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“The science of today is the technology of tomorrow”
—Theoretical Physicist and Chemical Engineer Edward Teller.
Science and Technology have been the powerful driving forces behind human progress, shaping civilizations, industries and societies. Over centuries, breakthroughs and discoveries in various fields have propelled humanity forward, improving the quality of life and expanding our understanding of the universe.
Introduction
“Man loves to wonder, and that is the seed of science.”
—Ralph Emerson
Science has revolutionized the whole world and made our day –to-day lives very comfortable. The invention of electronic gadgets, automobiles and various other stuff have eased our lives to a great extent which could not be imagined before.
When the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) was invented by Charles Babbage or when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone or when Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf created the Internet, did anyone ever think the striking ways their inventions would impact mankind as we all are witnessing today?
Media, Electronic Gadgets and Internet
Gifted Ghanaian writer and teacher Mr. Ernest Agyemang Yeboah rightly says: “A world without radio is a deaf world. A world without television is a blind world. A world without telephone is a dumb world. A world without communication is indeed a crippled world.”
The convergence of media and technology has started a digital revolution, reshaping industries, economies, and the very nature of human interaction. Media is a medium or mechanism which helps in the dissemination of information plus daily updates ,news and current events. Media has acquired different forms like print media (newspapers, magazines etc.), social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, etc.), broadcasting media (radio) and electronic media (TV, OTT, etc.).
A simple and sophisticated device ‘the mobile phone’ which is one of the greatest developments in human history has become an inevitable and integral part of our lives . It has more or less replaced our calculators, clocks, mail service , diaries, notes, important information and camera, television….all compressed into one. At present, mobile-phones are used for various purposes such as video-chatting ,voicecalling, multimedia-messaging , text-messaging, internet browsing, email and lots more information of all kinds is now available on our fingertips—at just a click away. Statistics shows the number of smart phone subscriptions is forecast to further grow by leaps and bounds in the next coming years.
Television shows and many books have all been made available on the mobile through internet. It has the mobile numbers of your acquaintances stored in it along with your UID , passwords, virtual bank accounts , videos , photographs, and much more. Hence our phone has become the data house of all our information. Any minutest of information related to you and your people can reach you within seconds through mails and SMSs including interview call letters, job offer letters, birth or death or marriage certificates. Electricity and telephone bills can now be paid through mobiles using internet. All types bank transactions are easily done with net banking, mobile banking, UPIs (Unified Payments Interface) within a few seconds without taking the trouble of visiting the bank branch each time.
Online Shopping
All the necessities like groceries, clothes, books of various kinds or the things which might not be available nearby, can now be found on various online shopping websites. Today, online shopping promises cost benefits and competitive pricing, saving of time and transportation expenses, vast range of variety and brands , highly organized payment structure along with cash on delivery option (COD) and great ease of delivery of goods at your doorstep. Mobile phones these days are a state-of-the-art, all-in one multipurpose devices, which can do multiple tasks at the same time. We can now even go to any previously-not known destination by using GPS on Internet.
Online Education and E-Learning
Besides, Technology has also brought revolution in the education sector as well—especially during the catastrophic days of Covid-19 pandemic when the world was generally shut down education was switched over to online mode , the use of digital resources transformed the traditional landscape of teaching and learning. It allowed students to access worldwide quality content along with lots of innovative and useful content helping them to grasp the concepts quite easily. It is also facilitating office-goers to work from home. One can learn a new technology , any new course, musical instrument or try a new recipe by using the different videos, conferences, workshops ,presentations and content available on the internet. Many institutions offer the facility to record and preserve lectures for review, as and when the student might need these. E-learning democratized access to education, offering opportunities to learners irrespective of their geographical location, socio-economic status, or prior educational background. In recent years, e-learning has emerged as a transformative force in education, Even the court hearings and related processes can be done and continued online.
