact of technology in the modern world, it is equally important to focus on how the internet, promotes terrorism. In recent years, the world has registered a surge in the number of terrorism websites being developed. By the year 2006, there were more than five thousand sites that were linked to advancing terror activities (Jacobson 353).

Of great concern is the fact most terrorists use the internet to spread propaganda and recruit members. Due to the easy connectivity enhanced by the use of the internet, the recruits can be drawn from any part of the world (Dienel 140). Through terror websites, one can spread speeches, training, and manuals on how to carry out terror activities.

It is also easy to misinform the world and spread rumors through the internet. In fact, the internet has become the simplest channel of disseminating information from one person to others worldwide. It also helps terror groups to gather relevant data, which aids them to carry out attacks. A good example is the Al-Qaeda, which has intensively used the internet to advance its mission.

Science and technology have also promoted advancement in information and communication. It is easier to share and access information as compared to decades ago. Modern methods of communication have been developed through the use of the internet and mobile phones (Dienel 140).

It is obvious that growth in the communication industry has helped the world economy to grow tremendously. In most sectors, like education and business, the internet is being used to improve organizational efficiency.

The internet is also used in marketing, where organizations advertise their products and services online to reach a range of customers worldwide. Unlike other forms of advertising, online advertising is considered to be cheap and more convenient, since most people around the world have access to the internet.

Mobile phones have also enhanced communication throughout the world (Gray and Head 396). Unlike in ancient days when the transfer of information was a challenge, mobile phones connect people in a more simplified manner. The computer age has also shaped the world in a range of ways. Coupled with the internet and other advancements, computers promote efficiency in office management and data automation (Mantel 1).

Scientific and technological advancements have significantly transformed the world. Throughout history, the world has witnessed an array of scientific and technological developments. From the industrial revolution to the internet, there are countless ways in which the world has changed. Nevertheless, some of the advancements have affected the world negatively in terms of weaponry and terrorism.

Creveld, Martin. Technology and War: From 2000 B.C. to the Present . New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010. Print.

Dienel, Hans-Liudger. Terrorism and the internet . Amsterdam: IOS Press, 2010. Print.

Felipe, Fernandez-Armesto. The World: A Brief History Combined Volume . New York: Apprentice Hall, 2010. Print.

Gray, David, and Albon Head. “The Importance Of The Internet To The Post-Modern Terrorist And Its Role As A Form Of Safe Haven.” European Journal Of Scientific Research 25.3 (2009): 396-404. Print.

Hepp, John. “Historical Foundations of the Modern World.” Wilkes University, 2012. Web. 

Jacobson, Michael. “Terrorist Financing and the Internet.” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 33.4 (2010): 353-363. Print.

Mantel, Barbara. “Terrorism and the Internet Should Web Sites That Promote Terrorism Be Shut Down.” The Clean IT Project , 2009. Web.

Temin, Peter. “Two Views of the British Industrial Revolution.” The Journal of Economic History 57.1 (1997): 63-82. Print.

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Essay on Science and Technology for Students: 100, 200, 350 Words

• Updated on  
• Sep 20, 2023

Writing an essay on science and technology requires you to keep yourself updated with the recent developments in this field. Science is a field which has no limits. It is the most potent of all the fields and when combined with technology, then even the sky doesn’t remain a limit. Science is everywhere from the minute microscopic organisms to the gigantic celestial bodies. It’s the very essence of our existence. Let’s learn about Science and Technology in an essay format.

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Essay on Science and Technology in 100 Words

Everything we do, every breath we take, every move we make, every interaction with any object, and even the thoughts we have, and the dreams we see, all involve science. Similarly, as the world is progressing, technology is getting intertwined with even the basic aspects of our lives. Be it education, sports, entertainment, talking to our loved ones, etc. Everything is inclusive of Technology nowadays. It is safe to say that Science and Technology go hand-in-hand. They are mutually inclusive of each other. Although from a broader perspective, Technology is a branch of Science, but still, each of these fields cannot be sustained without the other.

Essay on Science and Technology in 200 Words

Science and Technology are important aspects of life from the very beginning of the day to the end of it. We wake up in the morning because of the sound of our alarm clocks and go to bed at night after switching off our lights. Most importantly, it helps us save time is one of the results of advancements in science and technology. Each day new Technologies are being developed that are making human life easier and much more convenient.Advantages of Science and Technology

If we were to name the advantages of science and technology, then we would fall short of words because they are numerous. These range from the very little things to the very big ones.

Science and Technology are the fields that have enabled man to look beyond our own planet and hence, discover new planets and much more. And the most recent of the Project of India, The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the south pole of the moon proves that the potential of Science and Technology cannot be fathomed via any means. The potential it holds is immense. 

In conclusion, we can confidently say that Science and Technology have led us to achieve an absolutely amazing life. However, it is extremely important to make use of the same in a judicious way so as to ensure its sustenance. 

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Essay on Science and Technology in 350 Words

Science and Technology include everything, from the smallest of the microbes to the most complex of the mechanisms. Our world cannot exist without Science and Technology. It is hard to imagine our lives without science and technology now. 

Impact of Science & Technology 

The impact of science and technology is so massive that it incorporates almost each and every field of science and even others. The cures to various diseases are being made due to the advancement in Science and Technology only. Also, technology has enhanced the production of crops and other agricultural practices also rely on Science and Technology for their own advancement. All of the luxuries that we have on a day-to-day basis in our lives are because of Science and Technology. Subsequently, the fields of Science and Technology have also assisted in the development of other fields as well such as, Mathematics , Astrophysics , Nuclear Energy , etc. Hence, we can say that we live in the era of Science and Technology. 

Safety Measures

Although the field of Science and Technology has provided the world with innumerable advancements and benefits that are carrying the world forward, there are a lot of aspects of the same that have a negative impact too. The negative impact of these is primarily on nature and wildlife and hence, indirectly and directly on humans as well.

The large factories that are associated with manufacturing or other developmental processes release large amounts of waste which may or may not be toxic in nature. This waste gets deposited in nature and water bodies and causes pollution. The animals marine or terrestrial living in their respective ecosystems may even ingest plastic or other toxic waste and that leads to their death. There are a lot of other negative aspects of the same.

Hence, it becomes our responsibility to use Science and Technology judiciously and prevent the degradation of nature and wildlife so as to sustain our planet, along with all its ecosystems, which will eventually ensure our existence in a healthy ecosystem leading to healthy and long life.

Science is something that is limitless. It is the most potent of all the fields and when combined with technology, then even the sky doesn’t remain a limit. Science is everywhere from the minute microscopic organisms to the most gigantic ones. It’s the very essence of our existence.

Science and Technology are important aspects of life. All of the luxuries that we have on a day-to-day basis in our lives are because of Science and Technology. Most importantly, it helps us save time is one of the results of advancements in science and technology. It is hard to imagine our lives without science and technology now. 

In any nation, science and technology holds a crucial part in its development in all aspect. The progress of the nation is dependent upon science and technology. It holds the to economic growth, changing the quality of life, and transformation of the society.

We hope this blog of ours on Essay on Science and Technology has helped you gain a deeper knowledge of the same. For more such informative and educational essays please visit our site:- Leverage Edu Essay Writing .

Deepansh Gautam

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Essay on Science and Technology for Students and Children

500+ words essay on science and technology.

Essay on Science and Technology: Science and technology are important parts of our day to day life. We get up in the morning from the ringing of our alarm clocks and go to bed at night after switching our lights off. All these luxuries that we are able to afford are a resultant of science and technology . Most importantly, how we can do all this in a short time are because of the advancement of science and technology only. It is hard to imagine our life now without science and technology. Indeed our existence itself depends on it now. Every day new technologies are coming up which are making human life easier and more comfortable. Thus, we live in an era of science and technology.

Essentially, Science and Technology have introduced us to the establishment of modern civilization . This development contributes greatly to almost every aspect of our daily life. Hence, people get the chance to enjoy these results, which make our lives more relaxed and pleasurable.

Benefits of Science and Technology

If we think about it, there are numerous benefits of science and technology. They range from the little things to the big ones. For instance, the morning paper which we read that delivers us reliable information is a result of scientific progress. In addition, the electrical devices without which life is hard to imagine like a refrigerator, AC, microwave and more are a result of technological advancement.

Furthermore, if we look at the transport scenario, we notice how science and technology play a major role here as well. We can quickly reach the other part of the earth within hours, all thanks to advancing technology.

In addition, science and technology have enabled man to look further than our planet. The discovery of new planets and the establishment of satellites in space is because of the very same science and technology. Similarly, science and technology have also made an impact on the medical and agricultural fields. The various cures being discovered for diseases have saved millions of lives through science. Moreover, technology has enhanced the production of different crops benefitting the farmers largely.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

India and Science and Technology

Ever since British rule, India has been in talks all over the world. After gaining independence, it is science and technology which helped India advance through times. Now, it has become an essential source of creative and foundational scientific developments all over the world. In other words, all the incredible scientific and technological advancements of our country have enhanced the Indian economy.

Looking at the most recent achievement, India successfully launched Chandrayaan 2. This lunar exploration of India has earned critical acclaim from all over the world. Once again, this achievement was made possible due to science and technology.

In conclusion, we must admit that science and technology have led human civilization to achieve perfection in living. However, we must utilize everything in wise perspectives and to limited extents. Misuse of science and technology can produce harmful consequences. Therefore, we must monitor the use and be wise in our actions.

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Modern (1940’s-present)

48 The Modern World and STS

Juliana-Marie Troyan; Maggie Elpers; Taylor Lorusso; Sevanna Boleman; Willis Watts; Joseph Rivera; David Jonah Lamothe; and Anthony Spearman

Introduction

In the study of science and technology in society, the modern world, spanning from the 1940s to the present day, is an overwhelming, yet enriching period to study. Although the 1940s and the 2020s are both considered modern, the average person today would most likely find himself or herself living a very different life in the 1940s. Those differences would regard heavily debated subjects, such as societal views on medical care and defense, as well as daily subjects of entertainment and communication. With changing societal views, science and technology have progressed to satisfy society’s needs and wants. These changes in society brought about by advances in medical care, defense, cybersecurity, entertainment, and communication define our lives today. The modern era has seen and will continue to see extensive changes in society that are driven by politics, religion, and essential events calling for significant developments in science and technology, which has given society the life it gladly accepts today. By the end of this chapter you will be able to understand magnitude and presence of science and technology in the modern era. These ideas will be expanded upon in the following sections, starting with the question: What has science looked like in the modern world?

In the 21st century alone, scientists have been able to detect  gravitational waves  on the moon, sequence the  genome  of a cancer patient, and create human organs using stem cells (“ 10 Greatest Scientific Discoveries and Inventions of 21st Century | ISB Glasgow, ” n.d.). However, perhaps one of the most influential discoveries in the scientific community was the ability to see particles at the  atomic  and  molecular  level. Thus, the field of nanoscience was born, and ever since, there has been an influx of scientific developments that have been translated into technology directly affecting human life. The discovery of nanoscience has led to advances in the fields of computing and engineering, which has the potential to change the gap of accessible healthcare technology between  socio-economic  classes.

The word “nano” stems from a Greek origin meaning dwarf, which proves to be applicable when measuring particles that are one billionth of a meter. One of the original scientists to use the term nanotechnology described the concept as having a goal to manipulate single atoms and molecules for the production of macroscale products (Bardosova & Wagner, 2013). In the early 1980s, two scientists at IBM Research in Zurich developed the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM), which allowed materials to be imaged and manipulated at the atomic level (Baird & Shew, 2004). This allowed scientists and researchers to see smaller structures than ever before, and since then, a wide variety of fields have been impacted. In the US specifically, the establishment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) federally funded by institutions such as the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, and the National Institutes of Health, has created a push for innovation in the areas of physical, chemical, biological, and materials engineering ( Roco , 2003). Nanoscience and nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field in the modern period of engineering, physics, and computing.

Currently, some of the significant applications of nanoscience are being used in the Biomedical and Biological Engineering fields for a wide range of applications, including disease therapies, vaccines, and even personalized medicine. Emerging as a subfield of Biomedical Engineering, the research area of drug delivery has readily adopted the use of nanoscience. Through the use of nanoparticles ranging in the size of 10 to 1000 nanometers in diameter, researchers can deliver therapeutics such as pharmaceuticals, proteins, and even RNA encapsulated in nanoparticles for the treatment of many diseases including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The term nanoparticle is perhaps quite vague, as nanoparticles can be synthesized using polymers,  peptides , and  lipids , as well as other synthetic and biological materials. Nanoparticles are advantageous as drug delivery vehicles because they can be readily taken up by cells, they provide a steady release of drugs, and targeting  moieties  can be incorporated to help nanoparticles deliver their cargo at a specific site in the body ( Sahoo & Labhasetwar , 2003). Nanoparticles can be  conjugated  with cell-specific ligands that will carry the nanoparticle to where the matching receptor is overexpressed. For example, a nanoparticle could be tagged with a specific motif that would bind to cancer cells overexpressing a particular receptor on the cell membrane, and it would not be targeted to healthy tissue to avoid common side effects of  chemotherapeutic  drugs.

One of the newer advances in nanoscience and healthcare is the field of personalized medicine. Usually, when a patient is diagnosed with a disease, there is one pharmaceutical or treatment for the disease, and each patient diagnosed with the said disease is given the same treatment. However, with the genetic testing that is now available, scientists can predict which drugs will be more beneficial for individual patients and tailor effective patient therapies towards smaller populations with different genetic profiles (Vogenberg et al., 2010). Another avenue of personalized medicine therapies comes from stem cells. Stem cells are characterized by their ability to grow into multiple types of cells, and in the early 2000’s it was discovered that basic cell types could be reprogrammed into induced  pluripotent  stem cells (iPSCs) that are capable of forming functional tissue-specific cells ( Chun et al. , 2011). For example, a patient’s stem cells could be collected, reprogrammed in a laboratory to grow into a different cell type, and implanted back into the human body to treat a disease or injury. This method is advantageous because it limits the adverse side effects that come from introducing foreign materials into the human body.

It seems as if the field of nanoscience and  nanotechnology  is the future of modern medicine, but it begs the question, can this help everyone? The development of personalized medicine could be widening an already significant gap in access to health care between socio-economic classes. Take, for example, a developing country that does not have the infrastructure or essential utilities to support modern laboratories or patients with enough income to pay for personalized therapies that are doubtfully cost-effective. Do these patients have the same access to therapies compared to patients living in first world countries with research institutes that receive billions of dollars in funding each year? Some scientists argue that personalized medicine has benefits in eliminating health  disparities , such as developing targeted therapies for certain ethnic groups that share common disease characteristics (Brothers & Rothstein, 2015). However, it would be naïve to say that patients in developed countries will not benefit more from personalized medicine than developing countries.

Nanoscience is the future of many disciplines with the ability and potential to affect human life on a large scale. Currently, the globe is experiencing a boom in the use of nanoscience that has the potential to cure incurable diseases and provide better healthcare to developing countries. Whether or not these technologies will be accessible to all is an issue that will undoubtedly be impacted by figures outside the scientific community, such as legislation and national regulations, as more and more technologies arise from nanoscience.

In addition to nanotechnology, 3D Printing is another modern world technology that is continually evolving to encompass a wide range of applications, especially in the medical industry, allowing medical professionals, researchers, and educators alike the opportunity to improve and advance procedures and technology like never before. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, takes a digital model or blueprint of an object of the user’s creation and prints successive layers of material to create a tangible 3D model of that object ( Nawrat , 2018). Compared to other manufacturing methods that subtract material to form a product, additive manufacturing is the addition of material. The initial goal of 3D printing was to develop faster  prototyping   but it has developed into so much more in today’s world. Medical researchers and specialists are using 3D printing to create artificial organs with bio-printers to validate proper drug dosages and practice complicated surgical operations in a cost-effective manner ( Nawrat , 2018). Universities and some primary education schools are implementing 3D printers as a resource for school projects/coursework, prototyping, and learning. Additionally, 3D printing is being used to manufacture custom products, such as  prostheses , at a relatively low cost. Traditional methods to get the same result, such as injection molding, takes weeks to make and costs thousands of dollars. 3D printing allows companies to build their objects remotely and on a case-by-case basis.

One of the most impressive technological advancements in recent years regarding 3D printing in the medical industry is bioprinting. Rather than printing plastics or metals, bioprinters use a computer-guided  pipette  to layer living cells and create artificial living tissues ( Nawrat , 2018). Some of the most common materials used in this type of 3D printing include cell  aggregates  – such as tissue spheroids, cell pellets, and tissue strands – hydrogels, micro-carriers, and decellularized matrix components ( Peng , 2017). Bioprinting has expanded to encompass a wide range of applications in medicine such as pharmaceutical drug discovery, creation of artificial organs called “organoids” for elaborate surgery preparation or organ replacements, and giving medical students more real-world experience without the added patient risk. One of the biggest challenges during new drug discovery is that there are so many strict regulatory and validation requirements that need to be met in order to ensure their safety and  efficacy  for public use. As can be assumed, this is a very tedious and taxing process and unfortunately, leads to inflated  attrition  rates and significant losses in funding ( Peng , 2017). Traditional cell-based studies use 2D monolayer culture methods; however, this is not realistic for drugs that will be implemented in a 3D environment. The implementation of bioprinting allows for more predictive methods of efficacy and safety analysis, decreasing the attrition rates and enabling a “quick-win, fast-fail” mentality, saving time and money, and increasing the amount of drug discovery.

In addition to advancing medical experiments and procedures, 3D printing can also be used to develop more precise surgical instruments and tools for other medical practices in a cost-effective manner. In environments such as hospitals and medical centers, it is very easy for bacteria and infection to spread. However, tools made using 3D printing can be “one-off” or even made for specific tasks on a case-by-case basis, improving procedures, and eliminating the risk of transferring bacteria or viruses. Now, it can be argued that having to purchase or “print” new tools for each surgery would add up in cost. However, by creating the perfect tools for the job for a lot less than they would cost using other manufacturing methods while still getting the added customization benefits would outweigh the additional 3D printing material expenses ( 3D-printed Surgical Tools  n.d.). As this technology continues to increase in popularity, economists estimate that the 3D printing industry will be worth $3.5 billion by 2025 in the medical field alone ( Nawrat , 2018).

3D printing is further expanding its reach in the medical industry by solving many issues and restrictions that arise in this field. Prosthetics are one of the most popular yet most expensive medical devices for amputees used globally today. There are many advantages to incorporating 3D printing into prosthetic development. Firstly, it can be difficult and expensive to produce prosthetics that are the perfect fit for a patient. Every patient’s needs are going to be different. With 3D printing, prosthetics can be modeled and printed at a much lower cost to ensure a proper fit for every patient ( Top 5 Applications , 2019). Children who are candidates for prosthetics typically will not be able to get a quality prosthetic until they are fully grown, but 3D printing technology allows for new prosthetics to be printed every couple of months to keep up with them as they continue to grow without the extreme financial burden. Third world countries who may not even have prosthetics as an option can take advantage of the 3D printed ones ( Top 5 Applications , 2019). Another application of 3D printing in the medical industry is bioprinting. Rather than printing plastics or metals, bioprinters use a computer-guided pipette to layer living cells and create artificial living tissues ( Nawrat , 2018). These “organoids”, or artificial organs, can be used for pharmaceutical testing as a cost-effective and ethical means of helping to identify the side effects of drugs and validating safe dosage amounts ( Top 5 Applications , 2018). Surgeons can also use these organoids and create patient-specific organ replicas to practice before performing the actual operation. This method has been proven to speed up procedures and minimize trauma ( Nawrat , 2018).

The events of the 2016 presidential election revealed the power that  social media  technology possesses in society through its influence of public opinion using   algorithms  that can influence what a social media user sees. These algorithms can cause news-feed echo chambers, dark posts, and bots. Social media has only recently become politically relevant due to its beginnings coming in the early 2000s. Social media sites use news-feed algorithms to order posts that appear on a user’s feed ( Barnhart,  2019). Social media has woven itself into many parts of our lives– sometimes in unexpected ways. One crucial part of our society that has been changed forever by social media is politics. A particularly profound demonstration of the relationship between politics and social media took place during the 2016 presidential election.

One potential effect of the use of news feed algorithms by social media sites is the creation of echo chambers. An echo chamber is a term used to describe a situation in which the information and opinions an individual is exposed to predominately align with their own beliefs ( Digital Media Literacy , 2019). This situation can occur in any circumstance where information flows, but social media algorithms have allowed for the creation of a specific type of echo chamber called a filter bubble. As stated previously, social media algorithms are used to determine how posts appear on a user’s feed. These algorithms often take what types of people and pages an individual interacts with into account ( Digital Media Literacy , 2019). For example, if a user tends to click on pages about dogs, then posts about dogs will appear at the top of their news feed more often. Therefore, users are often exposed to content that is synonymous with what they interact in the first place. In terms of politics, this can prevent users from being exposed to different viewpoints than their own, and it can further polarize views. There has been a trend in American politics in which those on opposite poles of political standpoints are feeling increasingly negative toward each other ( Allcott, & Gentzkow , 2017). While there is no conclusive evidence that echo chambers affected the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, studies have outlined that news feed algorithms may  exacerbate  political tensions between those on the opposite ends of political views.

Not only are echo chambers a potential problem lurking in the social media and political crosshairs, but “dark posts” should also be considered. Dark posts are advertisements that are only visible to specific users on social media. These types of advertisements are a part of the ad-algorithms for several social media sites. For example, a dark post aimed towards college students would only be visible to college students. Dark posts go a step beyond just a targeted advertisement. These advertisements can use keywords like your actual job title ( Gollin , 2018). In short, dark posts allow customization of the targeted advertisement strategy. In the 2016 election, it was found that a Russian organization bought thousands of ads on several social media platforms, such as Facebook, focusing on political and social issues that actively targeted certain  demographic  groups ( Young et al. , 2018). Facebook testified before the United States Senate that 126 million Americans were subjected to advertisements and posts, including some dark posts, created by Russians ( Gollin , 2018). Social media platforms are making changes to the dark post regulations in order to foster more  transparency  and prevent an issue like this from recurring.

Another issue surrounding social media use in the 2016 presidential election is the use of bots on social media. Bots are social media automated accounts that use algorithms to interact with other users ( Tarantola , 2019). It can often be challenging to differentiate between a bot and a human. Only about 47% of Americans stated that they could recognize a bot account ( Tarantola , 2019). Bots can be used for political strategies as well. These so-called political bots can  disseminate  news information, post spam, and harass other users. Bots were particularly rampant in the 2016 presidential election, with higher levels of bot use than ever before ( Kollyani et al ., 2016). These bots accounted for a large amount of the political content generated and discussed during this election. Since bots are also often used to spread news, they can be used to spread misinformation as well. Since this problem has risen, social media platforms are taking measures to try and reduce the power and prevalence of bots.

Echo chambers, dark posts, and bots had relevance in the events of the 2016 presidential election. They helped reveal the power that social media technology possesses in society through its influence of public opinion using news-feed algorithms. Social media has been beneficial in allowing increased access to information by which people can form their political identities. Unfortunately, the same characteristics that foster the benefits of social media may also provide an opportunity for disinformation to be spread. In an age where social media algorithms value engagement over credibility, it is essential to be aware of the issues that may manipulate public opinion.

Many factors drive the advancements of science and technology in society today. Currently, resources, knowledge, prosperity, and ambition are influences in the decisions to create, investigate, and look for answers and solutions to the problems in the world. One controversial technology has been used in the field of medicine. The scientific breakthrough of new reproductive technology (NRT) has been used to treat  infertility  around the world and is rapidly spreading. Many religions have various viewpoints on NRT.  Christianity,  which is composed of  Catholics  and  Protestants,  is the most prominent religion in North America. It has affected new reproductive technology in three different ways: supporting the means to overcome infertility, encouraging more research in the field, and discouraging its future use.

Many Christians believe that NRT is a means to overcome fertility by giving couples who cannot conceive naturally the opportunity to conceive with this medical advancement. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infertility is defined as “not being able to get pregnant (conceive) after one year (or longer) of unprotected sex” ( Becker , 2019). From 2015 to 2017, nineteen percent of women 15-49 struggle with infertility, so many turn to new reproductive therapy, which includes  in vitro fertilization  (IVF) and  intracytoplasmic sperm injection  (ICSI). In IVF, fertilization occurs outside the female’s body. In ICSI, the doctor injects sperm into the female’s mature egg. Also, in some cases, donor eggs and sperm are used. Protestants, in particular, feel that babies should be celebrated as life is celebrated in the Bible, the sacred text of Christians. Others, like Catrece Caron, believe that “God created these doctors to do this kind of work.” Caron, according to the Washington Post, was a forty-one-year-old mother who had a seven-year-old and a two-year-old through IVF in Boston, where over 90,000 babies have been born as a result of their medical advancements. Another mother, named Lesley Brown, said her daughter, “Louise is truly a gift from God” ( Smith , 2018). Boston is just one city in the United States, where babies were celebrated as gifts from God through NRT.

