General Concepts and Historical Events in Science, Technology and Society

1. CHAPTER 1
General Concepts and Historical
Events in Science, Technology
and Society
SCI 100
Science, Technology and Society

2. Historical
Antecedents in the
Course of Science
and Technology
LESSON 1

3. Antecedents
a precursor to the unfolding or
existence of something
Antecedents of science and
technology are factors that paved
way for the presence of advanced
and sophisticated scientific and
technological innovations today.

4. In the ancient times, people were
concerned with transportation and
navigation, communication and
recordkeeping, mass production,
security and protection, as well as
health, aesthetics, and architecture.
Ancient Times

5. Sumer was an ancient
civilization founded in
the Mesopotamia
known for their
innovations in
language, governance,
architecture and more.
SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION

7. CUNEIFORM
Cuneiform allowed the
Sumerians to keep records
of things with great
historical value or their
everyday life. It is also one
way of passing their
traditions, cultures, and their
legacy.

8. It is a system that
utilizes word pictures
and triangular symbols
which are carved on
clay using wedge
instruments and then
left to dry.
CUNEIFORM

9. The Sumerians were
able to build the city
using only mud or clay
from the river, which
they mixed with reeds,
producing sunbaked
bricks-a true
engineering feat.
URUK CITY

10. There were no building
stones in the location
of this city and lumber
was limited, making
the construction a big
challenge.
URUK CITY

12. The Ziggurat, also
called the mountain of
God, was built in the
same manner that they
constructed the City of
Uruk.
THE GREAT ZIGGURAT OF UR

13. Without much building
materials, the structure was
constructed using sunbaked
bricks. The Ziggurat served
as the sacred place of their
chief god, where only priest
was allowed to enter.
THE GREAT ZIGGURAT OF UR

15. Sumerians created dikes
and irrigation canals to
bring water to farmlands
and at the same time
control the flooding of
the rivers. This method
was considered as one of
the world’s most
beneficial engineering
works.
IRRIGATION AND DIKES

17. Sumerians wanted to
discover faraway lands
to settle since the
population was getting
larger, and boats were
not enough to
accommodate more
people and products.
SAIL BOATS

18. Sailboats were
essential in
transportation and
trading as well as in
fostering culture,
information, and
technology.
SAIL BOATS

20. In the latter part of their
history, the Sumerians were
able to invent the wheel since
the specialized tools needed
to create it were already
available. The first wheels
were not made for
transportation but for farm
work and food process.
WHEEL

21. With the use of the wheel and
axle, mass production was
made easier. Farmers were
able to mill grains with less
effort in less time.
WHEEL

23. The plow was invented to
dig the earth in a faster
pace. As the plow breaks
the ground, the farmer
would just drop the seeds
and farm work would
already be done
THE PLOW

24. In order to facilitate faster and
easier travel, the Sumerians
developed the first roads. With this
work, the flow of traffic became
faster and more organized. They
made the roads with the same
technology they used in making
sunbaked bricks that they laid
down on the ground
ROADS

25. Babylonian civilization
emerged near the
Tigris and Euphrates
river. The Babylonians
were great builders,
engineers, and
architects.
BABYLONIAN CIVILIZATION

27. It was said to be a structure
made up of layers upon
layers of gardens that
contained several species
of plants, trees, and vines.
However, no physical
evidence has been found to
prove the existence of the
Hanging Gardens of
Babylon.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Its exact location is unknown.

28. EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
Another early civilization
famous for its legacy is the
Egyptian civilization located
in North Africa. Many
stories tell about the
engineering feats of the
Egyptian especially
regarding infrastructures
established by the
Pharaohs.

30. Aside from the Sumerians,
Egyptians also developed
a system of writing, they
were able to make writing
easier for the world.
Before, they are using
tables made from clay
tablets but they find it
fragile, heavy, and delicate
to handle.
PAPER OR PAPYRUS
Hence, the Egyptian invention of paper or papyrus was a
welcome development. They were able to process the plant in
order to produce thin sheets on which one could write down
things.

