(STS) INFORMATION AGE

Information Age
- Blogs
- Online videos
- Smart phones
- E- commerce portals
- Social media networks
- Online music
- Tables
- Smart watches
- PC/ Laptops

Information Age- The period starting in the last quarter of the 20th century when information become
effortlessly accessible through publications and through the management of information by computers
and computer network.

- It is also the Digital Age and the New Media Age because it was associated with the
development of computers.
- According to James R. Messenger who proposed the Theory of Information Age in 1982, “the
Information Age is a true new age based upon the interconnection of computers via
telecommunications, with these information systems operating on both real-time and as-
needed basis.

3000 BC- Sumerian writing used pictographs to represent words.

2900 BC- Beginning of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing.

1300 BC- Tortoise shell & oracle bone writing were used.

500 BC- Papyrus roll was used.

220 BC- Chinese small seal writing was developed.

100 AD- Book (parchment codex).

105 AD- Woodblock printing & paper was invented by the Chinese.

1455- Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press using movable metal type.

1755- Samuel Johnson’s dictionary standardized English spelling.

1802- The Library of Congress was established.

- Invention of the carbon arc lamp.

1824- Research on persistence of vision published.

1830- First viable design for a digital computer.

- Augusta Lady Byron writes the world’s first computer program.

1837- Invention of the telegraph in Great Britain & US.

1861- Motion pictures were projected onto a screen.

1876- Dewey Decimal system was introduced.

1877- Eadweard Muybridge demonstrated high- speed photography.

1899- First magnetic recordings were released.

1902- Motion pictures special effects were used.

1906- Lee DeForest invented the electronic amplifying tube (triode).

1923- TV camera tube was invented by Zvorkyn.

1926- First practical sound movie.

1939- Regularly scheduled TV broadcasting began in the US.

1940- Beginnings of information science as discipline.

1945- Vannevar Bush foresaw the invention of hypertext.

1946- ENIAC computer was developed.

1948- Birth of field-of-information theory proposed by Claude Shannon.

1957- Planar transistor was developed by Jean Hoerni.

1958- First integrated circuit.

1960s- Library of Congress developed LC MARC (machine- readable code).

1969- UNIX operating system was developed, which could handle multitasking.

1971- Intel introduced the first microprocessor chip.

1972- Optical laserdisc was developed by Philips & MCA.

1974- MCA & Philips agreed on a standard videodisc encoding format.

1975- Altair Microcomputer Kit was released: 1st personal computer for the public.

1977- RadioShack introduced the 1st complete personal computer.

1984- Apple Macintosh computer was introduced.

Mid 1980s- Artificial intelligence was separated from information science.

1987- Hypercard was developed by Bill Atkinson recipe box metaphor.

1991- 450 complete works of literature on one CD-ROM was released.

Jan 1997- RSA (encryption & network security software) Internet security code cracked for a 48- bit
number.

In the 1990s, information became the currency in the business world. Information was the preferred
medium of exchange and the information managers served as the information officers.

FACTS ON THE INFORMATION AGE by Robert Harris in his article “Truths of the Information Age.”

1. Information must compete. There is a need for information to stand out & be recognized in the
increasing clutter.
2. Newer is equated with truer. We forgot the truth that any fact or value can endure.
3. Selection is a viewpoint. Choose multiple sources for your information if you want to receive a
more balanced view of reality.
4. The media sells what the culture buys. In other words, information is driven by cultural
priorities.
5. The early word gets the perm. The first media channel to expose an issue often defines the
context, terms, & attitudes surrounding it.
6. You are what you eat & so is your brain. Do not draw conclusions unless all ideas & information
are presented to you.
7. Anything in great demand will be counterfeited. The demand for incredible knowledge,
scandals,& secrets is ever- present; hence, many events are fabricated by tabloids, publicists, or
other agents of information fraud.
8. Ideas are seen as controversial. It is almost certainly impossible to make any assertion that will
not find some supporters & some detractors.
9. Undead information walks ever on. Rumors, lies, disinformation, & gossips never truly die
down. They persist & continue to circulate.
10. Media presence creates the story. People behave much differently from the way they would if
being filmed when the media are present.
11. The medium selects the message. TV is mainly pictorial, partially aural, & slightly textual, so
visual stories are emphasized: fires, chases & disasters.
12. The whole truth is a pursuit. The information that reaches us is usually selected, verbally
charged, filtered, slanted, & sometimes fabricated. What is neglected is often even more
important than what is included.
Computer- is an electronic device that stores & processes data (information). It runs on a program that
contains the exact, step-by-step directions to solve a problem (US history org, 2017).