Protestants have encouraged more research in the medical field concerning infertility and NRT. For example, George Church, a Harvard geneticist, is now beginning a project called the Human Genome Project, which maps the  DNA  in humans. He said he believes Protestants are beginning to encourage this new research as they now have support for IVF from Protestants. Church says, “In the Bible, it says we are given dominion over the Earth. Inventing newer and newer advanced technologies is almost a key component of human nature”( Cha,  2018). Scientists feel they are gaining more support from the Protestants and, in turn, are encouraged to research more into the medical field of infertility through science and technology.

As many Protestants support and encourage the science and technology of the Christian faith, Catholicism discourages its future use. The Catholic Church believes NRT is immoral and illegal. They strongly disapprove of the research and use of NRT. A report by the Catholic Church entitled Respect for Human Life and Dignity of Procreation states, “Children are a gift and a blessing from God and that although science makes some things possible, it does not make them right. Research must continue in the causes of infertility, but the morality of these should be carefully considered.” ( Sallam , 2016) The percent of the World’s population, so they are very influential with their beliefs. The Catholic Church discourages future use and research in the medical advancements of infertility.

Science and technology are often affected by religion. In the 2016 article, Religious Aspects of Assisted Reproduction, it says, “Human response to new developments regarding birth…is largely shaped by religious beliefs. When assisted reproduction was introduced into medical practice in the last quarter of the twentieth century, it was fiercely attacked by some religious groups and highly welcomed by others” ( Sallam , 2016). Christianity, which is widely practiced in North America, has impacted the medical advancements in new reproductive technology. While some support the means and encourage more research, others actively discourage its use. Either way, religion has influenced NRT; therefore, affecting today’s society as a whole.

Key Events & Innovations

The modern era saw the rise of technologies such as  reproductive technology , the  television , man-made  satellites ,  personal computers , and many more. However, there is a specific event that triggered significant technological advancements in medicine and society. With the end of the  Second World War  and the rise of  nuclear  weapons, tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States of America rose, which gave rise to the Cold War. This Cold War led to an arms race and growth of nuclear weapons between the Soviets and Americans; these tensions also spread into space. When the Soviets launched the world’s first artificial satellite into space, the United States felt the pressure building, and the Space Race began between the two major powers. During the Space Race, the United States not only landed on the Moon, but they were able to develop groundbreaking technological advancements.

A quick recap: Germany’s instability after the  First World War  led to the rise of Adolf Hilter and his  Nazi  Party. Hitler anointed himself as the supreme leader of Germany in 1934. He and his National Socialist Party broke the Versailles Treaty, which was a peace treaty that ended World War I, by rearming Germany and its military. Later, Hitler and Joseph Stalin, the dictator of the Soviet Union at the time, signed a  pact , and the Soviet Union and Germany invaded Poland from the East and West. Great Britain and France, who have promised military support to Poland if ever invaded, declared war on Germany, which ignited the start of WWII. In 1940, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact, which became the Axis alliance. Later in German-occupied Poland, more than 6 million  Jews  would be murdered during the Holocaust, mass  genocide  of European Jews from 1941-1945. On December 7, 1941, Japanese aircrafts attacked a major United States Naval Base in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which led to the United States entering the Second World War against the Axis alliance. On June 6, 1944, also known as “D-Day,” the Allies began the invasion of Europe by landing troops on the beaches of Normandy, France, which signified German defeat. In order to finalize the war with the remaining Axis power, Japan, the United States crafted some nuclear weapons, called  atomic bombs , that would later be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. The war promptly ended as the Japanese agreed upon the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, a statement that called upon the surrender of the Japanese armed forces (Gilbert, 2014).

Taking a step back before the Second World War was over, the Allied powers held a conference to decide on how to carry on after the war. During this conference, tensions grew between President Harry S. Truman and dictator Joseph Stalin because they were both suspicious of each other’s intentions, especially since Truman made Stalin aware that the United States had created nuclear weapons through their discreet program called the Manhattan Project. These rising tensions helped give birth to a tension-driven period called the Cold War. Over the next few years, after World War II ended, the Soviet Union began experimenting with nuclear weapons. By the 1950s, the two superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States of America, grew their nuclear arsenal to the point where they could destroy each other (Oreskes & Krige, 2014; McDougall, 2008). With the stress of nuclear weapons and the spread of  communism  breathing down America’s shoulders, the United States started to feel the pressure. The competition between the Americans and the Soviets did not stop on the land, air, and sea; the competition extended to the final frontier: space. The two superpowers explored beyond our world to see how it could benefit their cause, and on October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first man-made satellite, Sputnik I, into Earth’s orbit. The United States felt this achievement was an immediate threat as the  ballistic missile , Soviet R-7, that launched Sputnik could potentially drop a nuclear missile onto American soil. In 1958, the United States created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA, and the Space Race began. In 1959, the Soviets launched a  space probe  that crashed into the Moon. In 1961, the Soviets sent the first man to space, Yuri Gagarin, and he orbited around the Earth. In response to all of the Soviet’s achievements, President John F. Kennedy pledged to have America land on the Moon before the Russians. After a few Apollo missions to space, the Apollo 11 mission began on July 16, 1969; this mission was the first lunar landing attempt. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, a U.S. astronaut, is the first man to step on the Moon. The Space Race ended as the Americans were the first to land on the Moon ( Getchell , n.d.). Landing on the Moon gave Americans hope for a prosperous future as The New York Times reporter states in January 1960, “I can picture a flourishing civilization on the moon twenty or thirty years (after landing on the moon)” (Levitt, 1960).

The Space Race led to significant technological achievements; some inventions are still used today, while some were modified over several years to create the technology we encounter every day in our lives. NASA created scratch-resistant astronaut helmets; in 1983, NASA licensed the scratch-resistant technology to the Foster-Grant Corporation. Foster-Grant combined their ten years of research and NASA’s technology to create a scratch-resistant plastic material that would surpass glass under normal wear. Most spectacle lenses that we use today are made of plastic instead of glass ( Bryan , 2016). Also, modern firefighting equipment is derived from spacesuit material and equipment. The materials used in spacesuits make for good flame-retardance and heat-resistance. Also, firefighters breathing systems are modeled after astronaut life support systems. This technology not only helps save the lives of fire accident victims but also helps the hero firefighters stay alive also. A technology also used to aid in reducing or suppressing accidental fires are adjustable smoke detectors that were created by modifying original smoke detectors. NASA and the Honeywell Corporation worked together to develop a smoke detector that could have its sensitivity adjusted in order to prevent false smoke alarms. Also, although commonly thought that duct tape was created by NASA for its space operations during the Cold War, duct tape was actually invented in the 1940s during World War II, and it functioned as medical tape.

Additionally, CAT scans and MRI’s , which are minimally invasive medical scans used to investigate a person’s tissues, bones, and organs, use technology like NASA’s digital signal technology. During the Apollo missions, NASA used this technology to recreate images of the Moon (“ 20 Inventions We Wouldn’t Have Without Space Travel “, n.d.). Also, NASA used SPOC, a navigation monitoring computer. This computer was a modification of a commercial computer called GRiD Compass, and it was chosen for Space missions because of its compact size, large storage capacity, and high processing speed. A significant modification to allow for portability was the addition of a fan to cool the computer. This modification propelled the portable computer market ( Haggerty,  1985). As we have seen, the Space Race has led NASA to collaborate with others in creating technology that we can appreciate in our daily lives. As The New York Times reporter states in April 1985, “the development of military hardware has often enriched science and technology, and the trend is certain to continue” (Browne, 1985).

The technology was developed due to the urgency of the Space Race and the tensions from the Cold War. After Sputnik I orbited Earth for the first time, the United States decided to create the space program, NASA, to participate in the space race, which led the United States to land on the moon and achieve other goals and innovations. One main technological innovation that has had a significant impact on society is the sending of satellites into space. These satellites enable our modern world to be connected almost instantly through the use of broadband internet. The introduction of satellites and broadband internet has created a platform that allows people to collaborate and learn in a faster and more convenient way than ever before. Today, we use portable computers to surf the internet, but this would not be possible without the modifications of the SPOC navigation monitoring computer used in NASA space missions. This innovation in portable computers and other innovations have driven society through the modern era.

The word “computer” has been in use since the early 1600s when it described a person, rather than a machine, who performed computations. This definition stayed the same until the 19th century when the  industrial revolution  saw the invention of machines with the primary purpose of performing calculations. Since then, computers have come a long way, allowing us to access vast amounts of information, stay in contact with people across the globe, and they have even helped send people to the moon. The computer is one of the most significant technological inventions of modern times. Its creation has changed the way society operates in professional and even personal settings. They have also expanded the overall knowledge of the human race through their computational power and the ease with which they can share information.

Charles Babbage conceptualized the first computer in 1822. It was called the Difference Engine, and it was designed to compute several sets of numbers and print out the results. However, because of funding, a full-scale version was never completed. The first fully functional, programmable modern computer did not come until 1938. The Z1, created by German Konrad Zuse, was created in its inventor’s parents’ living room and is considered the first  electromechanical binary  programmable computer. It took eight years after that for the completion of what we consider to be the first “modern” computer. The ENIAC was invented by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly at the University of Pennsylvania. It weighed almost 50 tons and is the first example of a fully functional digital computer. Since then, computers have come a long way. Modern versions are exponentially smaller and more powerful. Most people have a computer light enough to fit in their backpack, but with over one thousand times the processing power of the ENIAC. Computers today continue to get smaller and lighter while increasing processing power at a breakneck speed. Where the ENIAC was not even able to store its programming commands, computers today often have dozens of  gigabytes  of memory; some even have  terabytes  of space. Initially, many people were uncomfortable around computers. The term “computerphobia” was used frequently in the ’80s to describe people who held this anxiety towards them, with many publications even offering tips for how to treat it. The term “computerphobia” retained its popularity until the ’90s when people’s technological fears turned from computers to the internet itself.

The development of the internet is arguably the most significant advancement in the history of computers. Computing power and storage used to be limited to the single computer it was found on, which limited their usefulness. During the 1970s and 1980s, small networks started to pop up, limited to a single university computer science department or a business. It was not until 1990 when the first recognizable form of the internet as we know it was invented by computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee. The falling cost of disk space meant that system administrators could set aside vast amounts of storage to host data that could be shared globally in conjunction with the internet. This allowed vast amounts of knowledge to be spread throughout the world, along with software being developed at a much faster pace since collaboration became significantly more comfortable. Nowadays, the internet is a part of all of our lives. We use it to keep in touch with friends across the globe, along with its usage for standard day to day entertainment.

Computers have entirely changed the way our society works. One significant result of their creation and popularity has been some economies shifting from manufacturing to service jobs. Completely new job categories have had to be created to service and implement computer technologies. The networking ability of computers has also allowed businesses to relocate to more remote locations than before. Information processing tasks like payroll and record management can now be easily automated by a computer when they used to require hours of work by a person or group of people. In the field of weather forecasting, our current understanding of weather is almost entirely dependent upon computational models. Biological research now starts with a predictive model that helps determine what to explore in the real world. The computational power of computers has completely changed the way we approach tasks in society.

Due to computers, humans have been able to make accomplishments that our  predecessors  would never have even dreamed of. Their power and versatility have allowed us to map out some of the deepest parts of the ocean while also helping take us to the moon itself. Then, the invention of the internet unlocked almost infinite possibilities for their use. Distance has become almost meaningless when we can communicate nearly instantly, and vast amounts of knowledge that used to be confined to one location can be accessed by people all over the globe simultaneously. Without them, we would not be anywhere near as advanced of society as we are today

Human beings have always been naturally curious about the world that surrounds them. As homo sapiens began to evolve and their intelligence increased, they broke out of their original habitats to explore the surrounding world. After years of evolution and exploration, homo sapiens covered the world, establishing societies on every corner of the planet. As time continued, these societies advanced, and homo sapiens continued to explore the untouched peaks and valleys of the earth. These amazingly intelligent explorers had explored the world, but soon they turned their eyes to exploring the hidden heavens of the sky. In the early 1600s, the first telescope was invented to look at the heavens, and human society has been entranced with the idea of space ever since. A Soviet scientist finally achieved the ability to travel into space and the idea of space exploration by the name of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in 1903. Tsiolkovsky solved his famous rocket equation that was able to calculate the accurate fuel to weight ratio that was needed to successfully propel a rocket outside of the earth’s atmosphere into the depths of space. As time went on, humans were able to integrate this equation into more advanced and different technologies. These advancements fueled the creation of many different modern technologies that are used in everyday life of society now. Along with the advances in modern society’s technology, space exploration has advanced in many ways as well. Space exploration has evolved from being a government-owned entity that could send small satellites into orbit to being able to build an International Space Station that humans can live in for an extended period. Even public companies like SpaceX and Boeing are joining the coalition of space exploration. This ability of society to explore the depths of space has led to an unbelievable breakthrough in the advancements of modern technology and scientific studies, that many people do not realize, has allowed for the lives that society is living today.

The study and exploration of space have had a drastic effect on modern life down on earth. Many technologies that are used in everyday western life would not even be possible without the idea of space travel. This is because space exploration needed advancements in technology to allow humans to travel further and stay in space longer. These advancements made through space exploration include areas of modern life such as health and medicine, transportation, public safety, consumer goods, and environmental resources. In the field of health and medicine, space exploration has helped humans understand the effect of  zero gravity  on the human body. In turn, this understanding has helped develop better health practices back under the weight of gravity, allowing humans to be healthier than the times before space exploration.

Along with helping understand the human body better, NASA funded many studies on creating artificial limbs and muscles that, in the past few years, have begun to translate over to basic medicine. This has allowed humans that have had a limb amputated to be replaced with advanced robotic limbs. Another impactful technology created by NASA to help study deep space was the MRI machine that was later released to the public and is now used every day, saving people’s lives. In the field of transportation, NASA funded a study done by Goodyear to develop a rubber that would be strong enough to help land a rover on Mars. This rubber created to land on Mars was then released later to the public to produce more durable tires on cars, reducing the amount of tire blowout and making daily travel safer.

Along with helping create safer tires, space exploration has also helped drive improvements in the field of public safety. One of the main improvements in public safety that space exploration has helped drive is in the field of video enhancements and analysis programs. NASA developed computer programs to help produce better quality videos and to be able to analyze videos frame by frame to help study deep space better. The public now uses this technology to help assist law enforcement in producing quality video footage of any crimes allowing for a safer public. For the modern consumer, NASA helped fund many different products that are used in human’s everyday lives. One of these products, patented in 2000 and released to the public in 2005, is the Bowflex workout machine. This project was funded by NASA to help reduce atrophy of muscle mass and loss of bone density of astronauts that spend long periods in space by allowing them to do resistant style workouts in zero gravity. Five years after its creation, NASA released the designs to the public, and the item became a huge hit. Finally, space exploration helped develop some of the most important technology that is being rapidly adopted by many humans around the world, environmental resources technologies. These technologies include many things, such as solar panel cells, water purification systems, and pollution control technologies. Even without knowing it, many humans use technology that was created for space exploration, and, as time continues, the exploration of space will continue to drive our civilization into a more technologically advanced society.

As space exploration is becoming more widespread and shared, the idea that some government entities must do it is no more. Public companies like SpaceX and Boeing are breaking into the market of building rockets and allowing space travel to the public. The CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, has the dream of public space travel along with the colonization of Mars and hopefully, in the distant future other planets or solar systems. With these dreams to travel further and colonize other planets, science and technology are bound to see huge advancements in the future. Some of these advancements may include technologies that allow for a faster form of travel or the ability to terraform a planet to allow it to sustain life. With the more in-depth travel and study of space, science is also bound to advance. These advancements could come by way of understanding the vast quantity of material that humans have been able to measure yet have not had the ability to understand or even the possibility of finding life somewhere else in the universe. Only the future holds these advancements, and space exploration is the driving force.

STS in the MODERN world

The study of science and technology in society underscores the idea that society and its needs drive the progression of technology (Feenberg, 2012). Furthermore, society chooses the technologies it will accept, allowing them to succeed, and the technologies it will reject, causing their failure and often their obsolescence. Innovations in space exploration, detailed above, developed because of the societal need for advanced defense, communication, and research. The technology that developed from those needs was determined by society to solve their problems while offering little to no disadvantages, so society accepted space exploration and technology. Societal needs, however, change with time. A highly anticipated technology designed to satisfy the needs of modern society was  Google  Glass, depicted in the figure below. Although the technology was successful and useful, it was discontinued only one year after it was released due to society’s apprehension towards its possible applications ( Donnell , 2018). The following detailed dive into the failure of Google Glass is useful in emphasizing society’s influence on innovation as it pertains to the modern era of technology. Specifically, in the modern era, privacy concerns dictate the new technologies society will accept, which is evident in the failure of Google Glass.

As mentioned in the paragraph above, although it eventually failed, Google Glass Edition 1 was created to solve societal issues of the modern era. The goal of these glasses was to act as a hands-free smartphone. It would allow the user to access the internet, camera, maps, calendar, apps, and other smartphone features solely through voice and motion commands ( Pogue , 2013). These functions would not only allow convenience, but they would promote modern concerns, such as hands-free driving. This product would also keep pedestrians safe by preventing phone use and walking near busy streets or on crowded sidewalks. Although society and its needs drove the invention of Google Glass Edition 1, as it does most other technologies, this product did not take into consideration other societal needs that would eventually lead to its failure: privacy concerns.

Modern ideals and morals of society, specifically about privacy concerns, lead to the downfall of Google Glass. Invasion of privacy in the modern world is defined as “the unauthorized collection, disclosure, or other use of personal information as a direct result of electronic commerce transactions” (Wang et al., 1998). Market concerns with Google Glass regarded not only personal information, however, but also the information of bystanders. Since the technology utilized a camera mounted to a person’s head, it recorded not only the wearer’s voice but also their surroundings. This capability meant that anyone could be subject to recording or streaming at any time.

Although these glasses intended to solve societal issues, society soon realized that the wearer indeed determined the purpose of the glasses. A user of Google Glass could use the technology to record movies in theaters illegally or cheat in casinos ( Davis , 2014;  Doyle , 2016). They could also discreetly take or stream photos and videos of individuals who never consented to be objectified in such away. Furthermore, even if the wearer was not using the glasses maliciously, no one knew what Google was doing with the data, photos, and videos it collected ( Essers , 2013). Because of these privacy concerns, Glass wearers were barred from many restaurants and bars to ensure the guests of such establishments felt safe and protected ( Davis , 2014;  Weidner , 2020). As mentioned above, society dictates which technologies fail and succeed, and society’s concerns about Google Glass, and its actions in defense of those concerns, eventually caused the product’s failure.

In the wake of Google Glass’s failure, Google learned from society and compromised with it in order to use the same technology in an accepted manner. Google quickly reacted to the failure of Glass by discontinuing the product in 2015, which was only one year after its release ( Donnell , 2018). They realized, however, that although society did not accept Google Glass, the technology was sound, innovative, and useful. Google announced in 2019 that they are now developing Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, which is geared toward business professionals and industry (“ Glass – Glass, ” n.d.). This new use is an attempt to make the technology successful by compensating for societal concern. Bystanders will no longer be subjected to unwanted filming from Google as the new product will be in private offices and factories rather than on public streets. This reintroduction of Google Glass to society in a different way with a different user might allow for its success, which underscores the idea that society dictates accepted technologies.

This case study of Google Glass is useful in discussing the idea that society chooses whether new technologies are accepted or rejected. Google has recognized this dependence on society for success, and they are working to compromise with societal privacy concerns to develop a successful technology. Although society rejected Google Glass Edition 1 based on privacy concerns, societal concerns of health and safety called for the innovation’s development. If the reintroduction is successful, Google Glass Edition 2 will be used to benefit the health, safety, and ergonomic efficiency of employees in offices and factories.

As discussed above, society has chosen which scientific and technological developments will define the modern world. Modern politics, religion, events, and society’s values of safety, privacy, exploration, health, and communication have driven technological progress in those respective fields. Although these sections have only been an overview of modern world STS, they serve as an introduction to the following in-depth studies of modern technology. While reading each subsequent section, think about these fundamental ideas: society’s effect on science technology, science and technology’s effect on society, aspects of society that drive technological and scientific advancement, and what causes society to accept or reject a particular advancement.

Chapter Questions

• True or False: Medical devices produced from 3D printers cannot be used on patients, only for educational purposes.
• True or False:  The first major cause of the Cold War was the increased tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union at the end of World War II.
• A) Computing and applied mathematics
• B) Materials science
• C) Healthcare and medicine
• D) All of the above
• B) Aesthetics
• C) Privacy Concerns
• D) Lack of Celebrity Endorsement
• Short Answer: Based on the information provided in this chapter, do you believe that 3-D printing things such as artificial organs is ethical? Why or why not? Support your answer with information in the chapter above.
• Short Answer: Briefly discuss how a filter bubble works.

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Cha, A. E. (2018, April 27). How religion is coming to terms with modern fertility methods.

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Chun, Y. S., Byun, K., & Lee, B. (2011). Induced pluripotent stem cells and personalized medicine: current progress and future perspectives. Anatomy & Cell Biology, 44(4), 245. https://doi.org/10.5115/acb.2011.44.4.245

Davis, W. (2014). The Eyes Have It: Likely to become a high-tech trend, Google Glass is already causing legal experts to see problems. ABA Journal, 100(4), 17-19. www.jstor.org/stable/441598

Digital Media Literacy: What is an echo chamber?  GCF Global.   https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/digital-media-literacy/what-is-an-echo-chamber/1/

Donnell, D. O. (2018, November 14). Google Glass is coming back, but will stay in a business-oriented sandbox this time. https://www.notebookcheck.net/Google-Glass-is-coming-back-but-will-stay-in-a-business-oriented-sandbox-this-time.361716.0.html

Doyle, B. (2016, February 28). 5 Reasons Why Google Glass was a Miserable Failure. https://www.business2community.com/tech-gadgets/5-reasons-google-glass-miserable-failure-01462398

Essers, L. (2013, June 18). Google Glass privacy concerns raised by international data protection authorities.  https://www.pcworld.com/article/2042327/google-glass-privacy-concerns-raised-by-international-data-protection-authorities.html

Feenberg, A. (2012). Questioning technology. Routledge.

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Gilbert, M. (2014). The second world war: a complete history. Rosetta Books.

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Haggerty, J. J. (1985). Spinoff 1985 (pp. 104–105). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. https://spinoff.nasa.gov/back_issues_archives/1985.pdf

Kollanyi, B., Howard, P.N., & Woolley, S.C. (2016). Bots and automation over twitter during the U.S. election. Oxford, UK: Project on Computational Propaganda. http://geography.oii.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/89/2016/11/Data-Memo-US-Election.pdf

Levitt, I.M. (1960, Jan 31). Man in space: The next ten years: An astronomer details, step by step, the expansion of man’s horizons in prospect. man in space. New York Times (1923-Current File). http://libproxy.clemson.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.libproxy.clemson.edu/docview/115209561?accountid=6167

McDougall, W. A. (2008). The Heavens and the Earth: A Political History of the Space Age. United States: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Nawrat, A. ( 2018, August 7). 3D Printing in the medical field: Four major applications revolutionizing the industry https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/features/3d-printing-in-the-medical-field-applications/

Oreskes, N., & Krige, J. (Eds.). (2014). Science and technology in the global Cold War. MIT Press.

