Cayomo, Hazel May STS 1, Section D

Movilla, Krisha
Oledan, Ralph Victor
Pelayre, Gabryll
Salcedo, Hannah Pearl Aler

3_1 History of Science and Technology

1. Who were key figures in the development of Science and Technology?
There were quite a few personalities who made discoveries and inventions that were
substantial in the development of science and technology. Although we may not be able to
go through each one, we will be discussing the most prominent figures in the field. Among
the earliest figures that helped develop major advances in science and technology were the
likes of Helenic astronomers, Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, and Ptolemy, who correctly
calculated the size of Earth and the distance to the moon. Famous philosopher Aristotle is
also the first among his peers to undertale the classification of living organisms on a grand
scale. Theophrastus, Aristotle’s successor as head of the Lyceum, advanced biology and
would then be known as the “Father of Botany.” Philosophers Pythagoras and Plato also
contributed greatly in mathematics. Eventually, Greek geometry would culminate with
Alexandrian mathematician Euclid, to create elements, which formed the basis of teaching
geometry coming into the 20th century. Greek philosopher Hippocrates and his followers
were best known for their scientific approach to medicine. Hippocrates would be deemed
the “Father of Modern Medicine.” As Greek medical teaching expanded to Rome, Galen
would then be the best known physician whose theories dominated medicine for the next
1300 years.
In the Renaissance era, Galileo also rose to prominence with his observations of the
pendulum led’s beat stability and his creation of one of the first thermometers. Perhaps his
greatest contribution is his introduction of experimentation to science, laying the study’s
foundation as we recognize it today. He is also best known for his discoveries in astronomy
and his influence in physics. Another key figure would be 17th-century philosopher and
mathematician, René Descartes. Famously known for his use of algebraic formulas to
describe geometric figures, Descartes also considered the laws of nature to be the
foundation of machines. Another distinguished scientific work from the 17th century came
from Isaac Newton’s Principia, which molded the basis of the scientific method into the
study of natural phenomena. Newton is most acclaimed for his theory of universal gravity.
There are countless names that built the study of science and technology as we know
it today. The aforementioned figures are only some of the most influential individuals that
have shaped the different branches of science. It is incredible to see the development and
progress of science and technology through the great minds of these philosophers, scholars,
physicians, mathematicians, and scientists.
2. Where are the important sites and places in the development of Science and
technology?
 The development of Science and Technology isn’t converged into a singular place, it
happens in several places, sometimes all at the same time in a specific period of time.
Despite early humans understanding natural laws and developed skills which led to the
creation of many tools and equipment, working out mathematical rules, curing illnesses, and
building great structures, the Egyptians, Maya, Sumerians, Chinese, and others can't be
called scientists as their successes were largely a collections of skills rather than knowledge
(although Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and the Americas are quite prominent in the
development of civilization). Science as an organized body of thought is usually identified
with the Ionian school of Greek philosophers. We can infer that Ionia of ancient Greece or
Greece as a whole is an important site in the development of Science and Technology but it
isn’t the only one.
An important paleoanthropological site in the development of Science and
Technology is Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania where stone tools were first found. Other stone tools
were also found in various parts in Africa later on. The early part of the Agricultural
Revolution is called the Neolithic Revolution in the Middle East. Similar revolutions occurred
independently in the Orient, New Guinea, and the Americas.
From antiquity to medieval times to renaissance to enlightenment to industrial
revolution to the information age, there have been a lot of developments when it comes to
science and technology. The places are scattered and sporadic, but there is always a pattern
and reason behind this. For example, the Greeks who learned from Egyptians and their
teachings being adopted by Romans and so forth.
Places and sites from ancient times include Greece, Miletus (now Turkey), Alexandria,
Babylon, Rome, Persian empire, India, Peru, Mesoamerica, and China. The medieval times
centered around Constantinople, India, China, Islamic empire of the Arabs, and European
countries. However, the most prominent places and sites in the development of science and
technology are in China, India, Greece and other countries in Europe such as France, Italy,
Germany, England, Netherlands, Switzerland, then later on in the United States, Canada, and
the like.
3. What are the important concepts, ideas, and artifacts that developed Science and
technology?
The History of Science and Technology is separated into ten chapters, each representing a
major division of the history of science and technology. Here are some important concepts,
ideas, and artifacts for each chapter that is found in the book:
CHAPTER CONCEPT AND IDEA ARTIFACT

Science and Technology before Medicine & Health. The The hand axe, or biface,
Scientists: through 599 BCE origins of recorded seen here in two views,
medical knowledge can was the basic tool of the
be traced back to this era, ancestors of humans from
when Stone Age medicine about 1,500,000 years
was practiced by ago to about 100,000
hunter-gatherers in years ago.
Europe. Records from this
 era include descriptions
of apparent death
symptoms, but they are
typically lost in the
archaeological record.
However, significant
advancements came from
the Egyptian practice of
honoring the deceased by
embalming and
mummifying bodies;
embalmers and
morticians required an
understanding of human
anatomy in order to
preserve organs and
entire bodies. They also
used various organic
chemicals to preserve
organs and bodies.

Science and Technology in Agriculture. The practice The Romans built their
Antiquity: 600 BCE through 529 of harvesting domes by rotating an arch
CE improvements came late, about its vertical axis. The
after the first known Pantheon, in Rome, is
harvesters were used in one of the most
the Roman Empire. well-known examples of
Storage was promoted by this structure. A hole in
turning grain into beer, the dome allows gods to
wine and distilled spirits, enter and leave from
but salting, drying and within it.
pickling were also used.
Extraction of liquids from
foods (such as oil from
olives) was first handled
by the bag press but 1500
years later the Greeks
invented the more
efficient beam press.