- any device that has a microprocessor in it.

TYPES OF COMPUTER

1. Personal Computer (PC)

- it is a single- user instrument. PCs were first known as microcomputers since they were a
complete computer but built on a smaller scale than the enormous systems operated by most
businesses.
2. Desktop Computer
- it is designed as a PC that is not designed for portability. The assumption with a desktop is that it
will be set up in a permanent spot.
3. Laptops
- these are portable computers that integrate the essentials of a desktop computer in a battery-
powered package.
- they are commonly called notebooks.
4. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
- these are tightly integrated computers that usually have no keyboards but rely on a touch
screen for user input.
5. Server
- it refers to a computer that has been improved to provide network services to other computers.
- usually boast powerful processors, tons of memory, & large hard drives (Ushistory.org, 2017).
6. Mainframes
- these are huge computer systems that can fill an entire room. They are used especially by large
firms to describe the large, expensive.
7. Wearable Computers
- they involve materials that are usually integrated into cell phones, watches, and other small
objects or places. They perform common computer applications such as databases, email,
multimedia, and schedulers.

BIODIVERSITY AND THE HEALTHY SOCIETY

Biodiversity- The term biodiversity was first coined by Walter G. Rosen in 1986.
- “Bio” means Life and “Diversity” means Variety.
- Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the essential interdependence of all
living things.

Three Components of Biodiversity

1. Diversity of Genes
 - refers to the diversity(or genetic variability) within species.

- Chihuahua, Beagle, Rottweilers

2. Diversity of species
- is the number of different species that are represented in a given community
- Saki Monkey, Golden Skimmer, Meadow Beauty

3. Diversity of Ecosystems
- is the number of different ecosystems in a certain area
- Desert, Forest, Ocean

So, what is an ECOSYSTEM?

- Ecosystem is the complex of living organisms, their physical environment, and all their
interrelationships in a particular unit of space.
- Understanding the concept of ecosystem needs a thorough study on the relationship of the
biotic (the living organism) and the abiotic (the non living organism).

Biodiversity and Ecosystem

- People will always depend on biodiversity on the wholeness of their being and in their
everyday lives.
- their health will ultimately depend upon the products and services that we acquire from
the ecosystem.

Changes in Biodiversity

- A change in biodiversity could have erratic effects not only in wildlife or marine life but
also human beings.
- Humans inhabiting the forest would disturb the natural order of life.
- Trees and plants would be affected in the land-clearing operations where the houses
would be built.
- The animals and insects, and all types of life forms in the cleared area would either be
displaced or most likely be killed.
- The loss of these life forms could affect the entire ecosystem governing that environment.
- The food chain might be damaged. From this, we can clearly infer that when our
ecosystem is not well taken care of, biodiversity encounters changes that may impact
human health at different levels.

Threats to Biodiversity

There are major threats to biodiversity that were identified by the United Nations' Environment
Programme. These are the following:
1. Habitat Loss And Destruction- Major contributing factor is the inhibition of human beings
and the use of land for economic gains.

2. Alterations In Ecosystem Composition- Alterations and sudden changes, either within

species groups or within the environment, could begin to change entire ecosystems. Alterations
in ecosystems are a critical factor contributing to species and habitat loss.

