LESSO SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY 3.

The first dot-com domain name was registered on

N AND SOCIETY IN THE 20TH March 15, years before the World Wide Web would mark
10 CENTURY the formal beginning of Internet history in 1985.

THE AIRPLANE 4. Tim Berners-Lee, a researcher at CERN, the high-

energy physics laboratory in Geneva, develops
The airplane or aero plane was invented by the HyperText Markup Language (HTML), giving rise to the
Wright Brothers, Wilbur, and Orville. It is a powered, World Wide Web in 1990.
fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from
a jet engine or propeller. Their works lead them to make 5. The Pentium microprocessor advances the use of
the first controlled, sustained, powered flights on graphics and music on PCs on 1993.
December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. On
January 01, 1914, the St. Petersburg Tampa Airboat Line 6. PCs became gaming machines as “Command &
became the world’s first scheduled passenger airline Conquer”, “Alone in the Dark 2,” “Theme Park,” “Magic
service, operating between St. Petersburg and Tampa, Carpet,” “Descent” and “Little Big Adventure” were among
Florida. It was short-lived undertaking, but it paved the the games to hit the market in 1994.
way today’s daily transcontinental flights.
Airplanes had a presence in all the major battles 7. The term Wi-Fi becomes part of the computing
of WWII. The first jet aircraft was the German Heinkel He language and users begin connecting the internet without
178 in 1939. The first jet airliner, the de Havilland using wires in 1999.
Comet, was introduced in 1952. The Boeing 707, the
first widely successful commercial jet, was in commercial 8. Mozilla’s Firefox 1.0 challenges Microsoft’s Internet
service for more than 50 years, from 1958 to at least Explorer, the dominant Web browser. Facebook, a social
2013. networking site, launches in 2004.

COMPUTERS 9. YouTube, a video sharing service, is founded. Google

acquires Android, a Linux-based mobile phone operating
A computer is an electronic machine that accepts system in 2005.
information, stores it, processes it according to the
instructions provided by a user and then returns the 10. Apple introduces the MacBook Pro, its first Intel-
result. Today, computers have become part of our based, dual-core mobile computer, as well as an Intel-
everyday activities. While computers as we know them based iMac. Nintedo’s Wii game console hits the market
today are relatively recent, the concepts and ideas behind in 2006.
computers have quite a bit of history.
Charles Babbage referred to as ‘father of 11. The iPhone brings many computer functions to the
computers’ conceived an analytical engine in 1830 which smartphone in 2007.
could be programmed with punched cards to carry out
calculations. It was different from its predecessors 12. Google releases the Chrome book, a laptop that runs
because it was able to make decisions based on its own the Google Chrome OS in 2011.
computations, such as sequential control, branching and
looping. Konrad Zuse built the first electronic computers 13. Facebook gains 1 billion users on October 4, 2012.
in Germany in the period 1935 to 1941. The Z3 was the
first working, programmable and fully automatic digital 14. The first reprogrammable quantum computer was
computer. Zuse is often regarded as the ‘inventor of the created in 2016.
computer.’
In the early 1970s computers were still mostly
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING
used by larger corporations, government agencies and
universities. The first device that could be called a
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-
personal computer was introduced in 1975.
invasive medical test that physicians use to diagnose
medical conditions. Magnetic resonance imaging of the
The following are some of the highlighted developments
body uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves or
of computer.
pulses and a computer to produce detailed pictures of the
1. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak introduce Apple
inside of your body such as organs, soft tissues, bone
Computers on April Fool’s Day roll out the Apple I, the
and virtually all other internal body structures. It may be
first single-circuit board in 1976.
used to diagnose the presence of certain disease and
abnormalities or monitor treatment for a variety of
2. The first IBM personal computer, code-named “Acorn,”
conditions within the body.
was introduced. It uses Microsoft’s MS-DOS operating
THE INTERNET
system. It has an Intel chip, two floppy disks and an
optional color monitor in 1981.
The internet was the work of dozens of
pioneering scientists, programmers, and engineers who
each developed new feature and technologies that
eventually merged to become the ‘information ADA: The First Gene Therapy Trial: A four-year old
superhighway’ we know today. became the first gene therapy patient on September 14,
1990, at the NIH Clinical Center. She has adenosine
OPTICAL FIBER deaminase (ADA) deficiency, a genetic disease which
leaves her defenseless against infections. White blood
In 1880, Alexander Graham Bell created a very cells were taken from her, and the normal genes for
early precursor to fiber-optic communications, the world’s making adenosine deaminase were inserted into them.
first wireless telephone (Photophone). Bell considered it The corrected cells were re-injected into her. Dr. W.
his most important invention. The device allowed for the French Anderson helped develop this landmark clinical
transmission of sound on a beam of light. Due to its use trial when he worked at the National Heart, Lung, and
of an atmospheric transmission medium, the Photophone Blood Institute.
would not prove practical until advances in laser and
optical fiber technologies permitted the secure transport 3D METAL PRINTING
of light. The Photophone’s first practical use came in
military communication system many decades later. 3D metal printing is one of the advances in the
In 1952, UK based physicist Narinder Singh technology that provide instant metal fabrication. This
Kapany invented the first actual fiber optical cable based innovation enables the ability to create large, intricate
on John Tyndall’s experiments three decades earlier. metal structures on demand and therefore could
Jun-ichi Nishizawa, a Japanese scientist proposed the revolutionize manufacturing. It gives the manufacturers
use of optical fibers for communications in 1963. the ability to make a single number of metal parts much
more cheaply than using existing mass-production
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM techniques.