Peng, W., Datta, P., Ayan, B., Ozbolat, V., Sosnoski, D., & Ozbolat, I. T. (2017, May 10). 3D bioprinting for drug discovery and development in pharmaceutics.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1742706117303069

Pogue, D. (2013). Google’s Creep Factor. Scientific American,308(6), 38-39. www.jstor.org/stable/26018264

Roco, M. C. (2003). Nanotechnology: Convergence with modern biology and medicine. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 14(3), 337–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0958-1669(03)00068-5

Sahoo, S. K., Labhasetwar, V. (2003). Nanotech approaches to drug delivery and imaging. Drug Discovery Today, 8(24), 1112–1120. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-6446(03)02903-9

Sallam, H. N., Sallam, N. H. (2016, March 28). Religious aspects of assisted reproduction. Retreived from

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Smith, T. (2018, September 14). Test tube baby Louise Brown and the birht of IVF https://www.cbsnews.com/news/test-tube-baby-louise-brown-and-the-birth-of-ivf/

Tarantola, A. (2019, August). Social media bots are damaging our democracy. Engadget.  https://www.engadget.com/2019/08/15/social-media-bots-are-damaging-our-democracy/

10 Greatest Scientific Discoveries and Inventions of 21st Century | ISB Glasgow. (n.d.).  https://www.isbglasgow.com/10-greatest-scientific-discoveries-and-inventions-of-21st-century/

3D-printed Surgical Tools (n.d.).  https://versoteq.com/blog/3d-printed-surgical-tools

Top 5 Applications for 3D Printing Technology. (2019, May 17). https://www.makerbot.com/stories/design/top-5-3d-printing-applications/

20 Inventions We Wouldn’t Have Without Space Travel. (n.d.).  https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/infographics/infographic.view.php?id=11358

Vogenberg, F. R., Barash, C. I., & Pursel, M. (2010). Personalized medicine – Part 1: Evolution and development into theranostics. P and T, 35(10). Smith, T. (2018, September 14). Test tube baby Louise Brown and the birht of IVF

Wang, H., Lee, M. K., & Wang, C. (1998). Consumer privacy concerns about Internet marketing. Communications of the ACM, 41(3), 63-70.

Weidner, J. B. (2020, January 29). How & Why Google Glass Failed. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/052115/how-why-google-glass-failed.asp

Young, M. K., Hsu J., Neiman, D., Kou, C., Banktson, L., & Kim, S.Y., . . .Raskutti, G. (2018). The stealth media? Groups and targets behind divisive issue campaigns on Facebook.  Political Communication,  35 (4). Retreived from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10584609.2018.1476425?casa_token=JpfzRtMcvW0AAAAA%3AhjAmbOz9d_Dakeq5axjcngquuTucWwewmLV44CKZMaW73Jc7g

“Magnetic Nanoparticles for Clinical Diagnostics and Therapy” by Aihua Fu, Ph.D. and Shan X. Wang, Ph.D. is in the Public Domain, CC0

“3D printer printing: Anycubic I3 Mega 3D Drucker” by Marco Verch is in the Public Domain, CC0

“Google Glass with frame” ” by Mikepanhu is in the Public Domain

“SpaceX Facility and Test Center” by PeakPx is in the Public Domain, CC0

“IBM PC 5150” by Boffy B, Wikipedia is in the Public Domain

“Sputnik-1. ” by paukrus is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

“Launch of Apollo 11” by NASA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

“In vitro fertilization” by Wikipedia is in the Public Domain

“Social Networks” by Tracy Le Blanc is in the Public Domain

To the extent possible under law, Juliana-Marie Troyan; Maggie Elpers; Taylor Lorusso; Sevanna Boleman; Willis Watts; Joseph Rivera; David Jonah Lamothe; and Anthony Spearman have waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to Science Technology and Society a Student Led Exploration , except where otherwise noted.

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• Science and Technology Essay

Essay on Science and Technology

Science and technology is the ultimate need of an hour that changes the overall perspective of the human towards life. Over the centuries, there have been new inventions in the field of science and technology that help in modernizing. Right from connecting with people to using digital products, everything involves science and technology. In other words, it has made life easy and simple. Moreover, humans now have to live a simple life. There is modern equipment explored by tech experts to find something new for the future.

Science and technology have now expanded their wings to medical, education, manufacturing and other areas. Moreover, they are not limited to cities, but also rural areas for educational purposes. Every day new technologies keep coming, making life easier and more comfortable.

Brief about Science

Throughout history, science has come a long way. The evolution of the person is the contribution to science. Science helped humans to find vaccines, potions, medicines and scientific aids. Over the centuries, humans have faced many diseases and illnesses taking many lives. With the help of science, medicines are invented to bring down the effect or element of these illnesses.

Brief of Technology

The mobile, desktop or laptop which you are using for reading this essay, mobile you use for connectivity or communication or the smart technology which we use in our daily life, are a part of technology. From the machinery used in the factory to the robots created all fall under tech invention. In simpler words, technology has made life more comfortable.

Advancement in science and technology has changed the modern culture and the way we live our daily life.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Science and Technology

Science and technology have changed this world. From TV to planes, cars to mobile, the list keeps on going how these two inventions have changed the world we see through. For instance, the virtual talks we do use our mobile, which was not possible earlier. Similarly, there are electrical devices that have made life easier.

Furthermore, the transportation process we use has also seen the contribution of science and technology. We can reach our destination quickly to any part of the world.

Science and technology are not limited to this earth. It has now reached mars. NASA and ISRO have used science and technology to reach mars. Both organizations have witnessed success in sending astronauts and technologies to explore life in the mars.

Other Benefits

Life is much simpler with science and technology

Interaction is more comfortable and faster

Human is more sophisticated

Disadvantages

With the progress in science and technology, we humans have become lazier. This is affecting the human mind and health. Moreover, several semi-automatic rifles are created using the latest technology, which takes maximum life. There is no doubt that the third world war will be fought with missiles created using technology.

Man has misused the tech and used it for destructive purposes.

 Man uses them to do illegal stuff.

Technology such as a smartphone, etc. hurts children.

Terrorists use modern technology for damaging work.

Science and Technology in India

India is not behind when it comes to science and technology. Over the centuries, the country has witnessed reliable technology updates giving its people a better life. The Indian economy is widely boosted with science and technology in the field of astronomy, astrophysics, space exploration, nuclear power and more. India is becoming more innovative and progressive to improve the economic condition of the nation.

The implementation of technology in the research work promotes a better life ahead. Similarly, medical science in India is progressing rapidly, making life healthy and careful. Indian scientists are using the latest technology to introduce new medical products for people and offer them at the lowest price.

The Bottom Line

The main aim of writing this essay on science and technology is to showcase how humans have evolved over the years. Since we are advancing, the science and technology industry is also advancing at a faster pace. Although there are challenges, the road ahead is exciting. From interaction to transportation and healthcare in every sector, we will witness profitable growth in science and technology.

FAQs on Science and Technology Essay

1. How technology changed humans?

Technology has certainly changed the way we live our lives. Not a single piece of technology has failed and is continuously progressing. Be it the small industry or large, technology is a boom to your society. Technology can encompass ancient technologies like calculators, calendars, batteries and others. In future, the technology worlds include Blockchain technologies, smart cities, more advanced intelligent devices, quantum computers, quantum encryption, and others. Humans are updated with technology. This is a good sign for the coming generation.

2. What are the top technologies?

In the last few years, there has been a massive update in technology. From individuals to companies, everywhere, the use of technology is required. Some of the top technologies we are witnessing are

 Data Science

 Internet of Things

 Blockchain

 Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

 Virtual Reality

 Edge Computing

Intelligent apps

Artificial Intelligence

Each of these technologies is in the use of daily life and even in making products. However, to use this technology, there is a requirement of skilled professionals and they need proper training to use them.

3. Is the topic Science and Technology an appropriate topic for students?

Yes, Science and Technology are one of the most important topics every student should know in their schooling. The world is growing rapidly at an increasing rate where one should be equipped with minimum knowledge about these concepts. Science and technology have become a part of everyone’s life today. Therefore understanding them is definitely important.

4. Does writing essays improve English?

Yes, of course it does. Writing is absolutely fundamental to language learning. As with anything, however, it is important to learn when and what you write. If you do it all the time, your writing might sound forced. If you only do it when you don't have anything better to do, you might find yourself procrastinating, and not do it at all. It's also a lot more effective to compose essays when you are in that mindset of an essay. So, to answer your question, yes.

Essay on Impact Of Science And Technology On Society

Students are often asked to write an essay on Impact Of Science And Technology On Society in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Impact Of Science And Technology On Society

Changes in daily life.

Science and technology have changed how we live every day. We use smartphones to talk, get information, and have fun. Washing machines clean our clothes, and microwaves cook food fast. Life is easier and we can do more things in a day.

Health Improvements

Doctors use new tools to treat sickness. Medicine helps us live longer and healthier. Vaccines stop diseases from spreading. We can fix hearts and even replace some body parts. People are healthier now than ever before.

Education and Learning

Learning is different now. Children use computers and the internet for homework and research. They can watch videos to understand tough subjects. Teachers can reach students far away through online classes.

Work and Jobs

Robots and computers do many jobs that people used to do. This can make things faster and cheaper, but some people may lose their jobs. New jobs in technology are created too, so people need to learn new skills.

Environment and Challenges

Science helps us know about pollution and climate change. We can make clean energy like solar and wind power. But technology can also harm the environment. We must be careful and protect our planet.

250 Words Essay on Impact Of Science And Technology On Society

Science and technology have changed the way we live every day. Long ago, people had to do everything by hand. Now, we have machines that wash our clothes and dishwashers that clean our plates. We can talk to someone far away by using a phone or a computer. These tools save us time and make life easier.

Thanks to science, we are healthier and live longer. Doctors use new tools to find out what is wrong with us and have better ways to treat illnesses. We have medicines for diseases that once had no cure. This means fewer people get sick and can enjoy their lives more.

Learning has changed a lot because of technology. Students can find information on the internet and learn from videos and games. They don’t have to go to a library to read about things; they can learn from anywhere with a computer or a tablet.

Environment and Energy

Science helps us understand our planet and how to take care of it. We know more about how to save energy and use less water. There are also new types of energy that don’t harm the earth, like solar and wind power.

Jobs and the Economy

Technology creates new jobs and helps the economy grow. People can work with computers and robots, and there are jobs that didn’t exist before, like designing apps for phones. This means more people can work and have money to buy things they need.

In conclusion, science and technology have a big impact on our society. They make our lives better, help us stay healthy, change the way we learn, protect our planet, and give us new jobs. The world keeps changing, and science and technology will continue to be a big part of that change.

500 Words Essay on Impact Of Science And Technology On Society

Introduction to science and technology.

Science and technology are like two sides of the same coin. They both help us understand the world and make our lives better. Science is about discovering new things and understanding how everything works. Technology uses science to solve problems and create tools that make our lives easier. Together, they have a big effect on how we live every day.

Communication and Information

One of the biggest changes science and technology have brought is the way we talk to each other. Long ago, sending a message to someone far away could take days or even months. Now, with computers and phones, we can talk to anyone around the world instantly. The internet lets us find information about anything in seconds. This has made learning and sharing ideas much easier and faster.

Health and Medicine

Science and technology have also changed how we stay healthy. Doctors use new tools to find out what’s wrong with us and to help us get better. We have medicines for illnesses that once had no cure. Because of this, people are living longer and healthier lives. Even in places that are hard to reach, mobile health services can give medical care to those who need it.

Travel and Transportation

Think about how we move from one place to another. Cars, buses, trains, planes, and ships have all become faster and safer thanks to technology. We can travel long distances in a short time, which has made the world feel smaller. It’s easier to go to new places, meet new people, and learn about different cultures.

Work and Industry

Robots and machines are now doing many jobs that were once done by people. This can be good because it means products can be made quickly and without mistakes. But it also means that some jobs are not needed anymore, and people have to learn new skills to work with these machines. This change is a big challenge for society.

Science and technology can help protect our planet too. We have learned how to make energy from the sun, wind, and water, which are cleaner than burning coal or oil. Scientists are also working on ways to reduce trash and pollution. Still, technology can harm the environment if we use it without thinking about the consequences.

In the end, science and technology have both good and bad effects on our lives. They make many things easier and better, but they can also cause problems if we’re not careful. It’s important for everyone, not just scientists and engineers, to think about how we use technology. By working together, we can make sure that science and technology help make a better world for all of us.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Impact Of Science And Technology On Human Life
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Science, Technology, and the Federal Government: National Goals for a New Era (1993)

Chapter: chapter 2 science and technology in modern society.

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 9 CHAPTER 2 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY About 200 years ago the pace of technological change in western society began to quicken. Wind, water, and animal power, with their limitations of place and capacity, were supplemented and then replaced by the steam engine, which went on to power the factories of the industrial revolution. The railroad made it possible to move things and people quickly over great distances. The telegraph and, later, the telephone carried communications across the countryside. Electric lighting supplanted the dim glow of candles, kerosene, and gas lights. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the notion of progress was closely linked with technological development, and that linkage intensified in the following decades. The automobile and the airplane changed not only travel but the nature of our cities and towns. Radio and then television brought more of the outside world into everyone’s homes. Knowledge about the causes of diseases brought new treatments and preventive measures. Computers appeared, and soon the transistor made them smaller, more powerful, more accessible, and cheaper. Today, the system by which research and development leads to new products is fundamentally different than it was in the nineteenth century. To the role of the individual inventor has been added the power of organized scientific research and technological innovation. Organized research and development, which are increasingly international in character, have greatly increased the production of new knowledge. Deeper understanding of living organisms is leading toward cures of diseases once thought 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 10 untreatable. Basic insights in materials science enable the development of structures that are lighter, stronger, and more durable than anything available before. The computer and novel modes of communication, such as optical fibers, bring new, interactive modes of work and more capable machinery. These new devices and new ways of working, in turn, speed the growth and dissemination of new knowledge. The accumulation of scientific knowledge and new technologies has transformed human life. echnologies have helped provide many—though far from all—people with standards of warmth, cleanliness, nutrition, medical care, transportation, and entertainment far beyond those of even the wealthy two centuries ago.1 They have also presented us with difficult questions about how to use science and technology most effectively to meet human needs. The rapid rate of material progress can continue, but it is not inevitable. The extent to which the products of science and technology are useful depends on the needs of society. Each of the four areas discussed in this chapter—industrial performance, health care, national security, and environmental protection—uses these products in different ways. Progress is more likely if we understand these differences. Only then can we effectively translate scientific and technical understanding into the techniques, tools, and insights that improve the quality of our lives. THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN INDUSTRY Industries differ in the manner and extent to which they use the results of research. Some, such as the semiconductor industry, the biotechnology industry, and parts of the chemical industry, were created and shaped almost entirely by ideas that grew out of science. The technologies at the heart of these industries were initially characterized more by promise than by real products. Semiconductors were in this stage right after the invention of the transistor; more recently, biotechnology went through 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 11 this stage after the development of recombinant DNA techniques. High-temperature superconductivity is a scientific discovery that shows promise of leading to new industries and is in this stage today. As science-based industries continue to develop, they remain closely dependent on continuous inputs of new science, often produced by university researchers. These industries depend as well on the technological development of these ideas in order to grow and to widen their range of products. At an early stage, these industries tend to be small, to move at a fast technical and competitive pace, and to have enormous potential. Biotechnology is now in this stage. In a more mature stage, a science-based industry may still be growing quickly, but it depends ess on the progress of academic scientists. The semiconductor industry, for example, moves at a fast technical pace and requires increasingly detailed knowledge of its materials and, as the individual transistors buried in its chips become ever smaller, even of new quantum phenomena. But its scientific needs are met almost entirely by the work of semiconductor scientists and engineers working in the plants and laboratories of the semiconductor companies. Indeed, industry scientists are often the only ones with the detailed knowledge needed to make incremental improvements in the technologies. Another example of an industry at a mature stage is the aircraft industry, where thousands of scientists and engineers are required to deal with the enormous complexities of new plane design. Investments in manufacturing tools and plants are often measured in hundreds of millions of dollars. Only major companies can act on this scale, and only they have the technological knowledge and experience needed to design these complex products. The most mature industries—for example, the automobile or construction industries—move at a slower technological pace and require fewer inputs from current science, whether generated by their own laboratories or by university research. Many of these 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 12 were not based on science even at their birth. They do, however, require the highest levels of technological and production know-how. For industries that rely on high technology but are technically self-contained (such as the semiconductor industry) and industries that do not depend heavily on current science (such as the automobile industry), the results of current fundamental research are generally not decisive. Japan, which has not been a leading research power, has exhibited great strength in such industries. In these areas, productivity gains and product leadership can be attained by a number of strategies largely separate from scientific research but highly dependent on engineering, such as developing new technology in corporate laboratories, improving the development cycle to hasten the marketing of improved products, better coordination of design and manufacture, maximizing the creative capabilities of employees, and responding quickly to changes in consumer preferences. Additional university research can help, but it will be of peripheral importance to such industries. Nor can research rescue a failing industry that has difficulties in other areas. THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MEETING OTHER NATIONAL OBJECTIVES In addition to their influence on industrial performance, science and technology are directly involved in efforts to achieve a number of other important national goals. As in the case of industry, many other factors must also be in place for the goals to be achieved, but science and technology provide many of the crucial insights and techniques that enable progress. The following sections briefly describe some of the linkages between science and technology and several of these goals. Health Care Maintenance of health and prevention of illness are among the highest goals of our society. cience and technology have 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 13 become critical factors in achieving those goals, and the health sciences—including the life sciences, health services research, and public health research—will remain vital elements in the promotion of the nation’s well- being. In health care, as in other areas, science and technology are embedded in much broader social and institutional structures. For example, a research discovery can lead to experimental products in a very short time. Yet those products may require very long lead times to bring to market because of the need to ensure their safety and efficacy. The most visible public policy issue in health care today is cost.2 Many of the medical products generated by research and development, such as vaccines, actually reduce total health care costs. Other new products derived from research and development, such as complex imaging devices and expensive surgical procedures, raise costs in the short term while enhancing overall care. Still other procedures reduce unit treatment costs, but these reductions make treatments more available and thus increase demand and total costs. The development and pricing of health care products are unusual for a number of reasons. In a normal market economy, differences in the costs of technologies are reflected in the level of use. But our current system of health care reimbursement insulates patients from the true costs. In addition, the government directly regulates many aspects of medical technology to ensure safety and control costs, further distorting market signals. Finally, health care involves such basic human conditions as birth, disease, and ultimately death. Under such conditions, individual consumers often ignore economic considerations; yet the total cost of health care is a matter of enormous national concern. The effects of technical progress on costs depend to a large extent on the social and institutional structures surrounding the health care system. As the nation undertakes a broad reassessment of its health care system, a central challenge is to create administra 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 14 tive structures that promote the development of medical technology while improving care and containing costs. National Security Since World War II, the United States has sought military advantage through technological rather than numerical superiority. For example, technological superiority in the hands of a well-trained military contributed greatly to the success of the Persian Gulf War. The United States will continue to rely on this strategy to retain military advantage, but the sources of new military technology are shifting.3 In the past, the segment of industry that has supplied both hardware and software to the U.S. military has been largely separate from civilian industry. This segment of industry has had essentially one customer, and its requirements were focused on product performance more strongly than on cost. In the 1950s and 1960s, the defense industry produced much technology of value to civilian industry. But today the technological sophistication of civilian industry in many cases surpasses that of the defense industry. As a result, the military has become more dependent on civilian technologies. This trend will make improvements in national security more dependent on overall national economic performance. A major challenge facing the military today is to maintain technological superiority in the face of declining defense budgets. Meeting this challenge will require a reexamination of the broad scientific and technological base that contributes to military needs, including research and development in government laboratories, in industry, and in universities. Environmental Protection Over the past two decades, the United States has recognized and has made substantial progress in curbing the degradation of the environment. Nevertheless, difficult problems remain. 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 15 Environmental degradation continues to accompany many aspects of economic growth. Emissions and effluents of contaminated materials continue, waste disposal plagues urban areas, forests continue to be devastated, and biodiversity losses are growing. At the same time, science and technology have exposed new issues of great complexity and uncertain consequences, such as global warming, acid precipitation, the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer, and the contamination of water supplies. By the middle of the twenty-first century, the human population is projected to double to around 11 billion people, and, to meet their basic needs, the global economy will need to be several times larger than it is now.4 Many industrial and agricultural practices and products used today in energy and food production, transportation, and manufacturing will need to be restructured to prevent pollution if sustainable economic growth is to be achieved. In some situations, existing technologies can be made cleaner and more efficient; in others, entirely new technologies, including energy technologies, will be needed. Almost all fields of science and technology can contribute to the reduction of environmental degradation. Biotechnology, materials science and engineering, and information technologies can enable the efficient use of raw materials and prevent pollution at the source. Reducing and preventing pollution is an important goal of the new field of industrial ecology, which, by examining industrial processes, strives to maintain sustainable technological growth.5 COMMON THEMES These examples demonstrate that science and technology are powerful determinants of the conditions of modern life but that they clearly are not the only determinants. Nevertheless, even if science and technology are not sufficient by themselves to resolve societal issues, they are necessary for progress. Industry, for example, now relies heavily on technology to raise productivity; 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY 16 economic studies show that more than half the per capita productivity increases in the United States since World War II have come from technological advances. Although such factors as better skills among workers and new methods of organizing production will continue to contribute to economic expansion, new technologies will continue to be the major force behind the generation of new wealth. Similarly, many new technologies are increasingly reliant on science—whether the new science emerging from research laboratories or the well-established science available to everyone with the necessary training. Engineering, increasingly science-based, could not have achieved its present level of sophistication without its base of scientific knowledge. This increasing integration of science and technology also applies in reverse: technological problems now inspire important areas of science, even as science broadens the scope and capabilities of technology. Given the fact that science and technology are necessary, but not sufficient, elements of human progress, we as a nation face important questions: How great an investment in science and technology should we make to meet national needs? How can we best measure national performance in science and technology? The committee turns to these questions next. REFERENCES 1. William J. Baumol, Sue Anne Batey Blackman, and Edward N. Wolff. Productivity and American Leadership: The Long View. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1989. 2. Annetine C. Gelijns and Ethan A. Halm, Eds. The Changing Economics of Medical Technology. Washington, D.C.:National Academy Press, 1991. 3. Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government, Task Force on National Security. NewThinking and American Defense Technology. New York: Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government, 1990. 4. George Heaton, Robert Repetto, and Rodney Sobin. TransformingTechnology: An Agenda for Environmentally Sustainable Growth in the 21st Century. Washington, D.C.: World Resources Institute, 1991. 5. “Papers from the NAS Colloquium on Industrial Ecology,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 89, No. 3 (February 1, 1992), pp. 793–1148. 

During recent decades, a series of political and technological revolutions have significantly changed the context in which science and technology policy is made in the United States. As the new millennium approaches, these broad changes have recast the framework in which the U.S. research and development system functions. Representatives of the scientific and engineering communities have attempted to understand that new framework and to describe ways in which science and technology can respond to it. The result is the report Science, Technology, and the Federal Government , which proposes a renewed and strengthened covenant between science, technology, and society.

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Science, technology and innovation in a 21st century context

• Published: 27 August 2011
• Volume 44 , pages 209–213, ( 2011 )

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• John H. Marburger III 1  

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Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

This editorial essay was prepared by John H. “Jack” Marburger for a workshop on the “science of science and innovation policy” held in 2009 that was the basis for this special issue. It is published posthumously .

Linking the words “science,” “technology,” and “innovation,” may suggest that we know more about how these activities are related than we really do. This very common linkage implicitly conveys a linear progression from scientific research to technology creation to innovative products. More nuanced pictures of these complex activities break them down into components that interact with each other in a multi-dimensional socio-technological-economic network. A few examples will help to make this clear.

Science has always functioned on two levels that we may describe as curiosity-driven and need-driven, and they interact in sometimes surprising ways. Galileo’s telescope, the paradigmatic instrument of discovery in pure science, emerged from an entirely pragmatic tradition of lens-making for eye-glasses. And we should keep in mind that the industrial revolution gave more to science than it received, at least until the last half of the nineteenth century when the sciences of chemistry and electricity began to produce serious economic payoffs. The flowering of science during the era, we call the enlightenment owed much to its links with crafts and industry, but as it gained momentum science created its own need for practical improvements. After all, the frontiers of science are defined by the capabilities of instrumentation, that is, of technology. The needs of pure science are a huge but poorly understood stimulus for technologies that have the capacity to be disruptive precisely because these needs do not arise from the marketplace. The innovators who built the World Wide Web on the foundation of the Internet were particle physicists at CERN, struggling to satisfy their unique need to share complex information. Others soon discovered “needs” of which they had been unaware that could be satisfied by this innovation, and from that point the Web transformed the Internet from a tool for the technological elite into a broad platform for a new kind of economy.

