Maverick Pete

Activity No. 2
Historical Historical Antecedents in the Course of Science and Technology

1. Research on the technologies or innovations during ancient, middle, and modern ages
aside from those discussed in the module. Take note of the following points:

Ancient time
- Antikythera mechanism
The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient Greek hand-powered orrery,
described as the first analogue computer, the oldest known example of such a device
used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses for calendar and astrological
purposes decades in advance.

- Compass
The compass was invented in China during the Han Dynasty between the 2nd
century BC and 1st century AD where it was called the "south-governor" or "South
Pointing Fish". The magnetic compass was not, at first, used for navigation, but for
geomancy and fortune-telling by the Chinese.

- Sewers and Sanitation

The ancient Roman Empire in many ways boasted the highest level of
sewage and sanitation management in contemporary times. The Romans established
a number of public baths, latrines, and an interlinked sewage line binding them all
together in a complex and efficient feat of engineering.

Middle ages
- Heavy Plough
The world changed when a plough that could plough deep and turn over
heavy clay soil was invented in the Middle Ages. The invention of the heavy plough
made it possible to harness areas with clay soil, and clay soil was more fertile than
the lighter soil types.

- Hourglass
Hourglasses are among a number of ingenious timekeeping devices used
before the development of clocks in the Middle Ages. Hourglasses, also called
sandglasses, sand timers, or sand clocks, are a relatively recent invention. The
earliest known record of hourglasses dates from the 14th century. Hour glasses were
commonly used as timers in early factories. When working with metals the hourglass
aided the tradesman in knowing when just enough heat had been applied to
accomplish the desired effect

- Windmills
The earliest recorded use of windmills found by archaeologists is 1219 in
China. Early windmills were used to power grain mills and water pumps. The concept
of the windmill spread to Europe after the Crusades.

Modern ages
- Airplane
 Wilbur and Orville Wright spent many years building balloons and kites before
they built the first airplane. The Wright brothers piloted the first successful heavier
than air airplane on Dec 17th, 1903. Within a few years, airplanes were successfully
navigating long distances and soon began to transform both wartime and global
travel.

- Refrigerator
The refrigerator was invented to help keep food from spoiling in the heat. Carl
von Linde invented the refrigerator in 1876.Carl von Linde was from Germany.

- Cellular phone
Communication has always been a key to success, from wars to
relationships. Martin Cooper led the team that developed it and brought it to market in
1983 and is considered as the "father of the cell phone “.

a. you consider some of these innovations to be advanced for their period? Cite
examples.
I will consider some of the innovations as advance in their period, especially the
Antikythera mechanism in ancient time because they already come up with that idea
without basis that anyone can’t think of it and their discoveries using this mechanism,
still can use in today’s science. We can say that they are really advance because, in
that time they already studying what is in the outside world. During the middle ages,
the windmill makes them advance in their period because they have already built a
machine that can reduce the human effort in some of their jobs. I consider the cellular
phone as an advance technology in modern ages because they can already
communicate with each other even in a long distance. The cellular phone is very
useful not only in their time, but also in our time.

b. How did these innovations affect human life and activity?

All of the innovation has a big impact on life and activity, not only in their time but also in
the present time. All of their innovation really helps them in life, like the sewers and sanitization,
we can see that they already care about the cleanliness of themselves and the surroundings.
The heavy plough has a big impact in terms of agriculture and until now some of the farmers
still use this kind of innovation, in this scenario we can really say that this innovation has an
impact on their life, like the refrigerator it helps us to preserve our food.

c. Was the development of these technologies motivated by securing subsistence or

by societal goals?
We cannot achieve our goals without development, and without goals we will do
nothing to innovate or built a technology to develop our society. These innovations or
technologies help to achieve societal goals, because some of the technology that
they invented, they serve what they are purpose. Like the hourglass in middle ages,
they use this in the factories as a timer so they can measure the time they need when
working. Airplanes in modern age, it can successfully fly and carry passengers into
other destination, and they use it in wartime and to travel. Also, the refrigerator can
really preserve foods. In my example, we can see that technologies helps to achieve
societal goals because they can successfully execute, their purpose and their
purpose is the goal.