Primitive air-conditioning systems have existed ARTIFICIAL EMBRYOS

since ancient times. Attempts to control indoor
temperatures began in ancient Rome, where wealthy Artificial embryos are made from stem cells alone
citizens took advantage of the remarkable aqueduct without using egg or sperm cells. It is a breakthrough that
system to circulate cool water through the walls of their will open new possibilities for understanding how life
homes. The emperor Elagabalus in the third century, built comes into existence-but clearly also raises vital ethical
a mountain of snow, imported from the mountains via and even philosophical problems.
donkey trains and put it in the garden next to his villa to
keep cool during the summer, but his was costly and CELL FREE FETAL DNA TESTING
inefficient. Such luxuries disappeared during the Dark
Ages, and large-scale air-conditioning efforts did not Pregnant women sometimes need to have cells
resurface in the West. of their fetus tested for chromosomal defects such as
In the intervening centuries, fans were the Edwards Syndrome and Down Syndrome. These tests
coolant of choice. Hand fans were used in China as early require an acquisition of cells that are quite invasive for
as 3,000 years ago, and a second century Chinese the unborn baby. The test brought risk of miscarriage and
inventor has been credited with building the first room increased stress for pregnant mothers. With medical
sized rotary fan. Architecture also played a major role in advances, it is now possible for doctors to test cell-free
pre-modern temperature control. In traditional Middle fetal DNA by using the mother’s blood.
Eastern construction, windows faced away from the sun,
and larger buildings featured “wind towers” designed to
catch and circulate the prevailing breezes.
Nikola Tesla’s development of alternating current
motors made possible the invention of oscillating fans in
the early 20th century using electricity. And in 1902, a 25-
year-old engineer from New York named Willis Carrier
invented the first modern air-conditioning system. The
mechanical unit, which sent air through water-cooled
coils, was not aimed at human comfort, however, it was
designed to control humidity in the printing plant where he CHAPTER III
worked. CURRENT ISSUES ARISING FROM THE
GENE THERAPY APPLICATION OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
Gene therapy attempts to treat genetic diseases
at the molecular level by correcting what is wrong with
LESSON CLIMATE CHANGE
defective genes. The first gene therapy was approved in
1
the European Union in 2012, after two decades of dashed
expectation. This approval boosted the investment in
developing gene therapies.
 The Earth’s climate changed throughout history.
Just in the last 650,000 years there have been seven THE GREENHOUSE GASES AND EFFECT
cycles of glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end
of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago marking the Small amounts of heat trapping gases such as water
beginning of the modern climate era- and of human vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), ozone (O3), methane
civilization. Most of these climate changes are attributed (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and chlorofluorocarbon
to very small variations in Earth’s orbit that change the (CFCs) play a key role in determining the earth’s average
amount of solar energy our planet receives. temperature and thus its climate.