Necessity is said to be the mother of invention, but in all human societies, “necessity” is a mix of culturally conditioned perceptions and the actual physical necessities of life. The concept of need, of what is wanted, is the ultimate driver of markets and an essential dimension of innovation. And as the example of the World Wide Web shows, need is very difficult to identify before it reveals itself in a mass movement. Why did I not know I needed a cell phone before nearly everyone else had one? Because until many others had one I did not, in fact, need one. Innovation has this chicken-and-egg quality that makes it extremely hard to analyze. We all know of visionaries who conceive of a society totally transformed by their invention and who are bitter that the world has not embraced their idea. Sometimes we think of them as crackpots, or simply unrealistic about what it takes to change the world. We practical people necessarily view the world through the filter of what exists, and fail to anticipate disruptive change. Nearly always we are surprised by the rapid acceptance of a transformative idea. If we truly want to encourage innovation through government policies, we are going to have to come to grips with this deep unpredictability of the mass acceptance of a new concept. Works analyzing this phenomenon are widely popular under titles like “ The Tipping Point ” by Gladwell ( 2000 ) or more recently the book by Taleb ( 2007 ) called The Black Swan , among others.

What causes innovations to be adopted and integrated into economies depends on their ability to satisfy some perceived need by consumers, and that perception may be an artifact of marketing, or fashion, or cultural inertia, or ignorance. Some of the largest and most profitable industries in the developed world—entertainment, automobiles, clothing and fashion accessories, health products, children’s toys, grownups’ toys!—depend on perceptions of need that go far beyond the utilitarian and are notoriously difficult to predict. And yet these industries clearly depend on sophisticated and rapidly advancing technologies to compete in the marketplace. Of course, they do not depend only upon technology. Technologies are part of the environment for innovation, or in a popular and very appropriate metaphor—part of the innovation ecology .

This complexity of innovation and its ecology is conveyed in Chapter One of a currently popular best-seller in the United States called Innovation Nation by the American innovation guru, Kao ( 2007 ), formerly on the faculty of the Harvard Business School:

“I define it [innovation],” writes Kao, “as the ability of individuals, companies, and entire nations to continuously create their desired future. Innovation depends on harvesting knowledge from a range of disciplines besides science and technology, among them design, social science, and the arts. And it is exemplified by more than just products; services, experiences, and processes can be innovative as well. The work of entrepreneurs, scientists, and software geeks alike contributes to innovation. It is also about the middlemen who know how to realize value from ideas. Innovation flows from shifts in mind-set that can generate new business models, recognize new opportunities, and weave innovations throughout the fabric of society. It is about new ways of doing and seeing things as much as it is about the breakthrough idea.” (Kao 2007 , p. 19).

This is not your standard government-type definition. Gurus, of course, do not have to worry about leading indicators and predictive measures of policy success. Nevertheless, some policy guidance can be drawn from this high level “definition,” and I will do so later.

The first point, then, is that the structural aspects of “science, technology, and innovation” are imperfectly defined, complex, and poorly understood. There is still much work to do to identify measures, develop models, and test them against actual experience before we can say we really know what it takes to foster innovation. The second point I want to make is about the temporal aspects: all three of these complex activities are changing with time. Science, of course, always changes through the accumulation of knowledge, but it also changes through revolutions in its theoretical structure, through its ever-improving technology, and through its evolving sociology. The technology and sociology of science are currently impacted by a rapidly changing information technology. Technology today flows increasingly from research laboratories but the influence of technology on both science and innovation depends strongly on its commercial adoption, that is, on market forces. Commercial scale manufacturing drives down the costs of technology so it can be exploited in an ever-broadening range of applications. The mass market for precision electro-mechanical devices like cameras, printers, and disk drives is the basis for new scientific instrumentation and also for further generations of products that integrate hundreds of existing components in new devices and business models like the Apple iPod and video games, not to mention improvements in old products like cars and telephones. Innovation is changing too as it expands its scope beyond individual products to include all or parts of systems such as supply chains and inventory control, as in the Wal-Mart phenomenon. Apple’s iPod does not stand alone; it is integrated with iTunes software and novel arrangements with media providers.

With one exception, however, technology changes more slowly than it appears because we encounter basic technology platforms in a wide variety of relatively short-lived products. Technology is like a language that innovators use to express concepts in the form of products, and business models that serve (and sometimes create) a variety of needs, some of which fluctuate with fashion. The exception to the illusion of rapid technology change is the pace of information technology, which is no illusion. It has fulfilled Moore’s Law for more than half a century, and it is a remarkable historical anomaly arising from the systematic exploitation of the understanding of the behavior of microscopic matter following the discovery of quantum mechanics. The pace would be much less without a continually evolving market for the succession of smaller, higher capacity products. It is not at all clear that the market demand will continue to support the increasingly expensive investment in fabrication equipment for each new step up the exponential curve of Moore’s Law. The science is probably available to allow many more capacity doublings if markets can sustain them. Let me digress briefly on this point.

Many science commentators have described the twentieth century as the century of physics and the twenty-first as the century of biology. We now know that is misleading. It is true that our struggle to understand the ultimate constituents of matter has now encompassed (apparently) everything of human scale and relevance, and that the universe of biological phenomena now lies open for systematic investigation and dramatic applications in health, agriculture, and energy production. But there are two additional frontiers of physical science, one already highly productive, the other very intriguing. The first is the frontier of complexity , where physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, and mathematics all come together. This is where nanotechnology and biotechnology reside. These are huge fields that form the core of basic science policy in most developed nations. The basic science of the twenty-first century is neither biology nor physics, but an interdisciplinary mix of these and other traditional fields. Continued development of this domain contributes to information technology and much else. I mentioned two frontiers. The other physical science frontier borders the nearly unexploited domain of quantum coherence phenomena . It is a very large domain and potentially a source of entirely new platform technologies not unlike microelectronics. To say more about this would take me too far from our topic. The point is that nature has many undeveloped physical phenomena to enrich the ecology of innovation and keep us marching along the curve of Moore’s Law if we can afford to do so.

I worry about the psychological impact of the rapid advance of information technology. I believe it has created unrealistic expectations about all technologies and has encouraged a casual attitude among policy makers toward the capability of science and technology to deliver solutions to difficult social problems. This is certainly true of what may be the greatest technical challenge of all time—the delivery of energy to large developed and developing populations without adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The challenge of sustainable energy technology is much more difficult than many people currently seem to appreciate. I am afraid that time will make this clear.

Structural complexities and the intrinsic dynamism of science and technology pose challenges to policy makers, but they seem almost manageable compared with the challenges posed by extrinsic forces. Among these are globalization and the impact of global economic development on the environment. The latter, expressed quite generally through the concept of “sustainability” is likely to be a component of much twenty-first century innovation policy. Measures of development, competitiveness, and innovation need to include sustainability dimensions to be realistic over the long run. Development policies that destroy economically important environmental systems, contribute to harmful global change, and undermine the natural resource basis of the economy are bad policies. Sustainability is now an international issue because the scale of development and the globalization of economies have environmental and natural resource implications that transcend national borders.

From the policy point of view, globalization is a not a new phenomenon. Science has been globalized for centuries, and we ought to be studying it more closely as a model for effective responses to the globalization of our economies. What is striking about science is the strong imperative to share ideas through every conceivable channel to the widest possible audience. If you had to name one chief characteristic of science, it would be empiricism. If you had to name two, the other would be open communication of data and ideas. The power of open communication in science cannot be overestimated. It has established, uniquely among human endeavors, an absolute global standard. And it effectively recruits talent from every part of the globe to labor at the science frontiers. The result has been an extraordinary legacy of understanding of the phenomena that shape our existence. Science is the ultimate example of an open innovation system.

Science practice has received much attention from philosophers, social scientists, and historians during the past half-century, and some of what has been learned holds valuable lessons for policy makers. It is fascinating to me how quickly countries that provide avenues to advanced education are able to participate in world science. The barriers to a small but productive scientific activity appear to be quite low and whether or not a country participates in science appears to be discretionary. A small scientific establishment, however, will not have significant direct economic impact. Its value at early stages of development is indirect, bringing higher performance standards, international recognition, and peer role models for a wider population. A science program of any size is also a link to the rich intellectual resources of the world scientific community. The indirect benefit of scientific research to a developing country far exceeds its direct benefit, and policy needs to recognize this. It is counterproductive to base support for science in such countries on a hoped-for direct economic stimulus.

Keeping in mind that the innovation ecology includes far more than science and technology, it should be obvious that within a small national economy innovation can thrive on a very small indigenous science and technology base. But innovators, like scientists, do require access to technical information and ideas. Consequently, policies favorable to innovation will create access to education and encourage free communication with the world technical community. Anything that encourages awareness of the marketplace and all its actors on every scale will encourage innovation.

This brings me back to John Kao’s definition of innovation. His vision of “the ability of individuals, companies, and entire nations to continuously create their desired future” implies conditions that create that ability, including most importantly educational opportunity (Kao 2007 , p. 19). The notion that “innovation depends on harvesting knowledge from a range of disciplines besides science and technology” implies that innovators must know enough to recognize useful knowledge when they see it, and that they have access to knowledge sources across a spectrum that ranges from news media and the Internet to technical and trade conferences (2007, p. 19). If innovation truly “flows from shifts in mind-set that can generate new business models, recognize new opportunities, and weave innovations throughout the fabric of society,” then the fabric of society must be somewhat loose-knit to accommodate the new ideas (2007, p. 19). Innovation is about risk and change, and deep forces in every society resist both of these. A striking feature of the US innovation ecology is the positive attitude toward failure, an attitude that encourages risk-taking and entrepreneurship.

All this gives us some insight into what policies we need to encourage innovation. Innovation policy is broader than science and technology policy, but the latter must be consistent with the former to produce a healthy innovation ecology. Innovation requires a predictable social structure, an open marketplace, and a business culture amenable to risk and change. It certainly requires an educational infrastructure that produces people with a global awareness and sufficient technical literacy to harvest the fruits of current technology. What innovation does not require is the creation by governments of a system that defines, regulates, or even rewards innovation except through the marketplace or in response to evident success. Some regulation of new products and new ideas is required to protect public health and environmental quality, but innovation needs lots of freedom. Innovative ideas that do not work out should be allowed to die so the innovation community can learn from the experience and replace the failed attempt with something better.

Do we understand innovation well enough to develop policy for it? If the policy addresses very general infrastructure issues such as education, economic, and political stability and the like, the answer is perhaps. If we want to measure the impact of specific programs on innovation, the answer is no. Studies of innovation are at an early stage where anecdotal information and case studies, similar to John Kao’s book—or the books on Business Week’s top ten list of innovation titles—are probably the most useful tools for policy makers.

I have been urging increased attention to what I call the science of science policy —the systematic quantitative study of the subset of our economy called science and technology—including the construction and validation of micro- and macro-economic models for S&T activity. Innovators themselves, and those who finance them, need to identify their needs and the impediments they face. Eventually, we may learn enough to create reliable indicators by which we can judge the health of our innovation ecosystems. The goal is well worth the sustained effort that will be required to achieve it.

Gladwell, M. (2000). The tipping point: How little things can make a big difference . Boston: Little, Brown and Company.

Google Scholar  

Kao, J. (2007). Innovation nation: How America is losing its innovation edge, why it matters, and what we can do to get it back . New York: Free Press.

Taleb, N. N. (2007). The black swan: The impact of the highly improbable . New York: Random House.

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Marburger, J.H. Science, technology and innovation in a 21st century context. Policy Sci 44 , 209–213 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-011-9137-3

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Published : 27 August 2011

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-011-9137-3

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Science And Technology Essay

The knowledge of science is the knowledge that enlightens the route, directs one to the right path, and frees the individual from the burden of worldly responsibilities. Technology is the creation, alteration, or modification of the natural environment to fulfil reportedly unsatisfied human desires and needs. Here are a few sample essays on the topic ‘science and technology’.

100 Words Essay On Science And Technology

Technology is the practical application of science that improves the quality of life, whereas science is a systematic approach that uses observation and experimentation to gain information and develop abilities. Technology is a product of systematic research, which is what science is. Technology development usually follows scientific progress, and the latter is just a logical consequence of the former, so science and technology go hand in hand.

Today, science and technology are vitally important to a country’s overall development. These two describe the progress in nearly every field, i.e., infrastructure development, communications, defence, industrialisation, etc. Because of advancements in science and technology, the world is changing quickly and at an unprecedented rate.

200 Words Essay On Science And Technology

In order to have a strong national economy, science and technology are essential. Gross domestic product growth helps the economy advance technologically. They encourage the development of high-tech industries, boost productivity, build capital, and promote healthy global competitiveness. There is a real impact of science and technology on the agriculture industry. It goes without saying that their engagement has boosted crop yield. In addition, science and technology are assisting farmers in implementing new methods and equipment to minimise physical labour.

Medical, educational, economic, sporting, employment, tourism, and other fields are examples of science and technology. All of these developments demonstrate how equally important both are to our lives. By directly contrasting the lifestyles of the ancient world and the modern world, we can observe the differences in our way of life. The high level of scientific and technological development in medicine has made it easier to treat numerous ailments than it was before. It aids in the efficient treatment by medical professionals in the treatment of different illnesses through medications and operations and aids in the research of diseases like cancer, AIDS, diabetes, Alzheimer's, paralysis, etc.

Every day, advances in science and technology bring people closer together. In the department of transportation and telecommunication, we observe discernible development. Physical distance is no longer an obstacle thanks to the internet and the metro network. Every aspect of our lives has received a virtual makeover because of them.

500 Words Essay On Science And Technology

Science and Technology play significant roles in our daily lives. We turn out the lights at night and get out of bed when our alarm clocks ring in the morning. Science and technology have enabled us to purchase all of these luxuries. Most importantly, the development of science and technology alone is the reason we can do most things in our lives in such a short period. Without science and technology, our modern way of life is difficult to imagine. Indeed, it is now essential to our continued survival. New technologies are developing daily that make life easier and more comfortable.

We are in a scientific and technological age. Due to science and technology, many civilizations have been established. This establishment grows every day. People benefit from these, which makes life more enjoyable and relaxing.

Benefits Of Science and Technology

Considerable advantages of science and technology come to mind. They range in size from minor to significant. For instance, the morning newspaper we read, which provides us with trustworthy information, is a product of scientific advancement. Additionally, technological growth has led to the development of electrical appliances like refrigerators, conditioners, microwaves, and other items that make living easier.

Furthermore, if we consider the situation involving transportation, we see that science and technology also play a significant part in this case. Thanks to improving technology, we can travel to various parts of the world within hours. Science and technology have made it possible for a man to look beyond the Earth. The exact science and technology have enabled the establishment of satellites in orbit and the finding of new planets.

The domains of medicine and agriculture have similarly been impacted by science and technology. Millions of lives have been saved thanks to science's varied disease remedies. Technology has also improved the yield of various crops, greatly helping farmers.

India And Science And Technology

India has engaged in negotiations worldwide since the end of the British era. Science and technology have aided India's advancement since it attained independence. It is now a crucial source of innovative and fundamental scientific advancements worldwide. In other words, the Indian economy has benefited from all the remarkable scientific and technological advances made in our nation.

In the years that followed, science and technology helped advance in several sectors, including mathematics, astrophysics, space technology, nuclear energy, and more. The railway system, smartphones, the metro system, and many other innovations are excellent examples of these advancements.

Looking at the most recent accomplishment, Chandrayaan 2 was successfully launched by India. India's lunar expedition has received praise from critics all across the world. Once more, science and technology were responsible for making these accomplishments feasible.

We must acknowledge that technology and science have helped human civilization reach the highest living level and will continue to do so. However, we must use everything sparingly and in moderation. Technology and science misuse can have adverse effects and we are dealing with some of those. Therefore, we must keep an eye on usage and exercise caution while using the gift of science and technology.

Explore Career Options (By Industry)

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Data Administrator

Database professionals use software to store and organise data such as financial information, and customer shipping records. Individuals who opt for a career as data administrators ensure that data is available for users and secured from unauthorised sales. DB administrators may work in various types of industries. It may involve computer systems design, service firms, insurance companies, banks and hospitals.

Bio Medical Engineer

The field of biomedical engineering opens up a universe of expert chances. An Individual in the biomedical engineering career path work in the field of engineering as well as medicine, in order to find out solutions to common problems of the two fields. The biomedical engineering job opportunities are to collaborate with doctors and researchers to develop medical systems, equipment, or devices that can solve clinical problems. Here we will be discussing jobs after biomedical engineering, how to get a job in biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering scope, and salary. 

Ethical Hacker

A career as ethical hacker involves various challenges and provides lucrative opportunities in the digital era where every giant business and startup owns its cyberspace on the world wide web. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path try to find the vulnerabilities in the cyber system to get its authority. If he or she succeeds in it then he or she gets its illegal authority. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path then steal information or delete the file that could affect the business, functioning, or services of the organization.

GIS officer work on various GIS software to conduct a study and gather spatial and non-spatial information. GIS experts update the GIS data and maintain it. The databases include aerial or satellite imagery, latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, and manually digitized images of maps. In a career as GIS expert, one is responsible for creating online and mobile maps.

Data Analyst

The invention of the database has given fresh breath to the people involved in the data analytics career path. Analysis refers to splitting up a whole into its individual components for individual analysis. Data analysis is a method through which raw data are processed and transformed into information that would be beneficial for user strategic thinking.

Data are collected and examined to respond to questions, evaluate hypotheses or contradict theories. It is a tool for analyzing, transforming, modeling, and arranging data with useful knowledge, to assist in decision-making and methods, encompassing various strategies, and is used in different fields of business, research, and social science.

Geothermal Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as geothermal engineers are the professionals involved in the processing of geothermal energy. The responsibilities of geothermal engineers may vary depending on the workplace location. Those who work in fields design facilities to process and distribute geothermal energy. They oversee the functioning of machinery used in the field.

Database Architect

If you are intrigued by the programming world and are interested in developing communications networks then a career as database architect may be a good option for you. Data architect roles and responsibilities include building design models for data communication networks. Wide Area Networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), and intranets are included in the database networks. It is expected that database architects will have in-depth knowledge of a company's business to develop a network to fulfil the requirements of the organisation. Stay tuned as we look at the larger picture and give you more information on what is db architecture, why you should pursue database architecture, what to expect from such a degree and what your job opportunities will be after graduation. Here, we will be discussing how to become a data architect. Students can visit NIT Trichy , IIT Kharagpur , JMI New Delhi . 

Remote Sensing Technician

Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Budget Analyst

Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Product manager.

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Operations Manager

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Stock Analyst

Individuals who opt for a career as a stock analyst examine the company's investments makes decisions and keep track of financial securities. The nature of such investments will differ from one business to the next. Individuals in the stock analyst career use data mining to forecast a company's profits and revenues, advise clients on whether to buy or sell, participate in seminars, and discussing financial matters with executives and evaluate annual reports.

A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software. 

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

Are you searching for a Field Surveyor Job Description? A Field Surveyor is a professional responsible for conducting field surveys for various places or geographical conditions. He or she collects the required data and information as per the instructions given by senior officials. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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Science Essay

Essay About Science And Technology

Essay About Science and Technology| Tips & Examples

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Are you struggling to write your essay about science and technology? You're not alone.

This can be a difficult subject to write about, as it requires understanding technical details and developments.

However, with the right guidance, you can produce a high-quality essay yourself!

In this blog post, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay about science and technology. We will also provide you with some helpful tips and examples to get you started.

So let’s get into it!

• 1. What is a Science and Technology Essay?
• 2. Science and Technology Essay Examples
• 3. How To Write a Science and Technology Essay?
• 4. Science and Technology Essay Topics
• 5. Science and Technology Essay Writing Tips

What is a Science and Technology Essay?

Before you learn about writing an essay about science and technology, you should understand what these terms mean.

Here are simple definitions of science and technology:

Science is a systematic study that helps us understand the natural world. Meanwhile, technology is the practical application of science that helps make our life easy.

Moreover, science and technology play an important role in people’s lives and human development. That is why you have to write an essay about it.

So, what is a science and technology essay?

It is a science essay that explores scientific and technological advancements and their effects on various aspects of life. 

It can cover topics such as advancements in medicine, communication, IT, transportation, and more.

A science and technology essay aims to inform readers about the developments in technology and to discuss its implications.

Read on to learn how to produce a great science and technology essay step-by-step.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's Our Job

Science and Technology Essay Examples

Reading sample essays is a good way to get ideas and improve your writing skills.

Here are a few science and technology essay examples that you can use for inspiration.

Essay on Science and Technology for High School Students

Essay on Science and Technology for College Students

Essay on Science and Technology for University Students

Essay About Science and Technology Innovation - Example PDF

Essay About Science and Technology for Sustainable Future

Argumentative Example Essay About Science And Technology

Example Essay About Science And Technology

Essay on Science and Technology in 1000 words

Short Essay on Science and Technology

A short essay, typically consisting of around 300 words, offers a concise yet insightful exploration of a specific topic.

Let’s take a look at one: 

How To Write a Science and Technology Essay?

Writing a science and technology essay can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be.

Here are the steps you need to take to write a successful essay:

Choose a Topic

The first step is to choose a relevant and interesting topic for your essay. Any topic or idea that catches your interest is good to go.

You should also make sure that enough information is available on the topic. Moreover, you should be confident that you can present the information efficiently within the scope of your essay. 

Continue reading the blog to find a list of essay topics you can choose!

Do Your Research

After you've chosen a topic, it's time to do your research.

Science and technology are constantly growing, with new developments every day. So, read up on the latest developments in your chosen field.

This will help you provide an up-to-date and accurate analysis of your essay. It will also help you make your essay more credible and effective.

Write a Thesis Statement

You should be able to create a thesis statement after you’ve done your research.

A thesis statement defines your main argument and usually comes at the end of the introduction paragraph.  

But you have to think of your main argument before you set out to write the essay because it sets the direction of your essay. So make sure it is as clear and specific as possible.

Outline Your Essay

Once you have a clear thesis statement, it's time to make an outline of your essay .

An essay outline should include the main points you want to discuss and the sub-points under each of these main topics.

This will help you organize your thoughts and structure your argument in a logical way. 

Making an outline is the final step in the pre-writing preparation stage. Once you’ve done that, it's time to start writing your first draft.

Write the Introduction

The introduction is the first part of your essay. It should catch the readers' interest and lead them to your main argument.

You should start with an attention-grabbing statement or a quote related to your topic. Then, you can provide some context and explain why the topic is important. Finally, end the introduction with your thesis statement.

For a five-paragraph essay, your introduction should be about 150 words to 200 words at maximum.

Write the Main Body

After the introduction, move on to the body paragraphs.

Follow the outline you made and write the body paragraphs. Each paragraph should be focused on a single point determined in the topic sentence. 

Make sure to include evidence from reliable sources to support your arguments. 

In addition, make sure to connect your paragraphs by adding transitions between them and showing how they relate to the main thesis.

Write The Conclusion

Finally, write a strong conclusion that summarizes your main points and argument. Your conclusion should leave readers with a clear understanding of the topic. 

Moreover, it should also reinforce your thesis statement. Your conclusion should leave your readers with a sense of closure.

Want to learn more about how to write a conclusion? Here is a detailed blog that shows how you can write the best essay conclusion .

Edit Your Draft

The last step before submitting your essay is to edit and proofread it carefully.

Check for any spelling or grammar mistakes and inconsistencies in facts or arguments. Also, make sure all the references are correctly cited. You can hire our professional science essay writer to edit your draft if you don’t have enough time.

Let's read some good science and technology essays to see these steps in action!

Science and Technology Essay Topics

Now that you have an idea of how to write a science and technology essay, here are some topics you can use to get started:

• The Role of Nuclear Energy in the Modern World: Advantages, Challenges, and Future Prospects.
• How Space Technology is Revolutionizing our Day-to-Day Lives.
• Science and Technology in Developing Countries: Bridging the Gap for Improved Quality of Life.
• The Synergy of Science and Technology: Enhancing the Quality of Life in the Modern World.
• Nuclear Energy: A Sustainable Power Source for the Future?
• From Lab to Life: Practical Applications of Science for Daily Living.
• Space Technology Advancements: Impact on Daily Life and the Future.
• Science and Technology: Catalysts for Improving the Quality of Life Globally.
• Nuclear Energy and Sustainable Development in Developing Nations.
• The Partnership of Science and Technology: Transforming the Modern World for the Better.