3. Over-exploitation- Over-hunting, overfishing, or over-collecting of species can quickly lead

to its decline. Changing consumption and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.

4. Pollution And Contamination- Biological systems respond slowly to changes in their

surrounding environment. Pollution and contamination cause irreversible damage to species and
varieties.

5. Global Climate Change- Both climate variability and climate change cause biodiversity loss.
Species and populations may be lost permanently if they are not provided with enough time to
adapt to changing climatic conditions.

Consequences of Biodiversity Loss

- A loss of ecosystem services (protection of water resources, nutrient storage and cycling.
Pollution breakdown and absorption).
- Loss of genetic diversity (Genetic diversity allows species to adapt to changing
environmental conditions and stresses).
- Economic cause
- Environmental cause

Nutritional Impact of Biodiversity

- According to the World Health Organization, biodiversity is an element of a human

being's nutrition because of its influence on food production.
- Biodiversity is a major factor that contributes to sustainable food production for human
beings. A society or a population must have access to a sufficient variety of nutritious
food as it is a determinant of their health as human beings.
- Healthy local diets, with adequate average levels of nutrients intake, necessitates
maintenance of high biodiversity levels.
- Intensified and enhanced food production through irrigation, use of fertilizer, plant
protection (pesticides), or the introduction of crop varieties and cropping patterns affect
biodiversity and thus impact global nutritional status and human health. (WHO, 2007).

Health, Biology and Biodiversity

- Almost all living organisms are dependent on their environment to live and reproduce.
- Basic needs of living organisms such as air, water, food, and habitat are provided by its
environment.
- The evolution of human beings was due to the improved access to these basic needs.
 - Advances in agriculture, sanitation, water treatment, and hygiene have had a far greater
impact on human health than medical technology.
- Although the environment sustains human life, it can also cause diseases.
- Lack of basic necessities is a significant cause of human mortality.
- Environmental hazards increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and many other
illnesses.
- These hazards can be physical, such as pollution, toxic chemicals, and food contaminants,
or they can be social, such as dangerous work, poor housing conditions, urban sprawl,
and poverty.
- Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation and hygiene are responsible for a variety of
infectious diseases, such as schistosomiasis, diarrhea, cholera, meningitis, and gastritis.

Environment-Related Illnesses

- Some human illnesses that are found to be related with its environment include
Parkinson's disease, heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma,
diabetes, obesity, occupational injuries, dysentery, arthritis, malaria, and depression.
- By contrast, activities that promote health and extend human life could have adverse
environmental effects. For example, food production causes environmental damage from
pesticides and fertilizers, soil salinization, waste produced by livestock, carbon emissions
from food manufacturing and transportation, deforestation, and overfishing.
- Health care facilities also have adverse environmental impacts. Hospitals use large
quantities of electricity and fossil fuels and produce medical wastes.
- According to experts, climate change could also have a serious impact on human health
and could deteriorate farming systems and reduce nutrients in some foods.
- Safeguarding of coral reefs, for instance, is essential to reduce the risk of floods, as this
extraordinary ecosystem can reduce wave energy by 97%, thus protecting over 100
million people all over the world.
- A significant percentage of global climate change is due to the human production of
greenhouse gases.
- Climate change is likely to cause tremendous harm to the environment and human health
but taking steps to drastically reduce greenhouse gases could have adverses for global,
national, and local economies.
- Managing benefits and risks also raises social justice concerns. In general, people with
lower socio-economic status have greater exposure to certain harmful environmental
conditions in their homes or at work, such as lead, mercury, pesticides, toxic chemicals,
or air and water pollution.
- When drafting and implementing environmental health regulations, it is important to
consider vulnerable subpopulations.
- A vulnerable subpopulation is a group with an increased susceptibility to the adverse
effects of an environmental risk factor, due to their age, genetics, health status, or some
other condition.
- Various public health strategies pit the rights of individuals against the good of society,
such as mandatory treatment vaccination, or diagnostic testing; isolation and quarantine;
and disease surveillance.
GMO: SCIENCE, HEALTH & POLITICS