Earth is a very special planet- it orbits close Together, these gases are known as greenhouse gases.
enough to the sun to receive a lot of energy, but far They allow light, infrared radiation, and some ultraviolet
enough away to be scorched. To help keep these radiation from the sun to pass through the troposphere.
conditions constant, our planet is wrapped in a layer of The earth’s surface then absorbs much of this solar
greenhouse gases. This layer acts like a blanket, energy and degrade it to longer wave infrared radiation,
keeping the earth warm and shielding it from the cold of which then rises into the troposphere, some of this heat
universe. escapes into space, some is absorbed by molecules of
greenhouse gases, warming the air. This natural trapping
Climate change is a change in the statistical of heat in the troposphere is called greenhouse effect.
distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts
from an extended period of time. Global climate change The greenhouse effect first proposed by Swedish chemist
has already had observable effects on the environment. Svante Arrhenius in 1896, has been confirmed by
Glaciers have shrunk, ice on the rivers and lakes is numerous laboratory experiments and atmospheric
breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted, measurements.
and trees are flowering sooner.
Significance: The earth would be a cold and lifeless
Effects that scientists had predicted in the past planet with an average surface temperature of -18
would result from global climate change are occurring degrees Celsius.
global temperature rise, shrinking ice sheets or loss of
sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more CARBON DIOXIDE CONCENTRATION
intense heat waves, water acidification and extreme
events. Carbon dioxide is responsible for 50-60% of the global
warming from greenhouse gases produced by human
Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree activities since pre-industrial times. The main sources are
that climate warming trends over the past century are fossil fuel burning coal, oil and natural gas (75%) and
very likely due to human activities, and most of the land clearing and burning (25%). Carbon dioxide is
leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued nevertheless the main driver of the greenhouse effect.
public statements endorsing this position. One Because of this layer of greenhouse gas is getting thicker,
manifestation of climate change is global warming. which is in turn making the earth warmer.

What is global warming? CHLOROFLUOROCARBON (CFC)