32. When Egyptians invented
the papyrus or the paper,
engraving ceased to be
used in writing. As a result,
the Egyptians invented ink
by combining soot with
different chemicals to
produce inks of different
colors.
INK

34. Egyptians also developed a system of writing using symbols, known
as hieroglyphics. Although some say that hieroglyphics was adapted
from the early writing system established in Mesopotamia as a result
of trade between civilizations the Egyptians believed that this writing
systems was provided to them by their gods.
HIEROGLYPHICS

35. Their way of writing is also the root cause why many
scientists are confused about their history.
Hieroglyphics is not just an ordinary writing of text, but
it is also consisting of many different symbols and
illustrations that may lead the scientist to
misinterpretation of data or meaning. Hieroglyphics
was the language that tells the modern world of the
history and culture of the ancient Egyptians. Their
records were well-preserved since they were carved at
the walls of pyramids and other important Egyptian
structures.
HIEROGLYPHICS

37. Although cosmetics in
the modern times are
used to improve and
highlight the facial
features of a person,
their function in
ancient Egypt was for
both health and
aesthetic.
COSMETICS AND WIG

38. Egyptians wore kohl
around the eyes to
prevent and even cure
eye diseases. Kohl
was created by mixing
soot or malachite with
mineral galena.
COSMETICS AND WIG

39. During the ancient
Egyptian times, wigs
were used for health
and wellness rather
than for aesthetic
purposes. They used
it to cover their head
from the harmful rays
of the sun.
COSMETICS AND WIG

41. This device utilizes gravity that
affects the flow of water from
one vessel to another. This
invention also leads to our
modern-day clock through
series of improvement done by
the succeeding civilization.
WATER CLOCK/ CLEPSYDRA

42. GREEK CIVILIZATION
Greece is an archipelago in the
southeastern part of Europe.
Europe is known as the birth
place of western philosophy,
some of the major
achievements of the Greeks
include in-depth works on
philosophy and mathematics.
Greek civilization has contributed much to the world
especially in the fields of science and technology.

43. GREEK CIVILIZATION
The first proponents of an
atomic theory were the Greek
philosophers Leucippus and
Democritus in the field of
science and on the field of
math they have Pythagoras
who was perhaps the first to
realize that a complete system
of mathematics could be
constructed and later called
Pythagorean Theorem

45. One of the most utilized gadgets
today was invented by ancient
Greeks is the alarm clock. Although
the alarm clock during that time does
not resembles the present-day
clocks, the purpose was just the
same- to tell an individual when to
stop or when to start.
This invention according to the
scientist resembles that of the
Egyptians but this is more complex
but more accurate.
ALARM CLOCK

47. Watermills were
commonly used in
agricultural
processes like
milling of grains
which is
necessary form of
food processing
during that time.
WATER MILL

48. Mass production
of rice, cereals,
flours and the like
became common
with the help of
watermills.
WATER MILL
Modern-day watermills also help for converting mechanical energy into
electricity which also leads to invention of windmill and turbine.

49. ROMAN CIVILIZATION
The Roman Empire was
perceived to be the strongest
political and social entity in the
west. Political because of its
huge population and territory
and social because of religion. It
was considered to be the cradle
of politics and governance
during the period.

50. ROMAN CIVILIZATION
The Roman Empire was
perceived to be the strongest
political and social entity in the
west. Political because of its
huge population and territory
and social because of religion. It
was considered to be the cradle
of politics and governance
during the period.

51. ROMAN CIVILIZATION
Because the Roman Empire was
so large, other civilizations
looked up to it as their model in
terms of legislation and codified
law. That is why many other
civilizations were conquered by
the Roman Empire because of
its existing laws which make it
more complex and more stable
compared to the other
civilizations or empire.

52. The first known newspaper was
the Roman Acta Diurna,
published on orders from Julius
Caesar. It was first published in
Rome in 1605. The first
newspaper became very famous
and helped people know
important events that has
happened.
NEWSPAPER

53. Julius Caesar commissioned
the very first bound book — a
collection of papyrus — to
form a codex. This provided a
safer and more manageable
way to keep the information
secure.
BOUND BOOKS/ CODEX
The codex could hold many volumes, had a built-in cover for protection,
and the pages could be numbered for reference, allowing the use of a table
of contents and index.

54. Roman numerals originated
in ancient Rome, but
survived for some uses
after the end of the Roman
Empire. The numbers in the
system are represented by
combinations of letters
from the Latin alphabet.
ROMAN NUMERALS
Starting in the 14th century, Roman numerals began to be replaced by
Arabic numerals, which benefitted from the use of the zero, making them
much more useful for arithmetic and counting.

55. Romans were very
knowledgeable when it came to
civil engineering. But their
talent wasn't limited to building
large structures like the
Colesseum or roadways. While
it may seem less visually
impressive, their engineering
excellence is highlighted by
their sewage and sanitary
plumbing systems.
PLUMBING AND SANITARY
MANAGEMENT
The drainage pipes were connected and were flushed regularly with the water running off
from streams. Romans also had covered gutter systems and public 'bathrooms' that
ensured that the streets stayed clear of human waste.