If you need more general topics about science, visit our blog about science essay topics . You can find 150+ interesting science topics and get tips on how to choose a topic for your essay.

Science and Technology Essay Writing Tips

When writing your essay, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Provide specific examples

You should provide appropriate evidence and examples to support your points whenever possible. This will make your argument more compelling.

• Stay on topic

Don’t veer off-topic, as this will weaken your argument. Make sure that every point and sub-point you make is connected to your main thesis.

• Avoid jargon

While technical terms may be useful in some cases, you should avoid using too much jargon, as this can make your essay difficult to follow.

• Be critical

Don’t be afraid to challenge existing assumptions or theories in your essay. Your essay will be more impactful if it goes out of the box.

• Use reliable sources

Make sure to include evidence from reliable sources such as academic journals, government reports, and recognized experts in the field.

Before submitting your essay, proofread it for any mistakes or typos. This will ensure that your essay is polished and professional.

Here is what you can do for effective proofreading:

• Read through your essay several times.
• Have someone else proofread your essay for you. They may be able to catch mistakes that you missed.
• Use grammar and spelling checker software to check for spelling mistakes.

If you're feeling intimated by the thought of writing an essay on science and technology, don't worry! You can do a good job with the right steps!

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Promises and Pitfalls of Technology

Politics and privacy, private-sector influence and big tech, state competition and conflict, author biography, how is technology changing the world, and how should the world change technology.

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Josephine Wolff; How Is Technology Changing the World, and How Should the World Change Technology?. Global Perspectives 1 February 2021; 2 (1): 27353. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/gp.2021.27353

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Technologies are becoming increasingly complicated and increasingly interconnected. Cars, airplanes, medical devices, financial transactions, and electricity systems all rely on more computer software than they ever have before, making them seem both harder to understand and, in some cases, harder to control. Government and corporate surveillance of individuals and information processing relies largely on digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and therefore involves less human-to-human contact than ever before and more opportunities for biases to be embedded and codified in our technological systems in ways we may not even be able to identify or recognize. Bioengineering advances are opening up new terrain for challenging philosophical, political, and economic questions regarding human-natural relations. Additionally, the management of these large and small devices and systems is increasingly done through the cloud, so that control over them is both very remote and removed from direct human or social control. The study of how to make technologies like artificial intelligence or the Internet of Things “explainable” has become its own area of research because it is so difficult to understand how they work or what is at fault when something goes wrong (Gunning and Aha 2019) .

This growing complexity makes it more difficult than ever—and more imperative than ever—for scholars to probe how technological advancements are altering life around the world in both positive and negative ways and what social, political, and legal tools are needed to help shape the development and design of technology in beneficial directions. This can seem like an impossible task in light of the rapid pace of technological change and the sense that its continued advancement is inevitable, but many countries around the world are only just beginning to take significant steps toward regulating computer technologies and are still in the process of radically rethinking the rules governing global data flows and exchange of technology across borders.

These are exciting times not just for technological development but also for technology policy—our technologies may be more advanced and complicated than ever but so, too, are our understandings of how they can best be leveraged, protected, and even constrained. The structures of technological systems as determined largely by government and institutional policies and those structures have tremendous implications for social organization and agency, ranging from open source, open systems that are highly distributed and decentralized, to those that are tightly controlled and closed, structured according to stricter and more hierarchical models. And just as our understanding of the governance of technology is developing in new and interesting ways, so, too, is our understanding of the social, cultural, environmental, and political dimensions of emerging technologies. We are realizing both the challenges and the importance of mapping out the full range of ways that technology is changing our society, what we want those changes to look like, and what tools we have to try to influence and guide those shifts.

Technology can be a source of tremendous optimism. It can help overcome some of the greatest challenges our society faces, including climate change, famine, and disease. For those who believe in the power of innovation and the promise of creative destruction to advance economic development and lead to better quality of life, technology is a vital economic driver (Schumpeter 1942) . But it can also be a tool of tremendous fear and oppression, embedding biases in automated decision-making processes and information-processing algorithms, exacerbating economic and social inequalities within and between countries to a staggering degree, or creating new weapons and avenues for attack unlike any we have had to face in the past. Scholars have even contended that the emergence of the term technology in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries marked a shift from viewing individual pieces of machinery as a means to achieving political and social progress to the more dangerous, or hazardous, view that larger-scale, more complex technological systems were a semiautonomous form of progress in and of themselves (Marx 2010) . More recently, technologists have sharply criticized what they view as a wave of new Luddites, people intent on slowing the development of technology and turning back the clock on innovation as a means of mitigating the societal impacts of technological change (Marlowe 1970) .

At the heart of fights over new technologies and their resulting global changes are often two conflicting visions of technology: a fundamentally optimistic one that believes humans use it as a tool to achieve greater goals, and a fundamentally pessimistic one that holds that technological systems have reached a point beyond our control. Technology philosophers have argued that neither of these views is wholly accurate and that a purely optimistic or pessimistic view of technology is insufficient to capture the nuances and complexity of our relationship to technology (Oberdiek and Tiles 1995) . Understanding technology and how we can make better decisions about designing, deploying, and refining it requires capturing that nuance and complexity through in-depth analysis of the impacts of different technological advancements and the ways they have played out in all their complicated and controversial messiness across the world.

These impacts are often unpredictable as technologies are adopted in new contexts and come to be used in ways that sometimes diverge significantly from the use cases envisioned by their designers. The internet, designed to help transmit information between computer networks, became a crucial vehicle for commerce, introducing unexpected avenues for crime and financial fraud. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, designed to connect friends and families through sharing photographs and life updates, became focal points of election controversies and political influence. Cryptocurrencies, originally intended as a means of decentralized digital cash, have become a significant environmental hazard as more and more computing resources are devoted to mining these forms of virtual money. One of the crucial challenges in this area is therefore recognizing, documenting, and even anticipating some of these unexpected consequences and providing mechanisms to technologists for how to think through the impacts of their work, as well as possible other paths to different outcomes (Verbeek 2006) . And just as technological innovations can cause unexpected harm, they can also bring about extraordinary benefits—new vaccines and medicines to address global pandemics and save thousands of lives, new sources of energy that can drastically reduce emissions and help combat climate change, new modes of education that can reach people who would otherwise have no access to schooling. Regulating technology therefore requires a careful balance of mitigating risks without overly restricting potentially beneficial innovations.

Nations around the world have taken very different approaches to governing emerging technologies and have adopted a range of different technologies themselves in pursuit of more modern governance structures and processes (Braman 2009) . In Europe, the precautionary principle has guided much more anticipatory regulation aimed at addressing the risks presented by technologies even before they are fully realized. For instance, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation focuses on the responsibilities of data controllers and processors to provide individuals with access to their data and information about how that data is being used not just as a means of addressing existing security and privacy threats, such as data breaches, but also to protect against future developments and uses of that data for artificial intelligence and automated decision-making purposes. In Germany, Technische Überwachungsvereine, or TÜVs, perform regular tests and inspections of technological systems to assess and minimize risks over time, as the tech landscape evolves. In the United States, by contrast, there is much greater reliance on litigation and liability regimes to address safety and security failings after-the-fact. These different approaches reflect not just the different legal and regulatory mechanisms and philosophies of different nations but also the different ways those nations prioritize rapid development of the technology industry versus safety, security, and individual control. Typically, governance innovations move much more slowly than technological innovations, and regulations can lag years, or even decades, behind the technologies they aim to govern.

In addition to this varied set of national regulatory approaches, a variety of international and nongovernmental organizations also contribute to the process of developing standards, rules, and norms for new technologies, including the International Organization for Standardization­ and the International Telecommunication Union. These multilateral and NGO actors play an especially important role in trying to define appropriate boundaries for the use of new technologies by governments as instruments of control for the state.

At the same time that policymakers are under scrutiny both for their decisions about how to regulate technology as well as their decisions about how and when to adopt technologies like facial recognition themselves, technology firms and designers have also come under increasing criticism. Growing recognition that the design of technologies can have far-reaching social and political implications means that there is more pressure on technologists to take into consideration the consequences of their decisions early on in the design process (Vincenti 1993; Winner 1980) . The question of how technologists should incorporate these social dimensions into their design and development processes is an old one, and debate on these issues dates back to the 1970s, but it remains an urgent and often overlooked part of the puzzle because so many of the supposedly systematic mechanisms for assessing the impacts of new technologies in both the private and public sectors are primarily bureaucratic, symbolic processes rather than carrying any real weight or influence.

Technologists are often ill-equipped or unwilling to respond to the sorts of social problems that their creations have—often unwittingly—exacerbated, and instead point to governments and lawmakers to address those problems (Zuckerberg 2019) . But governments often have few incentives to engage in this area. This is because setting clear standards and rules for an ever-evolving technological landscape can be extremely challenging, because enforcement of those rules can be a significant undertaking requiring considerable expertise, and because the tech sector is a major source of jobs and revenue for many countries that may fear losing those benefits if they constrain companies too much. This indicates not just a need for clearer incentives and better policies for both private- and public-sector entities but also a need for new mechanisms whereby the technology development and design process can be influenced and assessed by people with a wider range of experiences and expertise. If we want technologies to be designed with an eye to their impacts, who is responsible for predicting, measuring, and mitigating those impacts throughout the design process? Involving policymakers in that process in a more meaningful way will also require training them to have the analytic and technical capacity to more fully engage with technologists and understand more fully the implications of their decisions.

At the same time that tech companies seem unwilling or unable to rein in their creations, many also fear they wield too much power, in some cases all but replacing governments and international organizations in their ability to make decisions that affect millions of people worldwide and control access to information, platforms, and audiences (Kilovaty 2020) . Regulators around the world have begun considering whether some of these companies have become so powerful that they violate the tenets of antitrust laws, but it can be difficult for governments to identify exactly what those violations are, especially in the context of an industry where the largest players often provide their customers with free services. And the platforms and services developed by tech companies are often wielded most powerfully and dangerously not directly by their private-sector creators and operators but instead by states themselves for widespread misinformation campaigns that serve political purposes (Nye 2018) .

Since the largest private entities in the tech sector operate in many countries, they are often better poised to implement global changes to the technological ecosystem than individual states or regulatory bodies, creating new challenges to existing governance structures and hierarchies. Just as it can be challenging to provide oversight for government use of technologies, so, too, oversight of the biggest tech companies, which have more resources, reach, and power than many nations, can prove to be a daunting task. The rise of network forms of organization and the growing gig economy have added to these challenges, making it even harder for regulators to fully address the breadth of these companies’ operations (Powell 1990) . The private-public partnerships that have emerged around energy, transportation, medical, and cyber technologies further complicate this picture, blurring the line between the public and private sectors and raising critical questions about the role of each in providing critical infrastructure, health care, and security. How can and should private tech companies operating in these different sectors be governed, and what types of influence do they exert over regulators? How feasible are different policy proposals aimed at technological innovation, and what potential unintended consequences might they have?

Conflict between countries has also spilled over significantly into the private sector in recent years, most notably in the case of tensions between the United States and China over which technologies developed in each country will be permitted by the other and which will be purchased by other customers, outside those two countries. Countries competing to develop the best technology is not a new phenomenon, but the current conflicts have major international ramifications and will influence the infrastructure that is installed and used around the world for years to come. Untangling the different factors that feed into these tussles as well as whom they benefit and whom they leave at a disadvantage is crucial for understanding how governments can most effectively foster technological innovation and invention domestically as well as the global consequences of those efforts. As much of the world is forced to choose between buying technology from the United States or from China, how should we understand the long-term impacts of those choices and the options available to people in countries without robust domestic tech industries? Does the global spread of technologies help fuel further innovation in countries with smaller tech markets, or does it reinforce the dominance of the states that are already most prominent in this sector? How can research universities maintain global collaborations and research communities in light of these national competitions, and what role does government research and development spending play in fostering innovation within its own borders and worldwide? How should intellectual property protections evolve to meet the demands of the technology industry, and how can those protections be enforced globally?

These conflicts between countries sometimes appear to challenge the feasibility of truly global technologies and networks that operate across all countries through standardized protocols and design features. Organizations like the International Organization for Standardization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and many others have tried to harmonize these policies and protocols across different countries for years, but have met with limited success when it comes to resolving the issues of greatest tension and disagreement among nations. For technology to operate in a global environment, there is a need for a much greater degree of coordination among countries and the development of common standards and norms, but governments continue to struggle to agree not just on those norms themselves but even the appropriate venue and processes for developing them. Without greater global cooperation, is it possible to maintain a global network like the internet or to promote the spread of new technologies around the world to address challenges of sustainability? What might help incentivize that cooperation moving forward, and what could new structures and process for governance of global technologies look like? Why has the tech industry’s self-regulation culture persisted? Do the same traditional drivers for public policy, such as politics of harmonization and path dependency in policy-making, still sufficiently explain policy outcomes in this space? As new technologies and their applications spread across the globe in uneven ways, how and when do they create forces of change from unexpected places?

These are some of the questions that we hope to address in the Technology and Global Change section through articles that tackle new dimensions of the global landscape of designing, developing, deploying, and assessing new technologies to address major challenges the world faces. Understanding these processes requires synthesizing knowledge from a range of different fields, including sociology, political science, economics, and history, as well as technical fields such as engineering, climate science, and computer science. A crucial part of understanding how technology has created global change and, in turn, how global changes have influenced the development of new technologies is understanding the technologies themselves in all their richness and complexity—how they work, the limits of what they can do, what they were designed to do, how they are actually used. Just as technologies themselves are becoming more complicated, so are their embeddings and relationships to the larger social, political, and legal contexts in which they exist. Scholars across all disciplines are encouraged to join us in untangling those complexities.

Josephine Wolff is an associate professor of cybersecurity policy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Her book You’ll See This Message When It Is Too Late: The Legal and Economic Aftermath of Cybersecurity Breaches was published by MIT Press in 2018.

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413 Science and Technology Essay Topics to Write About [2024]

Would you always go for Bill Nye the Science Guy instead of Power Rangers as a child? Were you ready to spend sleepless nights perfecting your science fair project? Or maybe you dream of a career in science?

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

Then this guide by Custom-Writing.org is perfect for you. Here, you’ll find the following:

• lists of excellent science and technology topics;
• essay prompts;
• scientific essay outline;
• bonus tips.
• 🔝 Top 10 Science & Technology Topics
• 🔬 Scope of Research
• 🤖 Modern Technology Topics
• 🧪 Science Essay Topics
• 🔭 Space Exploration Topics
• 💡 Other Topics
• 📝 Essay Prompt
• ✍️ Step-by-Step Guide

🔍 References

🔝 top 10 science and technology topics.

• ICT use in healthcare
• Consent in biobanking
• Pros and cons of NFTs
• Fintech and healthcare accessibility
• Widening of the global digital skills gap
• Ways to identify gaps in health research
• Changes in Mid-Atlantic regional climate
• Transforming public health data systems
• Workings of the online extremist ecosystem
• Ways of improving statistical computing practices

🔬 Science and Technology: Scope of Research

Now you can start looking for an essay idea in our topics list. But first, have a look at the following fields of research in science and technology that our topics cover:

• Modern technology includes the newest advances in engineering, hardware, systems, and organization methods. You can write about robotics, computer science, and more.
• Science is knowledge about the universe in the form of testable explanations. In your paper, you can cover different areas of science such as biology, physics, etc. For more ideas, check out our list of topics in science .
• Space explorations began in the ancient world and eventually allowed people to build a spaceship, arrange the first space trip, and step on the Moon.
• In a technology essay on space exploration , you may write about the most up-to-date technologies in the sphere of space traveling and exploration.
• Space exploration essays can also be devoted to the period of the Cold War . One of its aspects was a space race between the United States and the USSR.
• Finally, you can assess the importance of various space innovations . Many people tend to condemn spending vast sums of money on space exploration. You may give your viewpoint on this question in an essay. Check out our list of topics in astrophysics for more ideas.

🤖 Modern Technology Essay Topics

• Increasingly powerful 3D computer chips
• Technology and the rise of the leisure class
• Luddism as the most radical opposition to the use of technology
• Technological inventions that have a destructive power
• How does nuclear technology affect the global economy?
• Mobile video communication from any mountaintop
• Using technology to reinvent identification documents
• The history of the computer viruses and their current examples
• Does technology provide for a better life, or is it a bane?
• Did people reinvent texting to express the full range of emotions?
• How did pop-up advertisements appear and evolve on the Internet?
• The technology behind the most famous instances of hacking in history
• The future privacy risks in the world fully connected to the Internet
• What are the possible future developments in cloud storage ?
• Dancing robots : why is it important to teach robots to dance?
• Should there be censorship on the Internet?
• What self-driving cars can and cannot do at present
• Which features can increase the popularity of self-driving cars among people?
• 19 th -century discoveries versus recent technological developments
• The positive and negative impacts of communication technology
• The printing press , the telephone, and the Internet: their contribution to global communications
• Philosophical debates about the present and future use of nuclear technology
• The potential dangers of virtual reality replacing real-life experiences
• Transhumanism and techno-progressivism and their positive views of technology
• The history, benefits, and drawbacks of cloud technology
• Voice-commanded robot wheelchair (that will bring you to any location stored in its memory)
• Cameras that can determine your age just by looking at your face: how do they work?
• Innovative technologies in Antarctica that are speeding up polar research
• Technology and the development of daily living aids for chronic diseases. People who have chronic diseases always need to monitor their well-being. However, science has moved towards developing special devices that help people in their daily lives. For instance, you can write about stairlifts, wheelchairs, or other appliances.
• The history and technological evolution of prosthetics. People have been using prosthetic limbs from ancient times. Now, these items are much more functional, and their innovation continues. Wood and metal have been replaced by novel materials such as carbon fiber. Robotics also allows controlling prosthetic limbs better.
• Disability technology : how science invented hearing aids , text-to-speech programs, and more. Today, disabled people can get access to aids that enhance their living. For example, hearing aids were developed as far as 1898. But they became small only after World War II. Now they are enhanced by the technology of Bluetooth .
• How has the clothing industry evolved with the development of new technology? In the past, all clothes were hand-made. After the sewing machine was introduced, people’s fashion also changed. Now, technology can create items of clothing that a human cannot produce. But many people still seek hand-made items and see the automatization of manufacturing process as a disadvantage.
• Gardening for the 21st century: vertical gardening for tiny city spaces. As the world population grows, people have much less room for farming and recreational gardening. New concepts such as vertical gardening are innovative and environmentally conscious. They create small green spaces in urban areas and bring humans back to nature.
• Hydroponic systems and other approaches to agriculture without soil. It can be hard to find enough place for soil planting in big crowded cities. Hydroponic gardening is a way to get fresh local vegetables that can be grown indoors. Such approaches, nonetheless, have their advantages and disadvantages.
• The importance of sustainable farming for the environment. Food production is a vital part of people’s lives. Science has shown that agriculture contributes to pollution. Now, climate change concerns raise the question—how can humans grow food without damaging the environment? Sustainable principles may be the answer to this question.
• Genetically modified foods: history, benefits and drawbacks, and common misconceptions. Many discussions surround the topic of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs are crops whose DNA was changed artificially. Some people believe that bioengineered fruits and vegetables pose risks to people’s health. Others say that genetic engineering improves harvest and food quality.
• Can GMOs solve world hunger ? Food shortage is among the biggest problems in the world. Genetic modification may introduce crops that ripen faster, stay fresh longer, and yield a better harvest. However, these GMOs may not grow as well as natural plants. These issues are at the center of the debate around bioengineering.

🧪 Science Topics to Write About

Science Essay Topics for Middle School

• How did humans learn to measure speed and velocity?
• Everyday life examples of Newton’s 2 nd law of motion
• Current differences in various measurements of distance
• How and why are miles different from nautical miles?
• The concept of time from antiquity to modern clocks
• How were measurements of distance developed?
• How gravity explains most of the natural phenomena on Earth
• The history of Einstein’s theory of gravity and people who opposed it
• The history of the 3 different systems of measuring temperature
• Which temperature unit is easier to use in daily life: Fahrenheit or Celsius?
• How can Newton’s laws of motion be explained by using household objects?
• Experimental design : how to improve the results of an experiment
• Is safety important in scientific experimentation, or does it get in the way of discovery?
• How the Earth was shaped: tectonic plates’ movement. A long time ago, the continents used to be shaped differently. Their shape depended on the direction of tectonic plates. It is believed that they once formed Pangaea—a supercontinent that broke into many pieces and created the modern continents.
• Can humans create new continents and change the existing ones? Humans contribute to shaping the planet in many ways. Agriculture and the search for resources change the terrain, while urban development leads to climate change. Also, various islands are constructed by people from natural and artificial materials.
• What is the air that we breathe made out of? The air in the Earth’s atmosphere is unique. It allows nature to thrive and live. Air contains more than just various gases. It also holds water and particles that affect pollution, climate, and nature’s health.
• The layers of the atmosphere : why mountain air is different. The Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere with layers. Each of them has a different composition and pressure level. That is why people say that the air on the top of a mountain feels different. This variety affects many aspects of the natural world.
• How the Earth is shaped today: volcanoes , earthquakes, and tsunamis. Different natural phenomena contribute to changing the shape of the planet. For example, volcanic eruptions make lava spill onto land and water. Over time, this lava hardens and turns into rock. These events can create whole new landforms or destroy existing ones.
• Which animals can live in the outer layers of the atmosphere? Almost all living beings on Earth require oxygen to survive. However, some of them may need less oxygen than others. Interestingly, a small group of creatures needs almost no air. Various microorganisms can even be found as high as the troposphere.
• The dangers of oxygen. Everybody knows that oxygen is a source of life on Earth . But it is also a part of many dangerous chemical reactions. For example, breathing in pure oxygen is harmful for the body.
• The internal layers of Earth: their chemical composition and state. Earth’s inner structure is as layered as its atmosphere. Each component has unique properties and a different physical state. The movement of one layer can result in volcanic eruptions and earthquakes .
• What are the purpose and special status of navigational stars? Celestial navigation means finding one’s location using stars. It is an ancient practice that is still used today. Some stars, however, play a more important role than others. They serve as marks for easy navigation. The most well-known navigational star is the Polaris, but there are many more.
• The history of weather forecasting in ancient cultures. Today, people can look at a weather forecast for weeks ahead. In ancient times, different cultures searched for the best ways of predicting the weather . Some interesting sources of information were the stars, the color of the sky, the lunar phases, and animal behavior.

Science Essay Topics for High School Students

• Printing food: will you be able to download a pizza?
• Why are there so many programming languages ?
• Can computers create meaningful and original art?
• The place of creative professions in an AI-powered future
• Is distance learning effective, or does it hinder studying?
• Are there any alternatives to plastic that benefit the environment?
• Can everyone stay inside forever with the help of technology?
• The common mistakes that AI continues to make to this day
• Enhancing the quality of school education with virtual reality
• The effect of social media on building relationships and making friends
• The research of artificially produced foods and its environmental impact
• Which devices do students and teachers need to introduce into the classroom ?
• The rise of distance learning : the best methods of studying remotely
• Is translation software equally developed for all languages of the world?
• How people in small communities can find each other with social media
• The impact of unrecyclable materials on oceans. Pollution is on the minds of many scientists today. Ocean animals are often injured or killed by plastic debris . Coral reefs and vegetation also struggle with materials that cannot be recycled. You may suggest ways of cleaning the ocean and making it a better environment for its flora and fauna.
• The use of big data in predicting people’s everyday choices. Big data refers to collecting enormous amounts of information. The data is taken from open online sources. It is then analyzed for different industries to use. How can companies use big data to predict what people need?
• How does marketing use Internet-of-Things? Marketing specialists are always searching for new technologies to explore. They want to surprise their clients and make them interested in their company’s product. The Internet-of-Things connects devices and saves valuable data. Advertisements may use this interconnectedness to their advantage.
• The differences between traditional and digital art . Many of today’s artists are skilled in using software to create art. They use digital painting programs to produce unique works. But how does digital art differ from traditional methods? What negative and positive sides does it have?
• Why do search engines show different results for the same search term? When entering a keyword into Google , Bing, or other search engines, one can get an array of different responses. This essay can explore different companies’ strategies to provide the best answers to their users’ queries.
• What are the disadvantages of clean energy sources ? With the issue of climate change on the rise, many scientists suggest using eco-friendly energy sources . Such options have many benefits for the world. However, they also pose some risks.
• The history of global nuclear energy development. Nuclear energy is a controversial topic among scientists. On the one hand, it is an alternative to fossil fuel use. On the other, the devastating effects of nuclear plant catastrophes expose many risks of this option. This energy source is an excellent topic for an exploratory or argumentative science essay.
• Benefits and drawbacks of wind and solar power for everyday use. Comparisons between solar and wind power are at the center of many debates about clean energy. Both options are considered environmentally friendly, but they are very different. A compare-and-contrast essay on this topic is sure to provide many points of discussion.
• Is it possible for people to produce more freshwater than there currently is? The freshwater supply is limited, and science searches for new ways to produce it. Some organizations collect rainwater and make it safe for consumption. Others try to invent more effective seawater filters. The goal of this search is to support the growing water demand.
• Can science prolong our lives or even let us live forever? Many people think about mortality and try to prolong their lives. Some researchers may believe that there are ways to make people live longer by slowing down aging. A scientific essay can explore people’s search for life extension strategies.