Global warming refers to the increase in the Contribute to global warming in the troposphere and
average temperature of the Earth’s near surface air and deplete ozone in the stratosphere. The main sources are
oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. leaking air conditioners and refrigerators, evaporation of
In common usage the term refers to recent warming and industrial solvents.
implies a human influence. Most of the observed increase
in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th
century is very likely due to the observed increase in
greenhouse gas concentrations, which leads to warming
of the surface and lower atmosphere by increasing the
greenhouse effect. Natural phenomena such as solar METHANE CONCENTRATION
variation combined with volcanoes also produced
greenhouse effect. Methane is produced when anaerobic bacteria break
down organic matter in moist places that lack oxygen.
What causes global warming? These areas include swamps and other natural wetlands,
rice paddies and landfills, intestinal tract of cattle, sheep,
Human activities like mining, wrong practices in and termites.
agriculture, illegal logging, burning of fossil fuel,
deforestation, too much car that emits carbon monoxide NITROUS OXIDE CONCENTRATION
and carbon dioxide and producing industrial waste are
believed to be the sources of greenhouse gasses that in Nitrous oxide can trap heat in the troposphere and
the long run cause the climate change. deplete ozone in the stratosphere. It is released from
nylon production, burning of biomass and nitrogen In December 1997, representatives of 160 nations met in
fertilizers in soil, livestock wastes. Kyoto, Japan to negotiate a new treaty to help slow global
warming. The resulting treaty would require developed
What is the scientific consensus about future global countries to cut greenhouse emissions by the average
warming and its effects? of .2% below 1990 levels between 2008-2012; allow
emission trading, in which a country that beats its target
1. According to IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions can sell its
Climate Change) the earth’s mean surface temperature excess reductions to countries that failed to meet their
will rise 1- 3.5 degree Celsius between 1990 and 2100). reduction goals; allow forested countries to get a break in
their quotas because trees absorb carbon dioxide; allow
2. The Northern hemisphere should warm more and penalties for countries that violate their treaty, to be
faster than the southern hemisphere because the latter determined later.
has more heat absorbing ocean than the land and
because water cools more slowly than land.
LESSON THE STATE OF NATURAL
SOME POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF A WARMED WORLD 2 RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT
1. Changes in food production; reduce water supplies
2. Change in the makeup and location of many worlds’ Natural resources are all that exists naturally on Earth. It
forests includes sunlight, atmosphere, water, land (includes all
3. Can cause massive wildfires minerals), metal ores, oil, and most forms of energy along
4. Reduction in biodiversity due to loss of habitat; with all vegetation and animal life that naturally exist on
destroying the coral reefs Earth. Some natural resources such as sunlight and air
5. Water in the oceans would expand and lead to rise in can be found everywhere and are known as ubiquitous
sea level resources. However, most resources only occur in small
6. Warming poles caused ice sheets and glaciers to melt, sporadic areas, and are referred to as localized
the global sea level would rise far more; melting of polar resources.
ice caps
7. Weather extremes are expected to increase in number There are very few resources that are considered
and severity. inexhaustible- these are solar radiation, geothermal
8. Poses threats to human health, affects the respiratory energy, and air. Many resources are exhaustible, which
tract increasing air pollution in winter months means they have a finite quantity, and can be depleted if
9. Drought managed properly.
10. Lead to a growing number of environmental refugees.
Causing social disorder and political instability On the basis of origin, natural resources may be divided
into:
How can we lower down the possible outcome of
global warming? 1. Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere
such as forest and animals, and the materials that can be
1. Get involved – cut fossil fuel use in half obtained from them. Fossil fuels such as coal and
2. Improve energy efficiency; switch off light when not in petroleum are also included in this category because they
use are formed from decayed organic matter.
3. Shift to renewable energy resources
4. Reduce deforestation 2. Abiotic resources are those that come from non-living,
5. Use sustainable agriculture non-organic material. Examples of abiotic resources
6. Slow population growth include land, fresh water, air, and heavy metals including
7. Remove carbon dioxide from smokestack and vehicle ores such as gold, iron, copper, silver, etc.
emissions
8. Plant and tend trees; green your community Renewability is a very popular topic and many natural
9. Trim production of industrial waste; encourage practice resources can be categorized as either renewability or
of 3Rs non-renewable:
10. Full implementation of laws concerning conservation
of the environment and the planet Earth Renewable resources can be replenished naturally.