2. Discuss your findings and analysis in an essay.

Many inventions have completely changed our lifestyles, like the invention of cellular phone.
Other inventions merely make life more convenient, like windmills and heavy plough for our
farmers. Some of the most impactful inventions of the ancient time that changed the way we live
were the sewers and sanitation, for the middle age is the windmill that already develop in the
present day.
 All technological innovations, especially in transportation and communication make people's
life easier. Airplane and telephone helped people to connect to each other globally. These
inventions took a significant place in all nations' livings. Apart from those, other innovations such
as compass facilitate all parts of people's life. Another very important invention from the modern
age is the refrigerator. The refrigeration is not only important for food items. Therefore, medicinal
industry can rely on this technology to preserve and transport vaccines. Furthermore, patients
living in distant parts of the world can use this medicine without getting expired. Therefore,
refrigeration has also played a significant role in our lives.

It is obvious that these ancient, middle and modern ages inventions dramatically changed the
way people lived. Those changes were so profound that they have endured, and many of us could
not imagine life without them. That's what many inventions simply seem to do: change the way
people live. Hopefully these changes are for the better. Modern lifestyles will continue to change as
new problems arise and people invent things to solve them. It is hard at times to think about life
without these modern inventions like windmill, airplane, cellular phone and etc. One thing is
certain; we aren't done inventing things yet. There are still future problems to solve and innovations
to create.

3. Give three other major scientific and technological developments in the Philippines that
created a large impact on your daily life.
- Videophone – Gregorio Y. Zara was a Filipino was a Filipino engineer and physicist
best known as the inventor of the videophone, the first two-way electronic video
communicator, in 1955. The Current models of videophones now are based from the
initial invention of Gregorio Y. Zara. This invention really has a large impact in my life
because in today’s pandemic video call is very useful especially in attending class.
Also, before pandemic video call is very useful, because we can talk to some like
family and friends, and also can see them.

- Jeepneys - Jeepneys are the king of the Philippine roads. It was a created by
Leonardo S. Sarao Sr. from the US military jeeps after the Americans left the country
after the war. These surplus jeeps are stripped down and made longer to
accommodate several passengers at the back. These jeepneys help us to have a
cheap transportation every day.

- Banana Catsup is a condiment that many Filipinos love to use for almost every known
dish in the Philippines. This was the invention of food technologist Maria Orosa y
Ylagan. The banana catsup has an impact in my life because, when I’m eating that is
fried, I always use banana catsup as my condiment and it satisfies me when I’m
eating. For me it can fit almost all fried food.

4. What historical antecedents gave rise to the inventions you mentioned in the first question?
In the time of ancient time the Antikythera mechanism was designed to monitor celestial
events, seasons, and festivals. The mechanism tracked the lunar calendar, predicted eclipses, and
charted the position and phase of the Moon. It also tracked the seasons and ancient festivals like
the Olympics. The compass in ancient china was not really for travel, instead the ancient Chinese
wanted to ensure that their philosophy of harmony with nature was correct, so they invented the
compass to designate the directions for their environments, lives, and construction. This
philosophy is known as Feng Shui and is used today. The earliest mention of the compass also
indicates that the Chinese called it “south pointer” so that the jade hunters wouldn’t get lost during
their travels. The sewer and sanitation are the concept of hygiene developed during the Roman
Empire and regulations were put in place to separate waste water by means of a sewage system
in the streets. However, the population continued throwing the excreta onto the street until 100
B.C., when a decree obliged to connect all households to the sewage system, which experienced
an outstanding evolution because, the water was tainted and full of bacteria that were able to
cause illness and death.

In the middle ages, the heavy plough was made it possible to harness areas with clay soil, and
clay soil was more fertile than the lighter soil types. This led to prosperity and literally created a
breeding ground for economic growth and cities and the hour glass is an early device for
measuring intervals of time. The windmill was built for farmers. Farmers used these to grind up
their corn and grain, the windmill would use wind to give energy to the mill and the machines that
grind it up. This invention made daily lives easier. The windmill helped grind up grain a lot quicker.
This increased the amount of grain being produced. So, the invention of the windmill was a huge
labor-saving invention. This was a great invention because it began a revolution of labor-saving
activities via machines instead of other people.

In the modern ages, in 1896, the newspapers were filled with accounts of flying machines. Wilbur
and Orville noticed that all these primitive aircraft lacked suitable controls. They began to wonder
how a pilot might balance an aircraft in the air, just as a cyclist balances his bicycle on the road so
they invented the airplane. The reason behind why they invented the refrigerator is to produce ice
for cooling the air for yellow fever patients and it is mostly used to preserve food and other
perishable items, preventing foodborne illnesses. It works because bacteria growth is slowed at
lower temperatures. Lastly, the cellular phone invented because Cooper wanted people to have
freedom to talk on the phone away from their cars. So, in reaction, he and Motorola embarked on a
project to create a more portable device.