🔭 Space Exploration Essay Topics: Science and Technology

Science and Technology Topics in Space Studies

• What is the role of NASA in space research?
• How relevant is the problem of space debris?
• Describe the dynamics of space flights
• What is the role of dogs in space travel ?
• History and evolution of space research
• What is the purpose of planetary science ?
• The first man to travel into space
• Top 10 interesting facts about space
• Explain the concept of wormholes
• Ecological problems of space exploration
• Exploration and effects of dark matter
• Discuss the process of human adaptation to space conditions
• What have we learned from space research over the last decade?
• How do you understand and define spacetime?
• How does the James Webb Space Telescope work?
• What are some of the most prominent contributors to space research?
• Discuss possibilities of manned trips to other planets
• The evidence that proves the existence of black holes
• What is significant about the Solar System?
• What are gravitational waves , and how can we measure them?
• Describe the first 50 years of the space age
• Compare and contrast different space exploration techniques
• Discuss Space Exploration Day, its origin, and relevance
• The effect of space weather on the planet Earth
• Current trends and news about space exploration
• Who are the most famous American astronauts and researchers?
• What are the benefits of space research for society?
• The use of standard candles in measuring distance in space
• What are the economic benefits of space exploration?
• What are the space programs of major countries ?
• The history of non-human animals in spacecraft testing. Before the first human was sent into space, many animals were used to test spacecraft. Some of them successfully reached their goals and returned home. Countries such as the US and USSR sent various animals into space, ranging from dogs to chimpanzees.
• What is the connection between a planet and its moons ? Many planets, including the Earth, have one or several moons. In total, there are more than 200 moons in the Solar System . These natural satellites orbit their planets and influence their weather. Although Earth has only one natural satellite, the Moon , it plays a significant role in its climate.
• The biological effects of space travel and its long-term outcomes. Astronauts who spend time in space report changes in their behavior. For example, they get accustomed to the lack of gravity on the spaceship. Their health is also affected—even a short trip leads to “space adaptation syndrome.”
• What are the prospects of exploring space beyond the Solar System? Currently, human-led expeditions aim for nearby space segments. However, robotic spacecraft and powerful telescopes help people see beyond the Solar System. Voyagers 1 and 2 are the only NASA’s spacecraft that can cross interstellar limits. They still have enough power to collect more data.
• Gravity on Earth and in the Solar System. The role of gravity on Earth is vital for every system and occurrence. A gravitational pull that keeps planets in their orbits, but gravity can do much more—it creates stars, moves matter, and heats planetary cores.
• How far have the scientists reached in their exploration of space? People’s view of the universe has expanded dramatically since the first theories about space. Now, it appears endless, and people use the best technology to see its remotest corners. The Solar System is no longer the limit of exploration, and many vital discoveries contributed to this knowledge.
• The history of exoplanet research. Extrasolar planets (or exoplanets) move through space outside the Solar System. The first evidence of their existence appeared as early as the 1910s. However, it was confirmed scientifically only in the 1980s. Since then, researchers have discovered more than 4000 exoplanets.
• Why is Mars the primary goal of many missions? Mars is the center of space exploration news. Since 1933, NASA has led the Mars Exploration Program (MEP) to investigate the planet’s resources. It also has a solid surface that allows exploration robots to roam Mars in search of life.
• The international legacy of space exploration. During the Cold War , space exploration was a part of the US and the USSR competition. Since then, astronauts from many countries have participated in missions. Space programs have a national purpose, but cooperation between countries leads to better results.

Technology Essay Topics about Space Exploration

• History of space telescopes
• How is a sub-orbital rocket constructed?
• Describe any type of modern spacecraft
• How does a rocket engine work?
• Discuss the relevance of space weapons
• How does an artificial satellite work?
• The Cassini mission and its legacy
• The cultural impact of Curiosity rover
• What are safety measures on spacecrafts?
• What are the modern targets of space exploration?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of uncrewed spacecraft?
• Can space technology help to combat the avian influenza virus ?
• How long will it take for a spaceship to get to a nearby planet?
• Prospects for the development of space technologies
• Who are the pioneers of rocket and space technology?
• Spacecraft classification according to their missions
• What happens at the International Space Station ?
• Can space technology solve the energy crisis ?
• Project Orion: origin, challenges, and its impact
• The journeys of NASA’s robotic spacecraft around and beyond Earth’s atmosphere. NASA’s history of space exploration includes many exciting expeditions. Human-led missions were grand and are remembered in history. However, unmanned probes have brought lots of information about space to NASA. They were able to collect samples for investigation and photograph remote planets.
• Why is gravity important in space explorations? Everyone knows that astronauts live in space with no gravity . Weightlessness is an issue that affects the human body. Some space objects have gravity, but it is different from Earth’s. Understanding this aspect of space exploration is vital for designing future missions.
• Elon Musk’s dream of building a rocket. The whole world follows the news of how scientists at Space X tried to reinvent spacecraft. They failed many times, but only to succeed and partner with NASA. Explore the timeline of their innovations in your essay.
• What is the role of experimentation in space travel improvement? Space exploration is a complicated field where a slight miscalculation can lead to dangerous results. Many space ships and probes have failed in decades of testing. That is why experimentation is a core part of exploration. Without failure, success cannot be achieved.
• How did the safety of spacecraft evolve over the years? Human spaceflights pose many dangers to the ship’s crew. People cannot survive in outer space, so the spacecraft must be safe from radiation and hostile environments. Moreover, astronauts who go into outer space or step on the surface of other planets have to be equipped to handle the harsh conditions.
• The history of communication in space. Communication between astronauts and Earth is crucial for all space missions. It is also a remedy for space travelers’ isolation from their families and loved ones. A special Space Network was developed to connect the researchers on Earth with the astronauts.
• The successes and failures of “space gardens.” Aboard the International Space Station , astronauts have entire gardens for various vegetables and flowers. However, the process of finding how to grow these plants was long. Space researchers had to solve problems with gravity, water delivery, fertilizer intake, and much more.
• Which technologies allowed people to mimic their daily activities in space? Even in space, people have to eat, sleep, and keep up with their hygiene. However, the lack of gravity turns these simple daily tasks into a challenge. Much of the space-related research was dedicated to creating freeze-dried food, no-rinse shampoo, and other interesting inventions to resolve this issue.
• The differences and similarities between types of spacecraft. Robotic spacecraft have unique characteristics that correspond with their missions. For example, flyby spacecraft explores the Solar System without landing. Some probes are designed to land on a planet and send data back to Earth . Others are made to penetrate the surface of a comet to measure its properties.
• How did crewless spacecraft evolve? The creation of uncrewed spacecraft has changed with the world’s technological advancement . At first, spacecraft only left the Earth’s atmosphere to observe space. Robots and rovers were eventually designed to land on other planets . These machines need to survive harsh environments to collect data.

Space Race Essay: Scientific Topics

• Cold War , space research, and diplomacy
• What were the consequences of the space race?
• Was the space race a result of the Cold War ?
• The failures and successes of the US in the space race
• Soviet vs. American rocket development
• Compare and contrast Sputnik and Explorer satellites
• How were space discoveries affected by the Cold War ?
• Timeline of space investigation during the Cold War
• How did the space race affect other spheres of scientific development?
• The state of US and USSR’s space programs after the end of the Cold War
• Why was the Moon chosen as the destination for both nations during the space race?
• The role of US/Soviet spacecraft cooperation in reducing Cold War tensions
• Planned trips to other planets of the Solar System during the space race
• What are the positive and negative consequences of the space race for the countries?
• How did the competition between the US and the USSR start? In the early 20 th century, the tensions between the United States and the USSR were combat-based. However, the arms race after World War II transformed it into a space race. Both nations wanted to be the first in achieving space exploration milestones.
• Was the creation of NASA a consequence of the Cold War? NASA was established in 1958. Its earlier projects show that the space race influenced the organization. For instance, the operation Man in Space Soonest (MISS) name reveals the competitive nature of early space exploration.
• The influence of the USSR’s space exploration achievements on American politics . The US was the first country to put a man on the Moon. Nevertheless, the USSR made several important discoveries as well. This fact undoubtedly affected American politics during and after the Cold War . It inspired political ideas rooted in scientific superiority and academic achievement.
• What did the Apollo missions achieve? The Apollo program lasted from 1968 until 1972, including six successful missions. Some spacecraft were launched to orbit the Moon and photograph its surface. During the Apollo 11 mission, two astronauts landed and walked on the Moon .

• Did the space race contribute to other tensions between the US and USSR ? The competition surrounding space exploration led to many domestic and foreign political changes. Both countries set ambitious goals and cultivated a sense of pride in their achievements. It may be argued that the space race was a continuation of a long tradition of seeking leadership in technology .
• The first woman in space and the history of female astronauts. The story of the first man in space is well-known to most people. However, the USSR also sent the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova, into space in 1963. After that, no flights included women up until the 1980s. Nowadays, female astronauts come from many countries, but men on spacecraft crews still outnumber them.
• The role of Germany in the advancement of rocket technology in World War II . The space race usually mentions two key players—the US and the USSR. However, Germany also affected this competition during and after World War II. Missiles created in Nazi Germany showed that sub-orbital spaceflight was possible. Soviet and American rocket engineers used their military knowledge and transferred it into spacecraft design.
• The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. In 1972, the US and USSR leaders decided to push for cooperation rather than competition in the space race. As a result, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) began its development. It was the first international mission; in 1975, two spacecraft docked in space to symbolize unity.
• How did the first men in space contribute to space exploration? Both the US and the USSR were able to send people to space. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin was the first human to fly in Earth’s orbit. In 1969, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon. Both events significantly contributed to the countries’ national development and interest in space exploration.

Science and Technology Essay Ideas in Space Innovations

• Why should we continue space exploration ?
• How much money is spent on space research today?
• What are the future perspectives of space investigation?
• What are the major challenges in geodesy?
• The main types of space telescopes
• Is colonization of the Solar System possible?
• Should more money be invested in spacecraft innovations?
• What space innovations do you think will be invented in the future?
• Do you think humanity can survive an asteroid impact?
• Compare and contrast the colonization of outer space planets in 2 science fiction novels
• What can the previous crashes of spacecraft teach engineers? Many of the space missions failed across the globe. Crewless probes, drones , and spacecraft with a crew can fail at any stage of the flight. However, previous unsuccessful efforts are very useful for scientists.
• The potential for recreational space travel. Millions of people dream of going into space, but the astronaut profession is not for everyone. Recreational travel is a chance for tourists to experience space. It is a question of whether it will be possible.
• Key participants in space exploration innovations in the 21st century. In the last century, the US and USSR were the key countries in space exploration. Now, many nations contribute to innovations and develop new technologies. For example, the International Space Station (ISS) program includes Japan, Canada, Germany, and other countries.
• Elon Musk’s reusable rockets. Currently, most spacecraft cannot be reused for space missions. Many factors lead to aircraft degradation, making it dangerous for second use. One of the goals of Space X, created by Elon Musk , is to develop fully-reusable spacecraft.
• The ideas of space colonization in movies: are any of them realistic? Films such as The Martian , Interstellar , and Alien introduce exciting ideas about space travel. Although they are fictional, they may depict certain devices or scenarios that will be real in the future.
• What are the reasons behind people’s renewed interest in space travel? The end of the Cold War also marked diminished interest in space exploration. For some years, people didn’t pay much attention to it. However, now it appears that the passion for exploration has been sparked again. Many countries are currently working on their own spacecraft, and people see Mars as the new destination to conquer.
• Space drones and other crewless spacecraft for interplanetary exploration. Scientists were able to create various spacecraft to go beyond the limits of the Solar System. One of the latest ideas is to make interplanetary drones that will leave the Earth and gather information in a new way.
• Does the Moon present any potential for travel and colonization? Historically, the Moon landings are considered to be outstanding achievements. Now, the Moon is again the center of discussions. You can explore interesting concepts for colonizing the Moon.
• Technological advancements in creating safe and comfortable spacesuits for different environments. Space travel requires scientists to develop spacesuits that protect people from various harsh environments. For example, landing on Mars would require a suit that withstands great and rapid temperature changes.

💡 Science and Technology Essay Topics: Other Ideas

• The new Face ID technology: is it a revolutionary invention?
• What will technical schools look like in the future?
• Is the human brain more productive than a computer?
• The temperature on the surface of exoplanets
• Thomas Edison’s contribution to technological advancements
• How do sun rays affect people’s health?
• Revolutionary technologies and famous inventions from Japan
• Technologies that make driving safer
• How will people study exact sciences in the future?
• New technologies in modern architecture
• Stephen Hawking’s black holes hypothesis
• Is there a possibility that people’s manual labor might not be necessary for any manufacturing processes in the future?
• Do new technologies influence people’s appearance ? How do they do it?
• What would today’s world be like without cellphones and computers?
• What could Leonardo da Vinci possibly invent in the 21 st century?
• Will professions that don’t require the human factor remain in demand in several decades?
• What impact do new technologies have on people’s beliefs and personal philosophies ?
• New technologies and equipment that helps farmers during the wheat harvest
• Will hover drones replace helicopters in the future?
• What are the top 5 alternative energy sources?
• What technologies should be implemented to stop pollution on Earth?
• Social media’s  impact on the populations of different countries
• If people colonize Mars , what means of communication between two planets might be fast enough to share information?
• How can the problem of lack of Internet connection in some parts of the world be solved?
• A scientific approach to the problem of alcoholism
• NASA’s space projects that will be realized in the next decade
• Spheres in which computer technologies cannot replace human workers
• The history of computers: how was the first computer invented?
• A scientific approach to global warming: the most efficient methods of the catastrophe prevention
• Useful features in the new generation of computers and smartphones
• Ernest Rutherford’s scientific career and achievements
• The most technologically advanced country in the world
• Technologies implemented for cleaning the oceans from garbage
• Innovative methods of charging electronic devices
• Scientific research in spaceships: are travels at light speed possible?
• Modern automobiles and technologies that help drivers control their vehicles
• The furthest object that humanity managed to observe with the help of a telescope
• Is teleportation possible, or should people stop spending money on its development?
• The most ridiculous and useless scientific experiments
• The human brain and a  computer : differences and  similarities
• Gravity, temperature, and living conditions on the Moon
• What can be possibly found at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean? Will humanity ever reach its deepest point?
• Technologies used in nursing for delivering appropriate medication to patients in hospital settings
• Scientific research on the topic of protecting nature and the environment: ecologic technologies and policies
• Does the popular minimalist movement contribute to new technologies in any way?
• The tallest plants on Earth and where they grow
• Innovative technologies in  producing and reserving electricity  all over the world
• New technologies that prevent ships from falling over during storms
• Apple’s approach to the safety of their clients’ personal data
• How will the Solar System’s planets’ orbits change in the next century?
• The universe: how big can it possibly be?
• Nanotechnologies used in medicine to heal people with AIDS and cancer
• Earth’s collision with an asteroid in approximately 600 years: actual threat or a hoax?
• Is it ever going to be possible for humanity to travel outside the limits of our galaxy?
• Will humans terraform Mars instead of saving the Earth from an ecological catastrophe?
• Use of nanotechnologies in reducing the amount of garbage on the planet
• New technologies in sports and how will they influence people’s health
• Modern bicycles with reduced risk of accidents on the roads
• The safest means of transport in the world
• Virtual reality  and its use in art
• Can disabled people live a full life with the help of virtual reality?
• The best way to travel across the universe and galaxies
• Robots and their use in the mining industry
• Is there a possibility of human clones’ production?
• The most impressive innovations that people expect scientists to develop in the next century
• Nanotechnologies in biology: Is it possible that people might install microchips in their heads to record every memory and valuable data?
• Is it necessary to support human brain activities with the help of technology?
• Social media vs. television : will people stop watching TV altogether?
• New technologies in education: what new methods of teaching and studying might be helpful in colleges and universities?
• How does the world of electronic devices influence people’s relationships with one another?
• A new trend in Japan : marriages with virtual characters
• The effectiveness of physical exercises supported by new technologies
• How long does it take scientists to develop a vaccine against a virus that emerged unexpectedly?
• The diffusion of the Ebola virus and various methods of its prevention in healthy people
• Benefits of the 3D printing technology in healthcare
• In what ways did computers change people’s lives?
• Products that make people’s night rests healthier and their daily activities more productive
• The  environmental pollution’s impact on people’s health: toxic gases, dirty water, and GMO foods
• New technologies that help pilots control and land the aircrafts
• The role of drones in the modern world: how can people use this technology to save finances and prevent traffic jams?
• Vehicles of the future: how will people travel in several decades?
• What technologies should scientists develop for people to survive on Mars ?
• New technologies’ impact on people’s health, lifestyle, and values
• The technology of controlling computers and mobile phones using only brain activity
• New technologies that balance people’s nervous systems and prevent stresses
• Nanotechnologies in ophthalmology : helping children with visual impairments
• People’s mental health and how modern devices influence it
• New technologies in sustainability: recycling methods
• China’s rapid development : technologies that the country uses for its economic system’s growth
• Ways of producing oxygen on Mars in the future

• Technologies that filter water and make it suitable for consumption
• Apps and programs for effective remote work
• Oil drilling technologies and their impact on the environment
• How will the Internet change in 100 years, and what technology might replace the World Wide Web in the future?
• Apps and programs that help students in accomplishing and organizing scientific research
• The advantages of using the cloning technologies in household cares
• Undesirable outcomes of people’s dependency on their electronic devices: computers, mobile phones, and gaming consoles
• New technologies in language learning: innovative methods to expand one’s vocabulary
• New technologies used for transplanting vital organs
• The role of video games in people’s lives
• The possible harm that robots might cause to humanity
• Is it possible to travel through time, and what technologies might help develop a time machine ?
• How ecological fuel that might replace  natural gas , petrol, and diesel
• Perpetual motion machine: attempts of different scientists to create an engine with endless resources of energy
• Technologies that Americans use daily
• Scientific inventions or decisions that might save the world from an ecological catastrophe
• How far can people travel from Earth in outer space ?
• Automobiles’ aerodynamic qualities and how they have changed since the 1950s
• How do technologies change people’s mentalities and cultures?
• What is the purpose of inventing new warfare technologies if some countries have enough power to destroy our planet?
• The impact of new technologies on military establishment and relationships among countries
• Does the Internet make people more intelligent, or is it the other way round?
• Technologies restricted by law in the territory of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
• Do Internet search engines such as Google , Ask, and Bing make people less attentive to what they learn?
• If new software requires more memory space on computers, how many terabytes will an average user need to work online in 20 years?
• How can robots help humanity to increase people’s daily productivity?
• New Apple devices that can change people’s lives
• Alternative ways of finding and sharing necessary information in the future
• Will robots coexist with people in 100 years?
• Will translation software ever be able to replace professional interpreters?
• How can robots and other programmed machines provide medical treatment to hospital patients?
• New technologies in the taxi business
• Is technological progress a good thing, or should we deliberately slow it down?
• What technologies cause harm to the environment, Earth’s population, and the oceans?
• Technologies in the tattoo business: the most effective methods of putting colored pigments under the skin
• Does the US government use any technologies that allow them to wiretap people’s private calls? Is it ethical?
• What technologies should be implemented to create wireless access to the Internet worldwide?
• Do values of contemporary people focus on new technologies more than on everything else?
• What technologies should be implemented to reduce the possibility of overpopulation on Earth?
• Are  electric cars  more cost-effective and productive than vehicles that run on gasoline, diesel, and natural gas?
• Do Face ID and Touch ID technologies protect people’s data from hackers?
• Can any technology reduce the time required for night rests?
• How intelligent are dolphins and whales ?
• Newly emerged research areas and branches of science
• The role of synthetic biology in medicine
• Bionics: the main principles and purposes of the new science
• Nutrigenomics: food values and other factors that influence people’s health
• The main principles and objectives of the memetics study
• Neuroeconomics: the ability of the human brain to make wise decisions
• Sonocytology: the study of the sounds and impulses that the human cells make
• Technologies that help people socialize and rehabilitate after long-term
• How can zero gravity in outer space be used for people’s benefit?
• Which countries are known for their achievements in the sphere of chemistry ?
• Leading countries in the sphere of technology.
• How long will it take Earth to restore all its resources and energy consumed by humanity?
• Machine learning in restaurant and hotel businesses: Improved methods of cooperating with clients
• The ethics of implanting microchips in animals
• AI in online shopping : is it cost-efficient regarding both time and money?
• New technologies that reduce various health risks in polluted areas
• Innovative methods of completing medical operations are more accurate and reduce the possibilities of unfortunate outcomes
• Process automation aimed at cleaning eggs and removing bacteria from the natural products’ surfaces
• How can the implantation of microchips in the human brain help paralyzed individuals?
• Autopilot installed in heavy trucks
• Payment systems that require people’s eye or face scans: is this technology safer than ordinary passwords ?
• Camera options that allow people to film in the 360-degree mode
• Solar batteries and their significance in the modern age
• Smart computers that don’t require a person’s intervention to complete tasks or collect information
• Robotic chefs: the device’s functions and other options that make cooking easier
• The technology of modular phones: why did the idea of creating a phone that consists of multiple blocks fail?
• VR technology that might allow people to feel and touch virtual objects
• Water recycling technology that filters the water people use for showering
• Advanced fishing technologies: sensors, drones, and artificial intelligence
• Gyroscope and various devices based on its working principle
• New technologies in web design
• Newton circle and its spheres of use
• Scientific facts that prove the existence of other life forms in the outer space
• Active volcanoes that can erupt at any moment: preventative technologies and safety measures
• Technologies that make people healthy and fit without effort: are they possible?
• Augmented reality use in the cosmetics business
• Potential branches of science that might lead to the creation of new occupations in the future
• The most valuable resource on Earth and technological methods of its extraction
• Internet-of-Things: how is it used in agriculture ?
• Synthetic foods: do they contain any nutritional components?
• What technologies can help people reduce the cost of utilities ?
• Entertainment: how will VR technologies influence people’s hobbies in the future?
• How long will it take people to travel between Earth and Mars?
• The temperature on Mars: is it possible for humans to survive on the Red Planet without additional heating devices?
• What will people eat on Mars, and how will they get their food?
• Professions that humanity might need on Mars during colonization
• Messages sent by society in outer space: will they ever be answered?
• If there are other forms of life in different galaxies, how will humans understand and contact them?
• Satellites on our planet’s orbit: what do these devices do, and why are they important for people?
• Is it possible for a human being to stay in a deep freeze for an extended period?
• What do cosmonauts research and observe in the orbit of Earth?
• The main problems of modern science: what issues are scientists trying to solve?
• How dangerous can new technologies be for our environment?
• How do different professions change and improve due to technological development ?
• Ethical aspects of genetic engineering for humans
• Egyptian pyramids : technologies that ancient Egyptians used to build their pharaohs’ graves
• Contemporary achievements in genetics
• How have helicopters developed since the 1950s?
• Controversial issues of stem cell research
• German technologies in road building: how is it possible to build a high-quality road for decades?
• Wireless technologies that maternity hospitals use
• What is antimatter, and how can it be used in the medical field?
• How has  technology changed our lives compared to people living a century ago?
• The technology you cannot live without
• What are  the advantages  and disadvantages of genetic engineering?
• Experiments on humans: can they be justified for the sake of science development?
• Can alternative energy technologies provide humanity with sustainable energy resources?
• What technologies can limit the adverse human impact on the environment ?
• Smart devices that can help you reduce your carbon footprint
• Is there a connection between human activity and natural disasters ?
• Military technology advancement: a way to safety or a global threat?
• Robot army: a scene from a movie or our near future?
• Science and technology for personal safety
• Advances in science and technology for  cybersecurity
• Development of technologies for safe online purchases

📝 Science and Technology Essay Prompts

Writing science and technology essays might be a challenging task. Our essay prompts are here to inspire you. Keep reading to make your essay writing even more effortless.