Some of these resources, like sunlight, air, wind,
What has been done to reduce greenhouse gas geothermal heat, biomass, etc., are continuously
emission? available and their quantity is not noticeably affected by
human consumption. Renewable resources are an
In 1992, Earth summit Rio de Janeiro, 106 nations important aspect of sustainability.
approved a Convention on Climate Change, in which
developed counties committed themselves to reducing Non-renewable resources or finite resources either from
their emission of CO2, and other greenhouse gases. slowly or do not naturally form in the environment.
Minerals are the most common resource included in this
category. A good example of this are fossil fuels because Repurpose – Don’t throw away things you’re no longer
their rate of formation is extremely slow meaning they are using: repurpose them to something useful or beautiful.
considered non-renewable. Worst scenario, donate used items to a charity or thrift
store for someone else.
THREATS TO RENEWABLE RESOURCES
Today, natural resources are decreasing at accelerated Rot – Compost as many things as you can instead of
rate not only because of the natural environmental throwing it in the garbage. Composting is a great way to
changes but of non-natural environmental changes renew the Earth, help reduce waste and maybe even help
caused by human activities. Extinction is a natural part of your garden.
life on Earth. Over the history of the planet most of the
species that ever existed, evolved and then gradually Repair – When something breaks, do not just
went extinct. Species go extinct because of natural shifts immediately go out and buy a replacement. First, see if
in the environment that take place over long periods of you can repair the item, or take it somewhere and have it
time such as ice ages and human activities. repaired. It will not only save you money in the long run
but also help reduce waste.
Deforestation – The destruction of rain forests is one of
the critical causes of climate change. Deforestation Recycle – On the topic of reducing waste, recycle
causes carbon dioxide to linger in the atmosphere. As whenever you can. Glass, cardboard, paper, bottles,
carbon dioxide accrues, it produces a layer in the aluminum, batteries, electronics, scrap metal can be
atmosphere that traps radiation from the sun. It also recycled into a usable thing such as décor, storage, or
means habitat loss for some living things. Deforestation safety box.
also affects the water cycle. It reduces the content of
water in the soil and groundwater as well as atmospheric Refill – Disposable items like cups, paper plates, paper
moisture. Deforestation reduces solid cohesion, so that napkins and bottles might be convenient, but they are
erosion, flooding, and landslides follow. terrible to the environment. Try using something that can
be washed or refilled more than once whenever you can.
Over exploitation/Overfishing – This causes loss of
some endangered species like the blue fin tuna. Reduce – Downsize and simplify your home to reduce
waste and excess. Living simply can really help you gain
Growing Human Population – This causes some an appreciation for the little things, reduce your bills, and
renewable resources, species and organisms facing a help the environment by having less waste.
very high risk of extinction due to over-consumption. It
has been estimated that over 40% of all living species on Refuse – Whenever possible, refuse to buy over-
earth are at risk of going extinct. packaged and single-use items that are not organic.
Change your daily habits and eating habits, lessen
Climate Change – This leads to rise of the sea level, extravagant expenses of material thing and food. Spend
thereby losing some of land territory. Increase in global your money worthy. Try shopping at farmer’s markets
temperature that warms the earth especially the oceans instead of the supermarket and pay attention to what you
making it impossible for some species to survive, the put in the shopping cart.
Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in
the mass due to shrinking of ice sheets. Ninety-seven DO YOU KNOW?
percent of climate scientists agree that climate-warming
trends over the past century are likely due to human Wind is just moving air created as the sun heats the
activities. Earth’s surface if the sun is shining, the wind remains
infinite, renewable resource. Wind power is clean energy
Pollution – This is the presence of a substance in the because wind turbines do not produce any emission. The
environment that because of its chemical composition or windmill harnessed the wind’s energy turning wind into
quantity prevents the functioning or natural processes electricity.
and produces undesirable environmental and health
effects. Pollutant is any material that causes the pollution Solar Panel. Solar energy systems do not produce
coming from: by product of essential activities such as emissions and are often nor harmful to the environment.
transportation, factory; basic biological function – Thermal solar energy can heat water or buildings.
excreting wastes and non-biodegradable wastes such as Photovoltaic devices, or solar cells, directly convert
plastics, cans, organic chemicals, etc. solar energy into electricity. Individual solar cells grouped
into panels range from small applications that charge
THE CONCEPT OF 8R’s IN SAVING NATURAL calculator and watch batteries, to large systems that
RESOURCES power residential dwellings.