Medieval Science and Magnetism. In the 13th Callinicrates invents a

Technology: 530 through 1452 century, the study of substance that can burn
magnetism was first in water and thus be used
described. Robert against wooden ships. It is
Grosseteste and Roger called sea fire, wet fire, or
Bacon performed optical Greek fire.
experiments; Bacon
 viewed experimentation
as an important means of
increasing knowledge.

The Renaissance and the Surgery is one of the Sailboats. The earliest
Scientific Revolution: 1453 oldest forms of medicine. form of wind power was
through 1659 The practice of trephining probably the sail. The
dates back to prehistoric principle behind
times, while a papyrus windmills may have been
from about 1700 BCE inspired by the sails used
contains a list of surgical on boats. Wind power
techniques. that provides rotary
motion is a more recent
invention than
waterpower; some
historians believe that the
first windmills appeared
in Greek islands during
the Christian era, but a
firm proof of this has yet
to be found.

Scientific Method: Measurement Newton's Principia In 1676, Robert Hooke

and Communication: 1660 (1687), which formed the invented the
through 1734 basis of scientific anemometer to measure
knowledge until the wind speed. He
mid-1600s, became a introduces adding red dye
foundation for physics. In to alcohol in his version of
1687, it was published in the thermometer and
Latin and English. Its uses the freezing point of
impact on physics was so water as zero.
great that it served as a
model for the scientific
method.

The Enlightenment and the Biology. Systema naturae Tools. Horace-Bénédict

Industrial Revolution: 1735 (“system of nature”) by de Saussure [b. Geneva,
through 1819 Carolus Linnaeus Switzerland, February 17,
introduces the system of 1740, d. Geneva, January
classification for 22, 1799] invents the
organisms that is still in electrometer, a device for
use today measuring the electric
Physics. Daniel Bernoulli’s potential by means of the
Hydrodynamica (“science attraction or repulsion of
of fluid motion”) explains charged bodies.
the relationship between
the pressure and velocity Antoine Baumé [b. Senlis,
 of fluids, including the France, February 26,
idea of the law named 1728, d. Paris, October
after him, in terms of 15, 1804] invents the
impact of atoms on the graduated hydrometer,
walls of a container. using the scale now
Bernoulli’s law is that a known as the Baumé
flowing fluid maintains a scale for specific gravities
constant sum of energy of liquids.
and pressure (so
increasing speed lowers
pressure). This law is the
precursor of the kinetic
theory of gases.

Science and Technology in the Physics. Tools. Théophile Guibal

19th Century: 1820 through André-Marie Ampère [b. Toulouse, France,
1894 develops a theory relating 1813, d. Paris, 1888]
magnetism to electricity. invents the propeller fan,
He proposes that first used to refresh air in
magnetism is caused by mines.
the movement of very
small electrical charges in
bodies. Although
something like this is now
thought to be true, his
contemporaries were not
impressed.
Léon Foucault, using
rotating mirrors, observes
that light travels slower in
water than in air, a result
that helps establish that
light behaves as waves.
Newton’s particle theory
of light predicts a faster
speed in water than in air

Rise of Modern Science and Transportation. WRIGHT Communication. Thomas

Technology: 1895 through 1945 BROTHERS AND THE FIRST Armat [b. 1866, d. 1948]
FLIGHTS The first half of of Washington, DC,
the 20th century saw the develops a projector for
transition from the motion pictures that
Wright Brother’s Flyer of permits the image to stay
1903 shown here, with on the screen longer with
flights that lasted less shorter intervals between
than a minute, to airliners images. This device, the
that could carry dozens of Vitascope, greatly
 passengers on flights reduces the image
across the world’s oceans. flickering that had already
Orville, lying on the lower given motion pictures
wing, steers by moving their first nickname, the
his hips in a special cradle “flickers.
while Wilbur, running
alongside, has just
released his hold on the
plane, which was needed
to balance the Flyer while
it was still on the ground.

Big Science and the Physics. Hendrik Casimir Food & agriculture. The
Post-Industrial Society: 1946 [b. The Hague, first microwave cooker,
through 1972 Netherlands, July 15, the Radarange, goes on
1909, d. Heeze, sale in the United States.
Netherlands, May 4, It weighs 340 kg (750 lb),
2000] proves theoretically is 1.58 m (5 ft 6 in.) tall,
that quantum and is intended for
fluctuations of an restaurant use.
electromagnetic field in a
vacuum cause an
attractive force between
two sufficiently close
parallel conducting
plates; the plates need to
be about a thousandth of
a centimeter

The Information Age: 1973 Medicine & Health. On Computers.

through 2003 January 6 the U.S. The Hewlett-Packard
Food and Drug introduces the
Administration asked programmable pocket
manufacturers to stop calculator
making and doctors to
stop installing silicone
breast implants until
further studies can be
done on the safety of the
devices. Some believe
that leaked silicon causes
immune system disorders

4. How and why were these people, places, ideas, and artefacts developed?
Because of man's needs, concepts, ideas, and artefacts had to be developed. As civilizations
grew, necessities for survival and living also increased in size and quantity. Before the
development of anything, at one point, humans were primitive in both tool-making and
using skills, just like chimpanzees. Eventually, we started to set ourselves apart from other
social mammals and forge a new future the moment we gained knowledge about making
and using fire. This was a big milestone since it kept us safe from the elements and potential
predators. Technology and science advance together as a result of each other. Our ability to
create new technologies is often facilitated by scientific knowledge, which also enables us to
develop new scientific understanding, which in turn inspires new technologies.