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Science in Everyday Life Essay Prompt

Every day we are surrounded by marvelous inventions that can be described in your paper:

• Anything made of plastic. Today numerous industries rely on the production of plastic, from packaging and electronics to aerospace and industrial engineering.
• Anything charged with electricity. The work of people like Alessandro Volta or Andre-Marie Ampere lies at the foundation of the electrical industry.
• Any food item in front of you. Science has revolutionized our approach to food cultivation and raised agricultural productivity to a new level.
• Any modern medicine. At the end of the 18th century, scientist Edward Jenner established that vaccination works. And in the 19th century, the germ theory of disease emerged, which saved millions of lives over two hundred years.

Technology in the Future Essay Prompt

If you choose to write a paper about technology in the future, you can consider describing the following technologies:

• Vision-improving technology . Artificial cornea or iris can provide vision to people with impairments.
• Small living robots . These robots can deliver medicine to different body parts or collect microplastic from the oceans.
• Internet everywhere . Companies such as Google or Facebook use helium balloons, drones, microsatellites, and other technology to provide the Internet to inaccessible areas.
• Dairy products made in a lab . Biotech companies are searching for a way to make dairy products more available and less damaging to the environment. There are already some lab-made dairy products available in the US.

Interest in Science Essay Prompt

If you wish to tell about your interest in science or make your reader interested in it, take a look at these ideas:

• Factors that influence one’s attitude towards science. You can analyze reasons for students’ interest or indifference towards science.
• Parents’ role in children’s attitude towards science. Discuss how parents, their social status, or education level affect their children’s interests.
• How does one’s faith affect their perception of science? Some religious beliefs don’t support scientific ideas about life and the universe.

Importance of Science Essay Prompt

Science is essential for our society, environment, and many other parts of our lives. In your essay about the importance of science, you can include the following points:

• Science is solving the mysteries of our universe. One of the main goals of science is to gain knowledge about the world. It helps us understand different phenomena and find solutions to numerous problems.
• How science benefits society . Science is also used to improve our life quality. Education and knowledge allow us to make our lives easier and more enjoyable.
• The way science helps solve global challenges . Health, agriculture, and other spheres rely on science. Governments also use science to combat issues, such as climate change.

✍️ How to Write a Scientific Essay

To achieve academic prowess in science and technology studies, you will need to get good at writing scientific essays. Here are the general principles of essay writing:

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Essay on Science and Technology Outline

The structure of a science and technology essay remains the same as basically any other essay type. It includes the following points:

Science & Technology Essay Introduction

In your introduction, you should make your reader interested in your topic. Start with a hook, and don’t forget to include some background information. You can consult our article about writing a good introduction for more info.

An introduction of a science and technology essay about the disadvantages of space exploration can look like that:

Space exploration’s contribution to environmental science is impossible to deny. However, it might also be damaging to the environment itself. Space exploration produces hydrochloric acid and carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming.

Thesis Statement about Technology & Science

Close your introduction with a thesis to state the main point of your essay. Make sure to support your point with evidence throughout the text.

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There should be ways to make space exploration less damaging to the environment since the pollution caused by it is getting worse every year.

Science and Technology Essay Body

The body paragraphs are the central part of your essay. There you show your investigation results and support them with solid arguments. Don’t forget to open each of the paragraphs with a topic sentence that can let your reader know the main idea of the passage (you can learn more from this article about topic sentences by Rochester Institute of Technology.)

Aluminum oxide particles produced during rocket launches absorb the radiation and contribute to global warming. NASA uses fuel that consists of aluminum powder and ammonium perchlorate in their solid booster rockets. They form aluminum oxide when combined. As a result, these rocket launches are damaging to the environment and are one of the causes of climate change and global warming.

Science and Technology Essay Conclusion

The conclusion closes your essay by restating your thesis statement and making your reader want to dive further into your topic. Keep in mind that just saying that “more research on the subject is required” is not what the conclusion should be about. Make sure to include plenty of details in addition to summarizing the articles.

To sum up, although space exploration allows us to know more about our universe and makes our life easier, it also negatively affects the environment. Less damaging ways are needed in order for us to continue gaining knowledge and improving our life quality without hurting our planet.

Choosing Topics Related to Science and Technology

The field of science and technology is so broad that it is not very easy to decide on good science and technology topics right away. That is why we will explain the main issues to pay attention to while picking out a topic for your scientific essay:

• It must be interesting for you as a writer;
• It should be of current importance for readers;
• It has to shed light on some scientific innovations.

If you consider these three points, you’ll have an excellent opportunity to succeed in writing your essays on science and technology.

If you feel lost and unsure what is a worthy topic, try thinking about something down-to-earth and present in our daily lives. For more tips on choosing good topics, check out some brainstorming techniques in our Guide to Academic Writing or use our topic generator .

Scientific Essay: Bonus Tips

• Be sure you correctly understand the chosen problem.
• Formulate your sentences well.
• Use linking phrases within paragraphs and the text as a whole.
• Ensure that your text is cohesive and logical.
• Write in a language that would be clear even to an audience of non-professionals.
• Mind the tone and wording of your technology essay.
• Be careful not to make mistakes in spelling, grammar, style, and format.
• Sound formal but not moralizing.
• Foresee possible questions from your readers and answer them beforehand.
• Call your readers to action and push them toward an adequate response.

Although essays might be one of the most common writing assignments, our free tips are here to make your studies even more enjoyable! We hope the information presented here will help you create an excellent scientific essay. Let us know what you think about our guide in the comments below!

Further reading:

• Funny Informative Speech Topics and Ideas for Presentation
• A List of Informative Speech Topics: Best Creative Topic Ideas
• Good Informative Speech Topics: How to Get Thunders of Applause
• Social Studies Topics for Your Research Project
• Satirical Essay Examples and Best Satire Essay Topics
• Evidence: UNC Writing Center
• What Is STS: Harvard University
• An Introduction to Science and Technology Studies: London’s Global University
• What is the Study of STS? Stanford University
• Science and Technology: Gale
• Essay Structure: Ashford Writing Center
• 100 Technology Topics for Research Papers: Owlcation
• A CS Research Topic Generator: Purdue University
• Research Topics List: NASA
• 11 of The Biggest Innovations Shaping The Future of Spaceflight Today: Insider
• Space Exploration Timeline: ALIC
• Science and Technology: Academia
• Modern Technology: ScienceDirect
• Are Space Launches Bad for the Environment?: Science Focus
• The Future of Space Exploration: University of Central Florida
• The Space Race: Digital History
• Sputnik, 1957: United States Department of State
• Space Exploration and Innovation: UNOOSA
• Benefits of Science: University of California, Berkeley
• Technology in Space Exploration and Beyond: Experimental College
• US Views of Technology and the Future: Pew Research Center
• The Development of Interest in Science: NCBI
• Science for Society: UNESCO
• Science and Technology: RAND
• The Relationship between Science and Technology: ScienceDirect
• Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) and Culture for Sustainable Development and The MDGs: United Nations
• Religion and Science: The Atlantic
• Writing the Scientific Paper: Colorado State University
• International Space Station: Facts, History & Tracking: Space.com: NASA, Space Exploration and Astronomy News
• Screaming Yeast: Sonocytology, Cytoplasmic Milieus, and Cellular Subjectivities: University of Chicago
• What is Nanotechnology?: University of Wisconsin–Madison
• 5 Influential NASA Inventions: Ohio University
• GMO Crops, Animal Food, and Beyond: US Food and Drug Administration
• Hydroponics: Oklahoma State University
• The Science of Virtual Reality: The Franklin Institute
• How Important Is Technology in Education? Benefits, Challenges, and Impact on Students: American University, Washington, DC.
• What was Pangea?: USGS
• Renewable Energy Explained: US Energy Information Administration
• Deep Space Communication and Navigation: European Space Agency
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Your mood leaves a lot to be desired. Everything around you is getting on your nerves. But still, there’s one thing that may save you: music. Just think of all the times you turned on your favorite song, and it lifted your spirits! So, why not write about it in a music essay? In this article, you’ll find all the information necessary for this type of assignment: 267 brilliant music...

Not everyone knows it, but globalization is not a brand-new process that started with the advent of the Internet. In fact, it’s been around throughout all of human history. This makes the choice of topics related to globalization practically endless.  If you need help choosing a writing idea, this Custom-Writing.org...

In today’s world, fashion has become one of the most significant aspects of our lives. It influences everything from clothing and furniture to language and etiquette. It propels the economy, shapes people’s personal tastes, defines individuals and communities, and satisfies all possible desires and needs. In this article, Custom-Writing.org experts...

Early motherhood is a very complicated social problem. Even though the number of teenage mothers globally has decreased since 1991, about 12 million teen girls in developing countries give birth every year. If you need to write a paper on the issue of adolescent pregnancy and can’t find a good...

Human rights are moral norms and behavior standards towards all people that are protected by national and international law. They represent fundamental principles on which our society is founded. Human rights are a crucial safeguard for every person in the world. That’s why teachers often assign students to research and...

Global warming has been a major issue for almost half a century. Today, it remains a topical problem on which the future of humanity depends. Despite a halt between 1998 and 2013, world temperatures continue to rise, and the situation is expected to get worse in the future. When it...

Have you ever witnessed someone face unwanted aggressive behavior from classmates? According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 1 in 5 students says they have experienced bullying at least once in their lifetime. These shocking statistics prove that bullying is a burning topic that deserves detailed research. In this...

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Expository writing, as the name suggests, involves presenting factual information. It aims to educate readers rather than entertain or persuade them. Examples of expository writing include scholarly articles, textbook pages, news reports, and instructional guides. Therefore, it may seem challenging to students who are used to writing persuasive and argumentative...

Expository or informative essays are academic papers presenting objective explanations of a specific subject with facts and evidence. These essays prioritize balanced views over personal opinions, aiming to inform readers without imposing the writer’s perspective. Informative essays are widely assigned to students across various academic levels and can cover various...

Your computer stores your memories, contacts, and study-related materials. It’s probably one of your most valuable items. But how often do you think about its safety? Cyber security is something that can help you with this. Simply put, it prevents digital attacks so that no one can access your data....

A problem solution essay is a type of persuasive essay. It’s a piece of writing that presents a particular problem and provides different options for solving it. It is commonly used for subject exams or IELTS writing tasks. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to write this...

Well, I like your tips and suggestions, but please give us some topics that are related to our issues nowadays. Also, give us some specific and eye-catching title to help us with our article. Thank you : )

Thanks for the advice, Barbie, I’ll keep that in mind 🙂

Excellent post. I’m going through a few of these issues as well.

I hope to write my Science and Technology essay successfully. I read your post and think to complete my essay on Science and Technology without any problems.

Fascinating topics for my essay on Science and Technology! Hm, don’t know which one to choose for my paper… but now this is not a big problem) Thanks!

English that goes straight to the heart

Importance of Science and Technology Essay

If we look at the global scenario, the modern world is moving exceptionally fast. There are rapid scientific and technological changes that are occurring in a steady progression.

After going through this post, you will be able to understand the importance of Science and Technology.

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Importance of Science and Technology Essay (400+ Words)

In today’s rapidly changing world, the ability to harness modern science and technology has become a significant determinant of a nation’s wealth and power. The development of science and technology has far-reaching implications for the future of social and economic growth, allowing us to shape the fate of our country.

Thanks to rapid technological advances, the dependency on natural resources or their proportional factors has reduced significantly. Machines, aided by quick technological changes resulting from scientific advancements, enable man to perform with greater precision and efficiency, resulting in a significant improvement in his work.

The most crucial aspect of our current era is the sustained efforts to leverage the gains of science to enhance the human condition. Human ingenuity must convert scientific discoveries into technological innovations, which must be developed to bring about significant improvements in our living conditions.

Agricultural scientists have made remarkable contributions by introducing new innovations that employ scientific methods to grow crops, thereby improving our national economy and human welfare. By providing machines and developing quality seeds, fertilizers, and insecticides suited to bringing about a green revolution in agriculture, we have achieved complete self-sufficiency in food grains.

The desired scientific and technological advancements have been achieved, and our country has successfully boosted various crucial national activities such as information and telecommunication, television, meteorological services, medical advancements, industrial development, nuclear research, Space Research, and Oceanographic Research.

A robust science and technology infrastructure base has been established over the years, providing modern shapes to world industries. It encompasses a chain of laboratories, specialized centers, academic and research institutes, training centers, and development programs that consistently provide skilled and technically trained manpower and technological support to industries for better execution.

In the field of medical care, science has made significant strides, and new technology has enabled the development of a compelling medical care framework at an affordable cost. Innovative medical technology provides a system for confidently handling critical cases and saving human lives. Medical research has yielded positive results in areas such as nutrition, tuberculosis, reproduction, child care, leprosy, drugs, communicable diseases, cholera , and malaria. Today, man has the ability to treat these dreaded diseases using established methods of treatment and care.

As the modern world moves exceptionally fast, with rapid scientific and technological changes occurring steadily, our country must prioritize science and technology as its foremost national priority to accomplish its objective of becoming a world power and a global competitor.

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• Solar Eclipse 2024

What the World Has Learned From Past Eclipses

C louds scudded over the small volcanic island of Principe, off the western coast of Africa, on the afternoon of May 29, 1919. Arthur Eddington, director of the Cambridge Observatory in the U.K., waited for the Sun to emerge. The remains of a morning thunderstorm could ruin everything.

The island was about to experience the rare and overwhelming sight of a total solar eclipse. For six minutes, the longest eclipse since 1416, the Moon would completely block the face of the Sun, pulling a curtain of darkness over a thin stripe of Earth. Eddington traveled into the eclipse path to try and prove one of the most consequential ideas of his age: Albert Einstein’s new theory of general relativity.

Eddington, a physicist, was one of the few people at the time who understood the theory, which Einstein proposed in 1915. But many other scientists were stymied by the bizarre idea that gravity is not a mutual attraction, but a warping of spacetime. Light itself would be subject to this warping, too. So an eclipse would be the best way to prove whether the theory was true, because with the Sun’s light blocked by the Moon, astronomers would be able to see whether the Sun’s gravity bent the light of distant stars behind it.

Two teams of astronomers boarded ships steaming from Liverpool, England, in March 1919 to watch the eclipse and take the measure of the stars. Eddington and his team went to Principe, and another team led by Frank Dyson of the Greenwich Observatory went to Sobral, Brazil.

Totality, the complete obscuration of the Sun, would be at 2:13 local time in Principe. Moments before the Moon slid in front of the Sun, the clouds finally began breaking up. For a moment, it was totally clear. Eddington and his group hastily captured images of a star cluster found near the Sun that day, called the Hyades, found in the constellation of Taurus. The astronomers were using the best astronomical technology of the time, photographic plates, which are large exposures taken on glass instead of film. Stars appeared on seven of the plates, and solar “prominences,” filaments of gas streaming from the Sun, appeared on others.

Eddington wanted to stay in Principe to measure the Hyades when there was no eclipse, but a ship workers’ strike made him leave early. Later, Eddington and Dyson both compared the glass plates taken during the eclipse to other glass plates captured of the Hyades in a different part of the sky, when there was no eclipse. On the images from Eddington’s and Dyson’s expeditions, the stars were not aligned. The 40-year-old Einstein was right.

“Lights All Askew In the Heavens,” the New York Times proclaimed when the scientific papers were published. The eclipse was the key to the discovery—as so many solar eclipses before and since have illuminated new findings about our universe.

To understand why Eddington and Dyson traveled such distances to watch the eclipse, we need to talk about gravity.

Since at least the days of Isaac Newton, who wrote in 1687, scientists thought gravity was a simple force of mutual attraction. Newton proposed that every object in the universe attracts every other object in the universe, and that the strength of this attraction is related to the size of the objects and the distances among them. This is mostly true, actually, but it’s a little more nuanced than that.

On much larger scales, like among black holes or galaxy clusters, Newtonian gravity falls short. It also can’t accurately account for the movement of large objects that are close together, such as how the orbit of Mercury is affected by its proximity the Sun.

Albert Einstein’s most consequential breakthrough solved these problems. General relativity holds that gravity is not really an invisible force of mutual attraction, but a distortion. Rather than some kind of mutual tug-of-war, large objects like the Sun and other stars respond relative to each other because the space they are in has been altered. Their mass is so great that they bend the fabric of space and time around themselves.

Read More: 10 Surprising Facts About the 2024 Solar Eclipse

This was a weird concept, and many scientists thought Einstein’s ideas and equations were ridiculous. But others thought it sounded reasonable. Einstein and others knew that if the theory was correct, and the fabric of reality is bending around large objects, then light itself would have to follow that bend. The light of a star in the great distance, for instance, would seem to curve around a large object in front of it, nearer to us—like our Sun. But normally, it’s impossible to study stars behind the Sun to measure this effect. Enter an eclipse.

Einstein’s theory gives an equation for how much the Sun’s gravity would displace the images of background stars. Newton’s theory predicts only half that amount of displacement.

Eddington and Dyson measured the Hyades cluster because it contains many stars; the more stars to distort, the better the comparison. Both teams of scientists encountered strange political and natural obstacles in making the discovery, which are chronicled beautifully in the book No Shadow of a Doubt: The 1919 Eclipse That Confirmed Einstein's Theory of Relativity , by the physicist Daniel Kennefick. But the confirmation of Einstein’s ideas was worth it. Eddington said as much in a letter to his mother: “The one good plate that I measured gave a result agreeing with Einstein,” he wrote , “and I think I have got a little confirmation from a second plate.”

The Eddington-Dyson experiments were hardly the first time scientists used eclipses to make profound new discoveries. The idea dates to the beginnings of human civilization.

Careful records of lunar and solar eclipses are one of the greatest legacies of ancient Babylon. Astronomers—or astrologers, really, but the goal was the same—were able to predict both lunar and solar eclipses with impressive accuracy. They worked out what we now call the Saros Cycle, a repeating period of 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours in which eclipses appear to repeat. One Saros cycle is equal to 223 synodic months, which is the time it takes the Moon to return to the same phase as seen from Earth. They also figured out, though may not have understood it completely, the geometry that enables eclipses to happen.

The path we trace around the Sun is called the ecliptic. Our planet’s axis is tilted with respect to the ecliptic plane, which is why we have seasons, and why the other celestial bodies seem to cross the same general path in our sky.

As the Moon goes around Earth, it, too, crosses the plane of the ecliptic twice in a year. The ascending node is where the Moon moves into the northern ecliptic. The descending node is where the Moon enters the southern ecliptic. When the Moon crosses a node, a total solar eclipse can happen. Ancient astronomers were aware of these points in the sky, and by the apex of Babylonian civilization, they were very good at predicting when eclipses would occur.

Two and a half millennia later, in 2016, astronomers used these same ancient records to measure the change in the rate at which Earth’s rotation is slowing—which is to say, the amount by which are days are lengthening, over thousands of years.

By the middle of the 19 th century, scientific discoveries came at a frenetic pace, and eclipses powered many of them. In October 1868, two astronomers, Pierre Jules César Janssen and Joseph Norman Lockyer, separately measured the colors of sunlight during a total eclipse. Each found evidence of an unknown element, indicating a new discovery: Helium, named for the Greek god of the Sun. In another eclipse in 1869, astronomers found convincing evidence of another new element, which they nicknamed coronium—before learning a few decades later that it was not a new element, but highly ionized iron, indicating that the Sun’s atmosphere is exceptionally, bizarrely hot. This oddity led to the prediction, in the 1950s, of a continual outflow that we now call the solar wind.

And during solar eclipses between 1878 and 1908, astronomers searched in vain for a proposed extra planet within the orbit of Mercury. Provisionally named Vulcan, this planet was thought to exist because Newtonian gravity could not fully describe Mercury’s strange orbit. The matter of the innermost planet’s path was settled, finally, in 1915, when Einstein used general relativity equations to explain it.

Many eclipse expeditions were intended to learn something new, or to prove an idea right—or wrong. But many of these discoveries have major practical effects on us. Understanding the Sun, and why its atmosphere gets so hot, can help us predict solar outbursts that could disrupt the power grid and communications satellites. Understanding gravity, at all scales, allows us to know and to navigate the cosmos.

GPS satellites, for instance, provide accurate measurements down to inches on Earth. Relativity equations account for the effects of the Earth’s gravity and the distances between the satellites and their receivers on the ground. Special relativity holds that the clocks on satellites, which experience weaker gravity, seem to run slower than clocks under the stronger force of gravity on Earth. From the point of view of the satellite, Earth clocks seem to run faster. We can use different satellites in different positions, and different ground stations, to accurately triangulate our positions on Earth down to inches. Without those calculations, GPS satellites would be far less precise.

This year, scientists fanned out across North America and in the skies above it will continue the legacy of eclipse science. Scientists from NASA and several universities and other research institutions will study Earth’s atmosphere; the Sun’s atmosphere; the Sun’s magnetic fields; and the Sun’s atmospheric outbursts, called coronal mass ejections.

When you look up at the Sun and Moon on the eclipse , the Moon’s day — or just observe its shadow darkening the ground beneath the clouds, which seems more likely — think about all the discoveries still yet waiting to happen, just behind the shadow of the Moon.

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The Evolution of Mummy Studies: from Archaeology to Modern Science

This essay about the evolution of mummy studies discusses how the field has transformed from its archaeological roots to a multidisciplinary science. It highlights the pivotal role of technological advancements, such as radiocarbon dating and medical imaging, in enhancing our understanding of mummified remains. Through genetic analysis and museum exhibitions, mummy studies have not only uncovered historical insights but also engaged the public in the exploration of ancient cultures. Despite challenges like varying preservation techniques and ethical considerations, the study of mummies continues to advance, reflecting humanity’s enduring fascination with unraveling the mysteries of the past.

How it works

The study of mummies, once confined to the realm of archaeology and ancient history, has evolved dramatically over the centuries, propelled forward by advancements in technology and interdisciplinary collaboration. From the early explorations of ancient tombs to cutting-edge scientific analyses, the journey of understanding mummies spans cultures, disciplines, and epochs.

Ancient civilizations across the globe, from Egypt to Peru, practiced the preservation of the dead in various forms. However, it was the discovery of Egyptian mummies that captured the imagination of the world and laid the foundation for modern mummy studies.

European explorers and archaeologists of the 19th and early 20th centuries embarked on expeditions to Egypt, unearthing tombs filled with mummified remains. These early endeavors focused primarily on the recovery of artifacts and the documentation of burial practices, providing invaluable insights into ancient Egyptian culture and society.

As the discipline matured, so too did the methods of investigation. In the mid-20th century, with the advent of radiocarbon dating and other scientific techniques, mummy studies underwent a paradigm shift. Researchers could now analyze mummified remains with unprecedented precision, unlocking a wealth of information about diet, health, and genetics. Radiocarbon dating, in particular, revolutionized the field by allowing scholars to accurately determine the age of mummies and correlate them with historical events and periods.

Moreover, advancements in medical imaging, such as CT scans and MRI technology, have further revolutionized the study of mummies. These non-invasive techniques enable researchers to peer beneath the wrappings without damaging the delicate remains, revealing anatomical details and potential causes of death. Through CT scans, scientists can reconstruct the lives of ancient individuals in remarkable detail, shedding light on their health, lifestyle, and even their mummification process.

The integration of genetics into mummy studies has also yielded groundbreaking discoveries. By extracting and analyzing DNA from mummified remains, researchers can trace familial relationships, migration patterns, and genetic predispositions to diseases. This interdisciplinary approach has expanded our understanding of ancient populations and their interactions, challenging conventional narratives and enriching our collective knowledge of human history.

Furthermore, mummy studies have not been confined solely to academic research. Museums around the world have embraced mummies as both educational tools and cultural artifacts, presenting them to the public in innovative and engaging ways. Exhibitions featuring mummified remains offer visitors a glimpse into the lives of ancient peoples, sparking curiosity and fostering a deeper appreciation for the diversity of human experiences across time and space.

Despite these advancements, challenges persist in the field of mummy studies. Preservation techniques vary widely among ancient cultures, and environmental factors can significantly impact the condition of mummified remains. Additionally, ethical considerations surrounding the handling and display of human remains continue to provoke debate within the academic community and beyond. Balancing the pursuit of knowledge with respect for the deceased remains a central concern for researchers and museum curators alike.