Reuse – Instead of buying everything new, reuse things

LESSON FOOD INSECURITY
as much as you can. This will not only reduce waste but
also save you money. 3
THE FOUR PILLARS OF FOOD INSECURITY with only rice and corn as their diet. The common reasons
of hunger on the said provinces are: the family has
A household is “food secure” if all household inadequate income, the head of the family has no regular
members have access to enough food for a healthy active job, drought in an area, strong rains in an area, and other
life. A household is “food secure” if it had difficulty at reasons such as lack of education to gain skills and
some time during the year providing enough food for all knowledge.
the members due to a lack of resources.
DURATION OF FOOD INSECURITY
1. Physical Availability of Food – food availability
addresses the supply side of food security and is Food security analysts have defined two general types of
determined by the level of food production, stock levels food insecurity:
and net trade.
1. Chronic Food Insecurity
2. Economic and Physical Access to Food – an adequate  long term or persistent
supply of food at the national or international level does  occurs when people are unable to meet
not itself guarantee household level food security. their minimum food requirements over a
Concerns about insufficient access food access have sustained period of time
resulted in a greater policy focus on incomes,  resulted from extended periods of
expenditure, markets and prices in achieving food poverty, lack of assess and inadequate
security objectives. access to productive or financial
resources
3. Food Utilization – utilization is commonly understood
 can be overcome with typical long term
as the way the body makes the most of various nutrients
development measures also used to
in the food. Sufficient energy and nutrient intake by
address poverty, such as education or
individuals are the result of good care and feeding
access to productive resources, such as
practices, food preparation, diversity of the diet and intra-
credit.
household distribution of foods. Combined with good
biological utilization of food consumed, this determines
the nutritional status of individuals.
4. Stability of the other three dimensions over time –
even if your food intake is adequate today, you are still
considered to be food insecure of you have inadequate
access to food on a periodic basis, risking a deterioration
of your nutritional status.
The Meaning of Food Insecurity and Impact to the
Philippines
 It refers to the state of being without consistent
access to an adequate quantity of affordable
nutritious food. Food scarcity is one of the
common examples and this has long been a part
human experience and human culture. This is
also one big reason that some animals become
endangered and now have become extinct.
 People that do not have enough access to
sufficient food each day are those who suffer
from food insecurity and as a result they suffer
from chronic hunger or poor nutrition and most
likely not have affordable condition afro healthy
and productive living.

In the Philippines there are about 8.8 million families who

consider themselves to suffer from food insecurity as
reported in 2013. According to some research sponsored
by the World Food Programmed (WFP) AND Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA), hunger usually experienced
in most families are those from the provinces of Apayao,
Masbate, Negros Oriental, Eastern Samar, Northern
Samar, Western Samar, Zamboanga del Norte,
Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato,
Saranggani, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur,
Maguindanao and Sulu. The result showed that 90% of
the families who participated in the survey, went hungry,
 2. Transitory Food Insecurity Program, which encourages food manufacturers
 Short term and temporary to fortify products with micronutrients.
 Occurs when there is a sudden drop in  Rep. Act 8976 or Philippine Food Fortification
the ability to produce or access enough Act of 2000 promotes the fortification of stale
food to maintain a good nutritional status foods like rice, wheat flour, refined sugar, and
 Resulted from short term shocks and cooking oil to compensate for the inadequacies in
fluctuations in food availability and food the Filipino diet.
access, including year to year variations  DOH also conducts Operation Timbang to
in domestic food production, food prices monitor status of Filipino children.
and housed incomes  DSWDs Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program
provides cash grants on the condition that
The concept of seasonal food security falls families send their children to school and health
between chronic and transitory food insecurity. It is like check-ups. Other DSWD efforts include livelihood
chronic food insecurity as it is usually predictable and and skills training programs, and community
follows a sequence of known events. However, as gardens, among others.
seasonal food insecurity is of limited duration it can also  The National Nutrition Council (NNC) prepared
been seen as recurrent, transitory food insecurity. It the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2011-
occurs when there is a cyclical pattern of inadequate 2016, which sets the country’s strategies for
availability and access to food. This is associated with achieving its nutrition targets.
seasonal fluctuations in the climate, cropping patterns,  Meanwhile, the National Food Authority (NFA)
work opportunities (labor demand) and disease.
is vested the functions of ensuring the food
HUNGER, MALNUTRITION AND POVERTY security of the country and the stability of supply
and price of the staple grain rice. However, NFA
It is important to understand how these three concepts has been at the center of criticism in the past
are related to food insecurity. years.
Malnutrition – results from deficiencies, excesses
imbalances in the consumption of macro/micronutrients. LESSON WEAPONS OF MASS
Malnutrition may be an outcome of food insecurity, or it 4 DESTRUCTION
may relate to non-food factors such as:
a. Inadequate care practices for children Who will ever forget the massive destruction on
b. Insufficient health services Hiroshima, Japan which downed civilians during its
c. Unhealthy environment bombing in 1942? Weapon making is a part of a country’s
Poverty – It encompasses different dimensions of activity. it is an art and a craft. It is a symbol of strength
deprivation that relate to human capabilities including and power of a country. And just any other piece of
consumption and food security, health, education, rights, technology it undergoes evolution. They are used as a
voice, security, dignity, and decent work. defense against invaders, terrorists and even against
those who have evil minds to inflict harm for no apparent
It is argued that a strategy for attacking poverty in reason.
conjunction with policies to ensure food insecurity offers
the best hope of swiftly reducing mass poverty and Weapon is a device that is designed to be used in
hunger. However, recent studies show that economic fighting an enemy of war to cause bodily harm to another
growth alone will not take care of the problem of food or defend oneself from attackers (Cambridge University
security. What is needed is a combination of: income Press, 2018).
growth, supported by direct nutrition interventions; and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) is a term used to
investment in health, water and education. describe different kinds of weapons with two important
WHAT IS BEING DONE? characteristics:

 In the Philippines, feeding programs are being 1. The ability to produce large-scale destruction
implemented in selected schools by the 2. They do not choose who they want to attack
Department of Social Welfare and Development which usually affects the civilians.
(DSWD) and the Department of Education
(DepEd). According to Laura Reed, there are THREE major types
 DepEd also advises canteens to provide of WMD. They are nuclear weapons, chemical warfare
nutritious meals and to ban unhealthy snacks. agents, and biological warfare agents. But in addition,
Recently, a bill seeking the ban of soft drinks was other analysts include radiological materials as well as
filed in Congress. The department implements missile technology and delivery systems such as
nutrition education and Gulayan sa Paaralan, a aircraft and ballistic missiles. Possession of WMD is a
vegetable gardening program, across schools. great threat to all nations and aggravated if it falls in the
 The Department of Health (DOH) promotes hands of terrorists.
food fortification through its Sangkap Pinoy Seal
Four Kinds of Weapons of Mass Destruction
 Germany
1. Biological weapon of mass destruction – A weapon retaliates with
tear gas in
that uses harmful biological agents to cause death or
artillery shells
disease on a large-scale (Meriam Webster, 2018). 1915- England, Use of chlorine World War I
1918 France, gas in battle
2. Chemical weapon of mass destruction – A weapon Germany
containing any several chemical compounds like chlorine 1918 Germany Anthrax and World War I
gas, mustard gas, of which some are toxic agents, that equine diseases
are used to infect
are intended to kill, injure, or incapacitate an enemy livestock and
(Schneider, 2018). feed for export to
Allied forces;
3. Nuclear weapon of mass destruction – A weapon Phosgene and
combining radiological materials with a conventional chloropicrin
shells are used
explosive device (Schneider, 2018). They are considered against American
as the greatest weapons of mass destruction ever forces
crated because they can release large amount of 1919 Britain Use of Adamsite Russian
energy by splitting the atoms of highly enriched against the Civil War
uranium or plutonium in a process called fission. Bolsheviks
1922- Spain Chemical Rif War
1927 weapons are
4. Radiological weapon of mass destruction – A device used against Rif
that spread dangerous radioactive materials that is rebels in Spanish
wrapped around a conventional explosive to spread Morocco
toxic radiation. 1936 Italy Mustard gas is Italian-
used against Abyssinia
Abyssinians War
Brief History of Weapons of Mass Destruction 1937 Japan An offensive Inception of
biological Biological
Date Country Weapon of Event weapons Warfare
Mass program uses “Unit 731”
Destruction prisoners in
429 Sparta Toxic fumes are Peloponnesian human
BC created from War experiments
burnt pitch and 1939 Japan Soviet water Nomonhan
sulfur supply is Incident
256 Persia Sulfur crystals Persian poisoned with
BC and bitumen are Invasion of intestinal typhoid
used against Roman Empire bacteria at the
the Romans former
960- China Arsenic smoke Battle during Mongolian
1279 is used in battle China’s Sung border
AD Dynasty 1940 Japan Rice and wheat World War II
1346 Mongol Corpses Siege of Caffa mixed with
– contaminated plague carrying
1347 with plague are fleas are
catapulted over dropped over
walls forcing China and
besieged Manchuria
Genoans to flee 1942 Germany Nazis began World War II
1456 Serbia Rags dipped Turk invasion using Zyklon B
into poison are of Belgrade (hydrogen
