STS 01: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

CHAPTER 2

GENERAL CONCEPTS AND STS HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS

Lesson 1: Historical Antecedents in the Course of Science and Technology

In this lesson you will learn about the ancient history and the early
civilization. You will study about the different technological
advancement during the ancient period, the middle-ages and the
modern period. You will also study some of the different inventions in
the Philippines.

This module is composed of 4 Topics

Topic 1: Science and Technology in Ancient Times
Topic 2: Science and Technology in Middle Ages
Topic 3: Science and Technology in Modern Period
Topic 4: Philippine Inventions

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Reflected on the interactions between S&T and society throughout
history.
2. Synthesized how scientific and technological developments affect
society and the environment.
3. Discuss the scientific and technological developments in the Philippines.

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What to Know?

Topic 1: Science and Technology in Ancient Times

In the ancient times, people were concerned with transportation and navigation,
communication and record keeping, mass production, security and protection, as well
as health, aesthetics and architecture. Science and Technology keeps on advancing
in order to meet the growing needs of people along these areas. Due to the constant
innovation introduced by Science and Technology, which has the end goal of
improving lives and making the work easier, faster and efficient, our society respond
by changing as well. These changes are evident as each ancient civilization keep on
creating technology that has been modified and that is being used today.

To name a few, Sumerian are known for their

contribution with the first writing system called as
cuneiform. Challenge to mass produce food, they
invented plowing, irrigation and dikes and wheel for
farming. Throughout the existence of this civilization,
their main mode of transportation was through
waterways such as rivers and seas. They are also
known to develop the first road.

Sumerian Cuneiform Tablet

On the other hand, Babylonian civilization,

which emerged near Tigris and Euphrates River
were famous for being great builders, engineers
and architects. One of major contributions is the
hanging garden of Babylon which one of the
seven wonders of the world.

Hanging Garden of Babylon

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Another civilization that is known for its renowned archeological artifact like the
death mask of Tutankhamen and Pyramid of Giza is the Egyptian Civilization. Also,
ancient Egyptians are known for their earlier contributions like water clock or
clypsedra, paper or papyrus, ink and a system of writing known as hieroglyphics. They
have also invented cosmetics for aesthetic reason. Meanwhile, during this time, wigs
were worn by wealthy Egyptians to protect the shave of the heads from the harmful
rays of the sun.

Death Mask Pyramid of Giza

Papyrus Hieroglyphics

Apart from being the birthplace of western philosophy, some of the major
achievements of Greeks include in-depth works on Philosophy and Mathematics. They
are also celebrated for their contribution to the world like coliseum, Olympics, alarm
clock and water mill.

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Greek Coliseum

Perceived to be the strongest

political and social entity in the west,
Roman Empire was considered to be the
cradle of politics and governance. Other
civilizations looked up to it as a model in
terms of codified laws and legislation.
They are also celebrated for the invention
of newspaper, bound books or codex. In
terms of architecture and engineering,
Romans are known for building elaborate
churches, basilicas, aqueducts,
coliseums, amphitheaters and residential
houses. They have also devised their
own number system which is the Roman
Numeral System.

Roman Aqueduct

Considered to be the oldest civilization in Asia, China is known for the silk trade,
tea production, gun powder and the living legend great wall of China.

Silk Road Great Wall of China

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Topic 2: Science and Technology in Middle Ages

The start of the middle ages was marred by massive invasions and migrations.
Wars are prevalent during this time. As such, great technology was needed in the
fields of weaponry, navigation, food and farm production and health. The wars have
resulted to population decline. However, in the later part of this period, there was
significant increase in population. Trade and commerce among nations increased,
which resulted in greater demands for transportation technology. Some of the most
innovative minds came from this period.

To facilitate record keeping, woodlock

printing developed by Chinese was improved by the
time of Johann Gutenberg with a cast type printing
press. This general invention soon evolved to be
the mechanical printing press which was eventually
used all over the world. The printing press was
invented to address the need for publishing books
that would spread information to many people at a
faster rate. This invention also made works
accessible to individuals who could not even write.

Johann Gutenberg Printing

Press

Another invention in the Middle Age is the

microscope. Growing populations caused
massive migration and urbanization during the
period. More and more people transferred to
polluted and populated urban areas which
resulted in more people getting sick. With this,
experts needed to a device to study
microorganisms in order to develop proper
medicines for illnesses. Guided by the principles
used for the invention of eyeglasses in earlier
years, Zacharias Janssen was able to develop
the first compound microscope.

Zacharias Janssen’s
Microscope

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Since the Middle Age was also known as the Age of Exploration, the need for
nautical inventions was high. The invention of the telescope, an optical instrument that
helps in the observation of remote objects, was a great help for navigators during this
time.

Great development in the weaponry technology also occurred in this era. This
include cross bows and long bows. Additionally, in close range hand-to-hand combat,
soldiers should wear something to protect themselves, a need addressed by the
creation of iron body armors. However, body armors were heavy and limited the
movements of the soldiers, chainmail was invented to solve the problem.