In conclusion, the evolution of mummy studies from archaeology to modern science reflects not only the progress of technology but also the enduring fascination with the mysteries of the past. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and technological innovation, researchers have unraveled the secrets of mummies with unprecedented clarity, enriching our understanding of ancient civilizations and the human experience. As we continue to navigate this complex tapestry of history, culture, and science, the study of mummies will undoubtedly remain a vibrant and dynamic field of inquiry for generations to come.

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A Guide to the Total Solar Eclipse

By Rivka Galchen

On April 8th, the moon will partly and then entirely block out the sun. The total eclipse will be visible to those in a hundred-and-fifteen-mile-wide sash, called the path of totality, slung from the hip of Sinaloa to the shoulder of Newfoundland. At the path’s midline, the untimely starry sky will last nearly four and a half minutes, and at the edges it will last for a blink. On the ground, the lunacy around total eclipses often has a Lollapalooza feel. Little-known places in the path of totality—Radar Base, Texas; Perryville, Missouri—have been preparing, many of them for years, to accommodate the lawn chairs, soul bands, food trucks, sellers of commemorative pins, and porta-potties. Eclipse viewers seeking solitude may also cause problems: the local government of Mars Hill, Maine, is reminding people that trails on Mt. Katahdin are closed, because it is mud season and therefore dangerous. I have a friend whose feelings and opinions often mirror my own; when I told her a year ago that I had booked an Airbnb in Austin in order to see this eclipse, she looked at me as if I’d announced I was bringing my daughter to a pox party.

Altering plans because of this periodic celestial event has a long tradition, however. On May 28, 585 B.C., according to Herodotus, an eclipse led the Medes and Lydians, after more than five years of war, to become “alike anxious” to come to peace. More than a hundred years before that, the Assyrian royalty of Mesopotamia protected themselves from the ill omen of solar eclipses—and from other celestial signs perceived as threatening—by installing substitute kings and queens for the day. Afterward, the substitutes were usually killed, though in one instance, when the real king died, the stand-in, who had been a gardener, held the throne for decades. More recently, an eclipse on May 29, 1919, enabled measurements that recorded the sun bending the path of light in accordance with, and thus verifying, Einstein’s theory of general relativity .

Any given spot on the Earth witnesses a total solar eclipse about once every three hundred and seventy-five years, on average, but somewhere on the planet witnesses a total solar eclipse about once every eighteen months. In Annie Dillard’s essay “ Total Eclipse ,” she says of a partial solar eclipse that it has the relation to a total one that kissing a man has to marrying him, or that flying in a plane has to falling out of a plane. “Although the one experience precedes the other, it in no way prepares you for it,” she writes. During a partial eclipse, you put on the goofy paper eyeglasses and see the outline of the moon reducing its rival, the sun, to a solar cassava, or slimmer. It’s a cool thing to see, and it maybe hints at human vulnerability, the weirdness of light, the scale and reality of the world beyond our planet. But, even when the moon blocks ninety-nine per cent of the sun, it’s still daylight out. When the moon occludes the whole of the sun, everyday expectations collapse: the temperature quickly drops, the colors of shadows become tinny, day flips to darkness, stars precipitously appear, birds stop chirping, bees head back to their hives, hippos come out for their nightly grazing, and humans shout or hide or study or pray or take measurements until, seconds or minutes later, sunlight, and the familiar world, abruptly returns.

It is complete earthly luck that total eclipses follow such a dramatic procession. Our moon, which is about four hundred times less wide than our sun, is also about four hundred times closer to us. For this reason, when the Earth, moon, and sun align with one another, our moon conceals our sun precisely, like a cap over a lens. (I stress “our moon” because other moons around other planets, including planets that orbit other stars, have eclipses that almost certainly don’t line up so nicely.) If our moon were smaller or farther away, or our sun larger or nearer, our sun would never be totally eclipsed. Conversely, if our moon were larger or closer (or our sun smaller or farther away) then our sun would be wholly eclipsed—but we would miss an ecliptic revelation. During totality, a thin circle of brightness rings the moon. Johannes Kepler thought that the circle was the illumination of the atmosphere of the moon, but we now know that the moon has next to no atmosphere and that the bright circle (the corona) is the outermost part of the atmosphere of the sun . A million times less bright than the sun itself, the corona is visible (without a special telescope) only during an eclipse. If we’re judging by images and reports, the corona looks like a fiery halo. I have never seen the sun’s corona. The first total solar eclipse I’ll witness will be this one.

The physicist Frank Close saw a partial eclipse on a bright day in Peterborough, England, in June, 1954, at the age of eight. Close’s science teacher, using cricket and soccer balls to represent the moon and the sun, explained the shadows cast by the moon; Close attributes his life in science to this experience. The teacher also told the class that, forty-five years into the future, there would be a total eclipse visible from England, and Close resolved to see it. That day turned out to be overcast, so the moon-eclipsed sun wasn’t visible—but Close described seeing what felt to him like a vision of the Apocalypse, with a “tsunami of darkness rushing towards me . . . as if a black cloak had been cast over everything” and then the clouds over the sun dispersing briefly when totality was nearly over. Close has since seen six more eclipses and written two books about them, the first a memoir of “chasing” eclipses (“ Eclipse: Journeys to the Dark Side of the Moon ”) and the second a general explainer (“ Eclipses: What Everyone Needs to Know ”).

“I’ve tried to describe each of the eclipses I’ve seen, and I do describe them, but it’s not really describable. There’s no natural phenomenon to compare it to,” he told me recently. Describing an eclipse to someone who hasn’t seen one is like trying to describe the Beatles’ “Good Day Sunshine” to someone who has never heard music, he said. “You can describe notes, frequencies of vibration, but we all know that’s missing the whole thing.” Total eclipses are also close to impossible to film in any meaningful way. The light level plummets, which your eye can process in a way that, say, your mobile phone can’t.

In the half hour or so before totality, as the moon makes its progress across the circle of the sun, colors shift to hues of red and brown. (Dillard, a magus of describing the indescribable, writes that people looked to her as though they were in “a faded color print of a movie filmed in the Middle Ages”—the faces seemed to be those of people now dead, which made her miss her own century, and the people she knew, and the real light of day.) As more of the sun is covered, its light reaches us less directly. “Much of the light that you will be getting is light that has been scattered by the atmosphere from ten to twenty miles away,” Close said. Thus the color shift.

He showed me the equipment that he has used to watch six eclipses: a piece of cardboard about the size of an LP sleeve, with a square cut out of the middle, covered by dark glass. “I used gaffer tape to affix a piece of welder’s glass,” he said. There are small holes at the edge of the board, so he can see how shadows change as the moon eclipses more, and then less, of the sun. When sunlight comes from a crescent rather than from a circle, shadows become elongated along one axis and narrowed along another. “If you spread out your fingers, and look at the shadow of your hand, your fingers will look crablike, as if they have claws on them,” Close said.

Each eclipse Close has seen has been distinct. On a boat in the South Seas, the moon appeared more greenish black than black, “because of reflected light from the water,” he said. In the Sahara, the millions of square miles of sand acted as a mirror, so it was less dark, and Close could see earthshine making the formations on the moon’s surface visible. At another eclipse, he found himself focussed on the appearance of the light of the sun as it really is: white. “We think of it as yellow, but of course that’s just atmospheric scattering, the same mechanism that makes the sky appear blue,” he said. When he travelled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with his family, in 2017, his seven-year-old grandson said, half a minute before totality, that the asphalt road was “moving.” “It was these subtle bands of darker and lighter, moving along at walking pace. The effect it gave to your eye was that you thought the pavement was rippling,” Close said. He had never seen that before.

The moon doesn’t emit light; it only reflects it, like a mirror. In Oscar Wilde’s play “ Salomé ,” each character sees in the moon something of what he fears, or desires. The etymology of “eclipse” connects to the Greek word for failure, and for leaving, for abandonment. In Chinese, the word for eclipse comes from the term that also means “to eat,” likely a reference to the millennia-old description of solar eclipses happening when a dragon consumes the sun. If the moon is a mirror, then the moon during a solar eclipse is a dark and magic mirror.

A Hindu myth explains eclipses through the story of Svabhanu, who steals a sip of the nectar of the gods. The Sun and the Moon tell Vishnu, one of the most powerful of the gods. Vishnu decapitates Svabhanu, but not before he can swallow the sip of nectar. The nectar has made his head, now called Rahu, immortal. As revenge, Rahu periodically eats the Sun—creating eclipses. But, his throat being cut, he can’t swallow the Sun, so it reëmerges again and again. Rahu is in the wrong, obviously, but in ancient representations of him he is often grinning. To me, he looks mischievous rather than frightening.

The first story I can remember reading that featured an eclipse is Mark Twain’s “ A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court .” The wizard Merlin imprisons an engineer named Hank Morgan, who has accidentally travelled from nineteenth-century America to sixth-century Camelot. Morgan, a man who dresses and acts strangely for the sixth century, finds himself, as one would, sentenced to be burned at the stake. But he gets out of it—by convincing others that he is the cause of an eclipse that he knew would occur. As seems only natural for a beloved American story, it’s the (man from the) future that wins this particular standoff, over the ancient ways of Merlin.

To Close, the beginning of an eclipse feels like “a curtains-up statement from the heavens: Science works. Come back in an hour.” He finds it particularly moving that someone, using only measurements and reason, and the laws of celestial motion, could have predicted the April 8th eclipse down to the minute, maybe to the second. The eclipse that surprised the warring Medes and Lydians into peace may not have been a surprise to all; it is said to have been predicted by Thales of Miletus.

I asked Close if he’d ever met someone on his eclipse journeys who wasn’t much impressed. He said no. Still, it’s possible that I and my mirror friend both have the right intuition about this experience we’ve never had. In the last chapter of Roberto Bolaño’s novella “French Comedy of Horrors,” the young narrator witnesses an eclipse while at a soda fountain with his friends; he also witnesses the people around him witnessing the eclipse, including a couple doing a dance “that was somehow anachronistic but at the same time terrifying.” On his way home, he answers a ringing pay phone and finds himself in a lengthy conversation with a stranger who claims to be a member of the Clandestine Surrealist Group, writers living in Paris’s sewer system. The stranger invites the narrator (who wants desperately to be a poet) to join them, at an appointed time and place, months into the future—but says that they can’t pay for his ticket.

His whole eclipse day is banal (soda fountain, pay phone, the price of things) but also tempting, literally surreal, and like a dream. When our hero finally makes it home, at dawn, he sees Achille, the local drunk. Achille tells him that “the eclipse thing wasn’t such a big deal and that people were always getting excited about nothing. In his opinion, true and incredible things happened in the sky every day.” Nature’s everyday wonders might be the more clandestine ones. ♦

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By Jorie Graham

By Deborah Treisman

By Marie Howe

Modern Technology’s Impact on Society Essay

Introduction, disadvantages and advantages of technology.

Modern technology has changed the world beyond recognition. Thanks to technology in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, advances have been made that have revolutionized our lives. Modern man can hardly imagine his life without machines. Every day, new devices either appear, or existing ones are improved. Technology has made the world a better place, bringing people additional conveniences and opportunities for healthy living through advances in science. I believe that the changes that technology has brought to our lives are incredibly positive in many areas.

One of the fields where computing and the Web have introduced improvements is education. Machines can keep large volumes of information in a tiny space, reducing entire library shelves of literature to a single CD-ROM of content (Garsten & Wulff, 2020). The Web also acts as a huge learning tool, linking together data sites and enabling inquisitive individuals to seek out just about any subject conceivable. A single personal computer can hold hundreds of instructional programs, visual and audio tutorials, and provide learners with exposure to an immense quantity of content. In the classroom, virtual whiteboards are replacing conventional whiteboards, allowing teachers to provide interactive content for students and play instructional movies without the need for a projector.

Advanced technology has also dramatically and favorably changed the medical care sector. Developments in diagnostic instruments allow doctors to detect hidden diseases, improving the likelihood of successful therapy and saving lives. Advances in drugs and vaccines have been extremely influential, nearly eradicating diseases such as measles, diphtheria, and smallpox, which once caused massive epidemics (Garsten & Wulff, 2020). Modern medicine allows patients to treat chronic diseases that were once debilitating and life-threatening, such as diabetes and hypertension. Technological advances in medicine have helped improve the lives of people around the world. In addition, the latest technology has dramatically increased the productivity of various techniques.

The computers’ capability to resolve complicated mathematical calculations enables them to accelerate any problem that involves metrics or other calculations. Simulating physical processes on a computer can save time and money in any production situation, giving engineers the ability to simulate any design. Modern technology in transportation allows large distances to be traveled quickly. Electric trains, airplanes, cars, and even rockets are used for this purpose (Garsten & Wulff, 2020). In this way, technology brings positive change for people who love to travel.

Despite all the positive changes, there are also disadvantages to the active development of technology. For example, more and more people are becoming dependent on the computer, TV, or cell phone. They ignore their household chores, studies, or work and spend all their time in front of a laptop or TV screen (Garsten & Wulff, 2020). Because of this, people may become inactive and less willing to work, hoping that technology will do everything for them.

In conclusion, I believe that despite some of the disadvantages, the advantages of gadgets are much more significant. Modern technology saves time and allows people to enjoy life. Moreover, new technologies in medicine also contribute to a longer life expectancy of the population and the cure of diseases that were previously beyond the reach of doctors. In addition to medicine, technology has brought significant positive changes to the fields of communication, education, and engineering. Therefore, I believe that the positive impact of technological progress on human lives cannot be denied.

Garsten, C., & Wulff, H. (2020). New technologies at work: People, screens, and social virtuality . Routledge. Web.

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IvyPanda . 2023. "Modern Technology's Impact on Society." May 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/modern-technologys-impact-on-society/.

1. IvyPanda . "Modern Technology's Impact on Society." May 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/modern-technologys-impact-on-society/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Modern Technology's Impact on Society." May 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/modern-technologys-impact-on-society/.

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April 2, 2024

Eclipse Psychology: When the Sun and Moon Align, So Do We

How a total solar eclipse creates connection, unity and caring among the people watching

By Katie Weeman

Students observing a partial solar eclipse on June 21, 2020, in Lhokseumawe, Aceh Province, Indonesia.

NurPhoto/Getty Images

This article is part of a special report on the total solar eclipse that will be visible from parts of the U.S., Mexico and Canada on April 8, 2024.

It was 11:45 A.M. on August 21, 2017. I was in a grassy field in Glendo, Wyo., where I was surrounded by strangers turned friends, more than I could count—and far more people than had ever flocked to this town, population 210 or so. Golden sunlight blanketed thousands of cars parked in haphazard rows all over the rolling hills. The shadows were quickly growing longer, the air was still, and all of our faces pointed to the sky. As the moon progressively covered the sun, the light melted away, the sky blackened, and the temperature dropped. At the moment of totality, when the moon completely covered the sun , some people around me suddenly gasped. Some cheered; some cried; others laughed in disbelief.

Exactly 53 minutes later, in a downtown park in Greenville, S.C., the person who edited this story and the many individuals around him reacted in exactly the same ways.

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When a total solar eclipse descends—as one will across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada on April 8—everyone and everything in the path of totality are engulfed by deep shadow. Unlike the New Year’s Eve countdown that lurches across the globe one blocky time zone after another, the shadow of totality is a dark spot on Earth that measures about 100 miles wide and cruises steadily along a path, covering several thousand miles in four to five hours. The human experiences along that path are not isolated events any more than individual dominoes are isolated pillars in a formation. Once that first domino is tipped, we are all linked into something bigger—and unstoppable. We all experience the momentum and the awe together.

When this phenomenon progresses from Mexico through Texas, the Great Lakes and Canada on April 8, many observers will describe the event as life-changing, well beyond expectations. “You feel a sense of wrongness in those moments before totality , when your surroundings change so rapidly,” says Kate Russo, an author, psychologist and eclipse chaser. “Our initial response is to ask ourselves, ‘Is this an opportunity or a threat?’ When the light changes and the temperature drops, that triggers primal fear. When we have that threat response, our whole body is tuned in to taking in as much information as possible.”

Russo, who has witnessed 13 total eclipses and counting, has interviewed eclipse viewers from around the world. She continues to notice the same emotions felt by all. They begin with that sense of wrongness and primal fear as totality approaches. When totality starts, we feel powerful awe and connection to the world around us. A sense of euphoria develops as we continue watching, and when it’s over, we have a strong desire to seek out the next eclipse.

“The awe we feel during a total eclipse makes us think outside our sense of self. It makes you more attuned to things outside of you,” says Sean Goldy, a postdoctoral fellow at the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University.

Goldy and his team analyzed Twitter data from nearly 2.9 million people during the 2017 total solar eclipse. They found that people within the path of totality were more likely to use not only language that expressed awe but also language that conveyed being unified and affiliated with others. That meant using more “we” words (“us” instead of “me”) and more humble words (“maybe” instead of “always”).

“During an eclipse, people have a broader, more collective focus,” Goldy says. “We also found that the more people expressed awe, the more likely they were to use those ‘we’ words, indicating that people who experience this emotion feel more connected with others.”

This connectivity ties into a sociological concept known as “collective effervescence,” Russo and Goldy say. When groups of humans come together over a shared experience, the energy is greater than the sum of its parts. If you’ve ever been to a large concert or sporting event, you’ve felt the electricity generated by a hive of humans. It magnifies our emotions.

I felt exactly that unified feeling in the open field in Glendo, as if thousands of us were breathing as one. But that’s not the only way people can experience a total eclipse.

During the 2008 total eclipse in Mongolia “I was up on a peak,” Russo recounts. “I was with only my husband and a close friend. We had left the rest of our 25-person tour group at the bottom of the hill. From that vantage point, when the shadow came sweeping in, there was not one man-made thing I could see: no power lines, no buildings or structures. Nothing tethered me to time: It could have been thousands of years ago or long into the future. In that moment, it was as if time didn’t exist.”

Giving us the ability to unhitch ourselves from time—to stop dwelling on time is a unique superpower of a total eclipse. In Russo’s work as a clinical psychologist, she notices patterns in our modern-day mentality. “People with anxiety tend to spend a lot of time in the future. And people with depression spend a lot of time in the past,” she says. An eclipse, time and time again, has the ability to snap us back into the present, at least for a few minutes. “And when you’re less anxious and worried, it opens you up to be more attuned to other people, feel more connected, care for others and be more compassionate,” Goldy says.

Russo, who founded Being in the Shadow , an organization that provides information about total solar eclipses and organizes eclipse events around the world, has experienced this firsthand. Venue managers regularly tell her that eclipse crowds are among the most polite and humble: they follow the rules; they pick up their garbage—they care.

Eclipses remind us that we are part of something bigger, that we are connected with something vast. In the hours before and after totality you have to wear protective glasses to look at the sun, to prevent damage to your eyes. But during the brief time when the moon blocks the last of the sun’s rays, you can finally lower your glasses and look directly at the eclipse. It’s like making eye contact with the universe.

“In my practice, usually if someone says, ‘I feel insignificant,’ that’s a negative thing. But the meaning shifts during an eclipse,” Russo says. To feel insignificant in the moon’s shadow instead means that your sense of self shrinks, that your ego shrinks, she says.

The scale of our “big picture” often changes after witnessing the awe of totality, too. “When you zoom out—really zoom out—it blows away our differences,” Goldy says. When you sit in the shadow of a celestial rock blocking the light of a star 400 times its size that burns at 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit on its surface, suddenly that argument with your partner, that bill sitting on your counter or even the differences among people’s beliefs, origins or politics feel insignificant. When we shift our perspective, connection becomes boundless.

You don’t need to wait for the next eclipse to feel this way. As we travel through life, we lose our relationship with everyday awe. Remember what that feels like? It’s the way a dog looks at a treat or the way my toddler points to the “blue sky!” outside his car window in the middle of rush hour traffic. To find awe, we have to surrender our full attention to the beauty around us. During an eclipse, that comes easily. In everyday life, we may need to be more intentional.

“Totality kick-starts our ability to experience wonder,” Russo says. And with that kick start, maybe we can all use our wonderment faculties more—whether that means pausing for a moment during a morning walk, a hug or a random sunset on a Tuesday. In the continental U.S., we won’t experience another total eclipse until 2044. Let’s not wait until then to seek awe and connection.

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What Solar Eclipse-Gazing Has Looked Like for the Past 2 Centuries

Millions of people on Monday will continue the tradition of experiencing and capturing solar eclipses, a pursuit that has spawned a lot of unusual gear.

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By Sarah Eckinger

• April 8, 2024

For centuries, people have been clamoring to glimpse solar eclipses. From astronomers with custom-built photographic equipment to groups huddled together with special glasses, this spectacle has captivated the human imagination.

Creating a Permanent Record

In 1860, Warren de la Rue captured what many sources describe as the first photograph of a total solar eclipse . He took it in Rivabellosa, Spain, with an instrument known as the Kew Photoheliograph . This combination of a telescope and camera was specifically built to photograph the sun.

Forty years later, Nevil Maskelyne, a magician and an astronomy enthusiast, filmed a total solar eclipse in North Carolina. The footage was lost, however, and only released in 2019 after it was rediscovered in the Royal Astronomical Society’s archives.

Telescopic Vision

For scientists and astronomers, eclipses provide an opportunity not only to view the moon’s umbra and gaze at the sun’s corona, but also to make observations that further their studies. Many observatories, or friendly neighbors with a telescope, also make their instruments available to the public during eclipses.

Fredrik Hjalmar Johansen, Fridtjof Nansen and Sigurd Scott Hansen observing a solar eclipse while on a polar expedition in 1894 .

Women from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and their professor tested out equipment ahead of their eclipse trip (to “catch old Sol in the act,” as the original New York Times article phrased it) to New London, Conn., in 1922.

A group from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania traveled to Yerbaniz, Mexico, in 1923, with telescopes and a 65-foot camera to observe the sun’s corona .

Dr. J.J. Nassau, director of the Warner and Swasey Observatory at Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, prepared to head to Douglas Hill, Maine, to study an eclipse in 1932. An entire freight car was required to transport the institution’s equipment.

Visitors viewed a solar eclipse at an observatory in Berlin in the mid-1930s.

A family set up two telescopes in Bar Harbor, Maine, in 1963. The two children placed stones on the base to help steady them.

An astronomer examined equipment for an eclipse in a desert in Mauritania in June 1973. We credit the hot climate for his choice in outfit.

Indirect Light

If you see people on Monday sprinting to your local park clutching pieces of paper, or with a cardboard box of their head, they are probably planning to reflect or project images of the solar eclipse onto a surface.

Cynthia Goulakos demonstrated a safe way to view a solar eclipse , with two pieces of cardboard to create a reflection of the shadowed sun, in Lowell, Mass., in 1970.

Another popular option is to create a pinhole camera. This woman did so in Central Park in 1963 by using a paper cup with a small hole in the bottom and a twin-lens reflex camera.

Amateur astronomers viewed a partial eclipse, projected from a telescope onto a screen, from atop the Empire State Building in 1967 .

Back in Central Park, in 1970, Irving Schwartz and his wife reflected an eclipse onto a piece of paper by holding binoculars on the edge of a garbage basket.

Children in Denver in 1979 used cardboard viewing boxes and pieces of paper with small pinholes to view projections of a partial eclipse.

A crowd gathered around a basin of water dyed with dark ink, waiting for the reflection of a solar eclipse to appear, in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 1995.

Staring at the Sun (or, How Not to Burn Your Retinas)

Eclipse-gazers have used different methods to protect their eyes throughout the years, some safer than others .

In 1927, women gathered at a window in a building in London to watch a total eclipse through smoked glass. This was popularized in France in the 1700s , but fell out of favor when physicians began writing papers on children whose vision was damaged.

Another trend was to use a strip of exposed photographic film, as seen below in Sydney, Australia, in 1948 and in Turkana, Kenya, in 1963. This method, which was even suggested by The Times in 1979 , has since been declared unsafe.

Solar eclipse glasses are a popular and safe way to view the event ( if you use models compliant with international safety standards ). Over the years there have been various styles, including these large hand-held options found in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 1979.

Parents and children watched a partial eclipse through their eclipse glasses in Tokyo in 1981.

Slimmer, more colorful options were used in Nabusimake, Colombia, in 1998.

In France in 1999.

And in Iran and England in 1999.

And the best way to see the eclipse? With family and friends at a watch party, like this one in Isalo National Park in Madagascar in 2001.