Genetically Modified Organisms

- GE (Genetically engineered)
- Transgenic
- “Frankenfoods”
- DNA from one organism transplanted into another

Overview of an Organism
- Organism
- Organ systems
- Tissues
- Cells
- Organelles
- Molecules
- Atoms

DNA → RNA → Proteins

Proteins are molecules that provide physical structure, hormones, enzymes, etc.
RNA is a molecule that synthesized protein
DNA is a molecule made of “bases” and “backbone”
GENES: specific physical sequence of DNA that code for specific proteins

Brown eyes sequence: AAAAGCGCCCGG

Blue eyes sequence: AAATGCGCCCGC

Number of Genes in Different Species

- Influenza – 11
- E. coli- 4 149
- Fruit fly- 14 889
- Chicken- 16 736
- Human- 22 333
- Grape- 30 434

CHROMOSOME: one long, double stranded DNA molecule, containing many genes

“Genetically Modified”

- DNA from one organism transplanted into another

- Conventionally done via
- Hybridization (producing offspring by mating 2 parents from different varieties or
species)
 - Selective breeding (aka artificial selection, develops new organisms with desirable
characteristics)

Genetically Modified Organisms

- Genetic Engineering: transplanting the DNA (gene) from one organism to another.
- Cloning or producing a genetically identical copy of an organism. (Dolly is the 1st ever
sheep cloned in 1996.
- Glow-in-the-dark cats- scientist in Korea altered the DNA of a kitty so that its fur would
glow in the dark, and then cloned other cats from it.
- Pesticide-resistant rapeseed plants- a flowering plant used to make vegetable oil. GE
has allowed this plant to be resistant to pesticides so that when the fields are treated, the
plant will remain unscathed.
- Golden rice- which contain beta-carotene.

Transgenic organism

- This has also been developed for commercial purposes. The most famous are food crops
like soy and corn that have been genetically modified for pest and herbicide resistance.
- Goats that produce important proteins in their milk: goats modified to produce FDA-
approved human antithrombin (Atryn), which is used to treat a rare blood clotting
disorder in humans.
- Chymosin producing microorganisms: yeast, fungi, or bacteria modified to produce
enzyme chymosin, which split milk to make cheese.

“Frankenfood”

- term for genetically modified food whether it be derived from genetically engineered
plants or animals.
- GM foods that are created in laboratories and not by nature and therefore are dangerous
to consume.

Why Create GMOs?

- Better taste
- Better appearance
- Faster growth
- Longer shelf-life
- Improved nutrition
- Pest- resistant
- Herbicide resistant

Advantages of GMOs

- Increased crop yield/ efficiency of food production

- Drought/frost resistant crops
- Disease resistant crops
- Improved nutritional content
- Decreased allergenicity
- Produced food without toxins or allergens
- Plants that contain vaccines
- Animals that produce pharmaceutical drugs
- Animals that grow faster, eat less

Potential Disadvantages of GMOs

- Human health risks (allergies)

- Ecological/environmental risks (contamination)
- Economic/social justice concerns (patents, intellectual property)

Specific Examples of GMOs

- Bt corn (Bacillus thuringiensis)

- Artic apples
- Flavr Savr tomatoes

Bt corn
- Bacillus thuringiensis is a bacterium found in soils throughout the world.
- It naturally produces crystal-like proteins (Cry proteins) that selectively kill a few specific
insect species.
- Aka transgenic corn, is corn that has been modified to produce the insecticidal protein that
occurs naturally in Bt

Artic Apples
- It is the juiciest newcomer apple
- It has a special ability to resist browning after being cut, which protects its flavor and
nutritional value.
- Browning also contributes to food waste by causing a disappealing bruising on perfectly edible
apples.

Flavr Savr Tomatoes

- The first FDA approved GM food
- A tomato that will not soften while ripening on the vine
- Increased shelf life