Social Media
With the Internet, arrives the social media—-a boon and a bane in different ways. Whether you are trying to contact a long-lost friend or relative, it’s just a quick-search away. The world has become so seemingly diminutive that physical separation is not a hindrance anymore. Further, social media provide a bounty of informative and entertaining content. It also gives substantial marketing and occupational opportunities. For instance, LinkedIn, a gold mine for job aspirants, helps students build their contacts in their respective fields and navigate smoothly. Social media impacts our society and serves as a hub for criticism ,controversy, provocation and slandering. Social media platforms are an epicenter for smear campaigns and protests that are both political and apolitical in nature.
Agriculture and Defense sector
Science and Technology has enabled tremendous progress in defence sector in the past decade or so. Ranging from different missiles to various warships and aircrafts, technology has come a long way when it comes to defense preparedness.
Food is a primal survival need of all human beings. As a species, with the blessings of science we have evolved continuously to advance our abilities in order to secure this basic physiological need through high-yield variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilizers and modern irrigation techniques. This has not only enhanced productivity and food grain production but also laid the foundation for technological advancements in the sector. The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), precision farming and the Internet of Things (IoT) is helping farmers make data-driven decisions regarding fertilization, irrigation, pest control and resource management.
Based in agroecology, organic or natural farming is a diversified farming system that integrates crops, trees and livestock, allowing the optimum use of functional biodiversity . In organic farming any use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is completely avoided. It encourages traditional indigenous practices, which are primarily based on on-farm biomass recycling, natural nutrient cycling , increasing organic matter in the soil, environmental sustainability, healthier food, animal welfare and good economic opportunities for farmers .
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of a computer program to perform tasks or reasoning processes that relate to human intelligence. Elaborating the word, ‘artificial’ means manufactured or human made and ‘intelligence’ means thinking-power. It refers to the ability of machines to perform sensory or cognitive functions like thinking, perceiving, learning, problem-solving, and decision-making without human intervention. From facial recognition, finger touch to self-driving cars, AI is progressing rapidly and changing human life drastically due to its versatile features.
Genetic engineering
Another technology step – Genetic engineering (genetic modification or genetic manipulation or recombination) is the modification and manipulation of an organism’s DNA (or other nucleic acid) to change its characteristics. It is now widely used in Agriculture, Medical field, Research and various industries to promote a sustainable environment .
Medical and Health sector
Besides, Medical field is totally based on the science and technology. Various medical treatments, machines, techniques, medicines ,vaccines, advanced data analysis, diagnosis and lab facilities, making human body similar hormones are the gifts of science. Medical Science has seen remarkable progress, leading to improved healthcare and increased life expectancy .
Automation has transformed agriculture ,manufacturing, and healthcare. Industrial robots have improved precision and efficiency in production lines. In healthcare, robotic-assisted surgeries have improved treatment outcomes. Prosthetic limbs with neural integration and exoskeletons aid mobility for individuals with disabilities.
Forensic science is the application of scientific methods,principles and techniques to matters of law- criminal and civil. It involves using scientific expertise to investigate crimes or analyze evidence, deadbodies to solve the case. Forensic science encompasses a wide range of disciplines, from DNA analysis to digital forensics.
Archaeological sector
Archaeological science analyses archaeological data, remains ,fossils and tries to gain insights into past human cultures, environments, civilizations and literature. Methods include dating techniques (radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence dating, Obsidian hydration, Archaeomagnetism, Dendrochronology, Potassium-argon dating, Optically Stimulated Luminescence /OSL), artifact analysis (chemical analysis , physical analysis, Imaging techniques, Metabolomics:), and environmental reconstruction (pollen analysis, geoarchaeology, Stable isotope analysis, Geophysics).
Science and Technology has played a pivotal role in preserving the ancient historical monuments and things by providing the knowledge , tools and techniques to analyze ,understand and treat the environmental factors and materials that contribute to their deterioration. Therefore , targeted strategies and treatments are deployed to protect these valuable cultural assets.