57. Romans weren’t just about
spears and daggers, they
also developed precision
medical instruments that
influenced many modern-
day surgical tools.
SURGICAL TOOLS
Some Roman armies employed a trained chirurgus (essentially, a medic trained in
surgery) to staunch blood loss, remove arrows, sew up wounds, and administer
medicines.

58. CHINESE CIVILIZATION
The Chinese civilization is
considered the oldest civilization
in Asia, if not the world. Also
known as the middle kingdom,
China is located on the far east of
Asia. It was very famous among
the other ancient civilization
because of its silk trade.

59. CHINESE CIVILIZATION
The following are contributions of
Chinese civilization to the world
Silk industry
Tea production
Worlds Famous Great wall of China
Gun powder

60. CHINESE CIVILIZATION
China even until know controls the
production of almost everything. Most of
the things like gadget, furniture, weapon,
medicine, basic necessities, any many
other are made in China. That is why
Chinese economy is getting bigger and its
control over the international politics is
indeed very impressive.

61. The start of the middle ages was marred by
massive invasions and migrations. Wars were
prevalent during this time. As such, great
technology was needed in the field of
weaponry, navigation, mass food and farm
production, and health. Most innovative minds
came from this period to control the increase
of trade and commerce among nations.
MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES

63. Johann Gutenberg was able to
invent the printing press, a more
reliable way of printing using a cast
type. 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
PRINTING PRESS

65. Growing population caused
massive migration and
urbanization during the period.
More and more people are
transferred to polluted and
populated urban areas which
resulted in more people getting
sick and needing medical
attention.
MICROSCOPE

66. To develop the proper medicines
for the illness, experts must
understand the sickness through
investigation that is why the
invented this device to magnify the
small things that are invisible to
the naked eye.
MICROSCOPE

67. Since the Middle Ages was also
known as the age of exploration,
the need for nautical inventions
was high. Considering the vast
and empty oceans that
separated lands, ship captains
needed to see far and wide for
them to navigate or avoid
dangers at sea.
TELESCOPE

68. Since wars were widespread
during the Middle Ages, great
development in the weaponry
technology also occurred. One of
the keys to gain victory during this
time are well crafted bows, spears,
even armors which are used in
close range hand-to-hand combat
and for open-area battles.
WAR WEAPON

69. The booming world population during the nineteenth
century onwards demanded that more goods be
produced at a 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 upgrade. Faster and
easier means to communicate and compute should
be developed to establish connections between and
among nations. Because of these, the birth of
various industries takes place. However, due to
massive industrialization, the modern times again
faced more complicated problems.
MODERN TIMES

70. 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. The
challenge to keep manufactured from
deteriorating was greater for dairy
products, especially milk, since they
usually spoiled faster. If this food is not
consumed immediately after the
production, it might lead to food
poisoning, diphtheria, and typhoid
fever.
PASTEURIZATION

71. Louise Pasture, 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 the m so spoil faster. Through
this process, milk could be stored
and consumed for a longer period.
PASTEURIZATION

72. Samuel M. Kier was able to invent
kerosene by refining petroleum.
Kerosene was later on referred to
as the “illuminating oil” because it
was used at first to provide
lighting to homes. After some
time, it was applied for heating
purpose. Nowadays, kerosene is
still present as still used by many
people for powering automobiles,
factories, and power plants,
among others.
PETROLEUM REFINERY

73. Alexander Graham Bell
invented the telephone and it
was one of the most
important inventions at that
time. But before, the
connection is very limited,
the commoners cannot afford
to buy one, and it is not that
reliable in terms of stability
and consistency.
TELEPHONE

75. 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. The creation of modern-
day calculator did not only pave the
way for easier arithmetic
calculations, but also resulted in the
development of more complex
processing machines like computer.
CALCULATOR

76. 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.
PHILIPPINE INVENTIONS

78. Roberto del Rosario invented his
version of a karaoke machine
between 1975 and 1977, his sing-
along system 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.
KARAOKE

79. Roberto del Rosario invented his
version of a karaoke machine
between 1975 and 1977, his sing-
along system 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.
KARAOKE

81. The Salamander is the
tricycle reimagined. It
can transform from
traveling on land to
traveling in water in a
matter of seconds, which
would allow it to serve as
a rescue vehicle in the
event of flooding.
SALAMANDER:
AMPHIBIOUS TRICYCLE
The Salamander is the brainchild of Victor Llave and his team at H2O Technologies, an
innovation and technology company.

82. The SALt Lamp is an
environment-friendly and
sustainable alternative
light source that runs on
saltwater, making it
suitable to those who live
in coastal areas.
SALT LAMP
“To light up the rest of the Philippines sustainably” was the vision of Filipina scientist
Aisa Mijeno when she made the Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt) lamp.

83. 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.
MEDICAL INCUBATOR