Topic 3: Science and Technology in Modern Times

The booming world population during the nineteenth century onwards

demanded that more goods be produced at faster rate. People needed efficient means
of transportation to trade more goods and cover a larger distance. Machines that
required animals to operate must thus be upgraded. Faster and easier means to
communicate and compute should be developed to establish connections between
and among nations. All these needs resulted in the development of industries.
However, due to massive industrialization, the modern times again faced more
complicated problems. Food processing and medicine posed some of the bigger
challenges since health was of great concern.
As people were able to develop better means of production to meet the needs
of the population, food preservation and food safety became an issue. Louis Pasteur,
a French biologist, microbiologist and chemist found a way to solve the problem. He
invented pasteurization, the process of heating dairy products to kill the harmful
bacteria that allow them to spoil faster. Through this process, milk could be stored and
consumed for a longer period. It also prevented illnesses caused by harmful bacteria.
Other contributions of Pasteur to Science and Technology and Medicine included his
works on molecular asymmetry, fermentation and vaccination.
The modern times demanded better means of powering homes and
transportation. This led to the development of kerosene and the petroleum refinery
industry. At present, petroleum is widely used in powering automobiles, factories and
power plants, among others.

The more people got connected by trade and exploration, the more they needed
a way to easily maintain these connections and communicate with each other in real
time. Governments likewise needed some kind of communication system which would
allow them to administer their states well. Important day-to-day decisions must be
discussed and addressed at the fastest time possible. Thus, the invention of telephone
by Alexander Graham Bell was one of the most important inventions at that time.

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Alexander Graham Bell’s Telephone

Although an earlier version of the calculator had already been developed,

circumstances in the modern times required a faster way to compute more
complicated equations. Computing devices must also be easy to carry since they
would be utilized on a day-to-day basis. The creation of modern calculators did not
only pave the way for easier arithmetic calculations, but also resulted in the
development of more complex processing machines like computer.

Topic 4: Philippine Inventions

Despite being considered a developing country, the Philippines also contributes

to the global advancement of science and technology. We have a group of inventors
called the Filipino Inventors Society which aims to remedy the needs of the consumers
by inventing useful machines that could help us in our everyday living. These inventors
are supported by the DOST or the Department of Science and Technology.

Some of the world renounce Filipino inventions are the following:

Medical Bamboo Incubator
Fe del Mundo a pioneered pediatrician in the Philippines,
studied at the University of the Philippines and pursued
further training in Boston. In 1941, to help rural communities
without electricity, she designed the bamboo incubator, a
makeshift incubator that utilized two wicker laundry baskets
of varying sizes. She put hot water bottles in the space
between the baskets to regulate the temperature of the
infants then added a hood and oxygen.

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Jeepney
An immediate post-war, and the most common form of
transportation in the country today. A Filipino invention,
by Leonardo Salvador Sarao Sr. that was exhibited at
the Philippine pavilion at the 1964 New York World's fair
as a national image for the Filipinos.

Videophone

Filipino physicist and engineer Gregorio Y. Zara has

invented the first-ever video call in the world through
television-telephone communication but neglected by the
Philippine government. A two-way videophone device that
allows two people to see each other on a television while
talking using the telephone.

Karaoke sing along system

Roberto del Rosario invented his version of a karaoke

machine. He described his sing-along system as a handy,
multi-purpose, compact machine that incorporates an
amplifier speaker, one or two tape mechanisms, an optional
tuner or radio, and a microphone mixer with features to
enhance one's voice, such as the echo or reverb to simulate
an opera hall or a studio sound. The whole system was
enclosed in one cabinet casing.

SALt Lamp

Filipina scientist Aisa Mijeno when she made

the Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt)
lamp. It is an environment-friendly and
sustainable alternative light source that runs on
saltwater, making it suitable to those who live in
coastal areas. It can also function well in remote
barrios. With just two table spoons of salt and
one glass of tap water, this ecologically
designed lamp can run for eight hours.

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These inventions are being recognized and being used all over the world.
According to the Filipino Inventors Society Secretary Fortunato de la Pena, “we may
lack of resources, but our minds are filled with knowledge” which is true. As a Filipino,
we know how to be patient and how to curl when the blanket is short meaning, we find
ways in every problem that we face.

The items discussed in this chapter are only some of the great inventions and
developments during the different time periods. There are still more innovations and
discoveries that were made in the course of history that changed the world.

What to Do?

OUTPUT 2

If you were to invent something, what would it be? Why? On a piece of A4 Bond Paper,
draw or make an illustration of the invention that you want to invent, and make sure
that it is not yet invented but is possible to be invented in the future. Explain also:
How is your invention similar to or different from existing tools or technologies in terms
of function? Why is there a need for this invention? How will this invention improve the
world's quality of life?

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