Photography
The science of photography incorporates the principles of physics and chemistry that allow the capture and creation of images. It comprises of understanding how lenses focus light , how light interacts with materials and the chemical reactions produce a visible image on film or digital sensors.
Automobile Industry
Through the recent developments in science and technology there is a great progress in the automotive industry that heavily relies on various scientific principles .The invention of various automobiles such as motorcycles, scooters, cars etc along with development of railways , ships, airplanes ,helicopters have helped us to increase our comfort level and reduce the travelling time a lot and also boosted trades with different parts of the world.
Nuclear energy
Another exciting breakthrough is the use of Nuclear Energy ( energy in the nucleus of an atom that holds neutrons and protons).Nuclear reactions (the reactions that change protons and neutrons) release nuclear energy. It is used as Nuclear power to generate electricity, Nuclear medicine(medical speciality involving application of radioactive substances) for early diagnosis and treatment of diseases in a safe and painless way, increasing shelf life of food.
Travel and Tourism
Travel and tourism is increasingly gaining popularity and turned into a multi-billion dollar industry. Apart from the connecting with people irrespective of different cultures and customs by travelling, many industries too are surviving on tourism, i.e hotels, resorts ,tourist guides, travel booking companies, and, to some extent, railways, airways, and so on.
Space power
Space power is a testament to scientific exploration, technological innovation and global collaboration. Through various space programmes, satellite launches and space research projects, mankind has been able to land on moon and also is continuously exploring the huge universe consisting of big galaxies, stars, planets etc. Space exploration represents one of the most ambitious scientific endeavor.
Additionally ,satellites provide temporally and spatially consistent data for understanding changes in the Earth’s ecosystems, vegetation biomass ,ice mass, glaciers , sea level rise, groundwater level and natural calamities including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides.
Green Energy
There are lots of technologies which can be used to substantially reduce the resource consumption, improve human health and conserve the ecosystem. They need to be identified, evaluated, introduced and used from the sustainable development point of view and all subsidies that lead to wasteful and unsustainable consumption need to be stopped as they often distort the value of a resource.
Emphasis is also being laid on numerous scientific methods to harness the full potential of renewable energies like solar energy, wing energy, hydro energy, tidal Energy, Ocean Energy, Piezoelectricity, Biomass/Fuel, Ethanol, Water as a fuel and Geothermal, etc. It is already a very sad reality that the Mother Earth’s carrying capacity has diminished to an extent where our ecological footprint has begun to exceed its carrying capacity. The real globalization calls for a truly unified approach, combining social, economic as well as ecological characteristics . Although green energy is a commendable effort in solving the world’s increasing energy consumption, it must be accompanied by a cultural change the encourage the decrease of the world’s appetite for energy.
“Technology serves as a helpful assistant but can become a perilous overseer,” rightly said Norwegian historian, teacher, and political scientist Christian Lous Lange
Just as Fire is a good slave but a bad master, science also has positive as well as negative sides.
Disadvantages, Limitations and Challenges
However, though science has been an integral part of day to day life on the flip side it has some disadvantages too. If hydrogen bombs, nuclear bombs, and other disastrous inventions fall into the wrong hand they can destroy the entire world within no time. Air pollution and Water pollution are tremendously increasing due to unplanned urbanization, constant running of factories, dumping of factory wastes in water bodies. Noise pollution is also on its’ peak because of roar of DJs and other terrible sounds and as the result, people are losing their listening power and becoming prey to various lifestyle diseases like blood pressure. People are more dependent on science-based machines and instrument instead of doing anything themselves. As many robotic machineries, computers and automatic machines are replacing human workforce, the problem of unemployment is at its peak. Life comes to a standstill and people feel like paralyzed even if electricity supply gets snapped for a short duration of time.
The growing unemployment, the lack of opportunities etc all fuel outrage and make people desperate, and out of this desperation, violence takes birth. Burglaries, kidnappings, abductions have become a natural part worldwide.
Overuse and addiction of smart-phones, social media and internet are increasingly causing health hazards, particularly in young generation which impacts them psychologically as well as physically. Lack of physical activities and increasing screen time is degrading the overall health of common folks.One of the most common examples was the addiction of the well-known ‘Players Unknown Battleground’ popularly known as PUBG which had such a huge influence on masses .
Youth has become incredibly fascinated with cultivating a flamboyantly exaggerated reflection of themselves to please others. We have lost our way amidst the glamour and glitter and of this social media fantasy, and have conveniently forgotten that self-validation must emanate from within.
Thus, it is clearly evident that ‘science & technology’ is like a double-edged sword.
Many individuals are vulnerable to cyber crimes. Some miscreants and several hackers make use of the internet resulting in harassment, online robbery , blackmailing and demand of money in exchange of your data. Persons if left unguided with the Internet, often fall prey to cyber criminals or tend to get addicted to illicit content. Cyber security is a complex issue that cuts across multiple domains and calls for multi-layered, multidimensional responses and initiatives. It has proved a challenge for the governments, because of various domains are typically administered through ministries and departments. The task is made more difficult by the immense cyberspace and diffuse nature of the threats and the inability to frame an adequate response in the absence of tangible perpetrators.
The ubiquitous nature of crimes today, makes it very easy to assume that the present times are reflective of a world having gone violently and irretrievably on the path of imminent destruction.
Online shopping also has some inherent faults like quality of things cannot be verified before buying, delivery of products takes time. Major issue is that that online shopping is overindulging and over-attracting the new generation, which regularly does online shopping just out of fad or fashion, even when there is no necessity or need for the same. Due to its very long outreach, social media is an instrument for plots, manipulation, schemes, online scams and conspiracy theories. False rumors and information along with fake advertisements is effortlessly propagated and gullible citizens are usually victims.
In addition to this online education also has many limitations viz- Non-availability of devices and connectivity( Digital divide) ,technical issues , lack of classroom experience, subjective home environment. Besides, virtual attendance and test-taking procedures are dangerously prone to collapsing under unfair methods adopted by students while prolonged exposure to a digital screen triggers headaches and stress leading to poor concentration and performance.
Mobile phone is indeed beneficial as a revolutionary way to provide connectivity with the world and facilitating access to umpteen amounts of resources and knowledge, it has become a constant source of interruption and disturbance in our lives and hence it is creating an emotional distance. People have not only become over-dependent on their smart-phones but rather also getting addicted to them and indulging in lot of time wastage and money on unproductive activities like needless shopping ,playing games , subscribing to apps and movie channels , unpurposeful surfing of Internet and indulgence with various social media platforms . Research has shown that the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by mobile phones kills birds and damages bird-eggs and embryos.
“ A trend is a trend is a trend.
But the question is, will it bend?
Will it alter its course through some unforeseen force
And come to a premature end? “
— Alexander Cairncross
The degradation of environment is caused not only by misusing natural resources but also by unplanned setting up of factories, industries which have lead to huge increase in pollution levels and temperature level on land, air and water. Excessive use of technology is another factor which has further accentuated these problems.
Global warming is already changing the world around us and thus we have to focus on the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The unusually rapid rate of change has affected the fundamental Earth systems upon which our very lives depend, including ocean circulation and the hydrological, carbon and nutrient cycles. It has also added to existing environmental stresses such as desertification, declining water quality, stratospheric ozone depletion, air pollution, water pollution and deforestation.
To conclude, we can say that there is a bi-directional relationship between environment and technology. To counter these problems , we will have to maintain a proper balance between them .If it is used , sensibly,judiciously and in a balanced way, for the welfare of humanity, it is a blessing, but if used otherwise, it is akin to a big curse. Always remember,
“If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.”
— Omar Bradley.
By: Amruta Vishwas Kharche
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