ignited to create cyanide) in gas
a toxic cloud chambers for the
1710 Russia Plague-infected The Great mass murder of
corpses are Northern War concentration
hurled over camp prisoners
walls of Reval 1945 Germany A large reservoir World War II
where Swedish in Bohemia is
forces were poisoned with
barricaded sewage
1945 United Two atomic World War II
States bombs are
1754- Britain Blankets used to French dropped on
1767 wrap British Indian Wars Japan, one in
smallpox victims Hiroshima and
are given to one on Nagasaki
hostile Indian 1962- United Tear gas and Vietnam
tribes 1970 States four types of War
1914 France France first uses World War I defoliant,
and tear gas in including Agent
Germany grenades and Orange, are
 used in Vietnam 8. Health workers should wear protective
1963- Egypt Chemical Yemen War clothing, face mask and gloves and these
1967 weapons are should be properly disposed or sterilized.
used against
Yemen 9. Pregnant women should not receive
1970s South Anthrax and Rhodesian smallpox vaccination, and women should be
Africa cholera are Bush War advised against becoming pregnant for 4
provided to weeks after smallpox vaccination (Aneela
Rhodesian Naureen Hussain, 2015).
troops for use
against guerilla 2 ANTHRAX is one of the deadliest and most feared
rebels
agents of biological weapon. It is a caused by a bacterium
1975- Soviet Alleged use of Cold War
1983 Union Yellow Rain by called Bacillus antracis that is found naturally in some
Soviet-backed animals in low levels but when its spores are inhaled by
forces in Laos humans, it becomes deadly.
and Kampuchea
1983- Iraq Mustard gas, Iran-Iraq Its killing power was tested by British scientists during the
1988 hydrogen War Second World War on a tiny Scottish island to wipe out a
cyanide, and flock of sheep. The sheep started dying 3 days later
nerve agent
tabun are used
experts revealed that spraying a city of 100kg of anthrax
against Iran and can kill more than 3M population.
the Kurds
It effects after seven days of inhalation and death may
occur if not treated. The symptoms are fever, malaise,
BIOLOGICAL WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION fatigue, coughing, internal bleeding, blood poisoning or
(BIOWARFARE) even meningitis.
In 2001, letters containing a curious white powder began
1. SMALLPOX is caused by the variola virus. Signs of
spreading up the US. Senate offices and media outlets
smallpox include high fevers, body aches, and rash that
with anthrax. It infected 22 people and killed 5.
develops from fluid-filled bumps and when healed it
produces scabs to permanent, pitted scars. The disease Antidote for anthrax infection includes large
easily spreads through direct contact with an infected doses of intravenous and oral antibiotics, such as
person’s skin or bodily fluids, and through air in a closed, fluoroquinolones, doxycycline, erythromycin, vancomycin,
confined areas and contaminated snail mail. The Center or penicillin.
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDP) classifies
smallpox as Category A due to its high mortality rate and 3. EBOLA VIRUS which is a killer virus that causes
it can be easily transmitted through the air. hemorrhagic fevers marked by severe bleeding. Ebola hit
the news in the late 1970s as it spread through Zaire and
Sudan, killing hundreds. Later outbreaks came across
In 1967, the WHO conducted massive Africa, Europe, and the United States.
vaccination to eradicate smallpox. As a result, 1977
marked the last naturally occurring case of smallpox and Once present in a host, the virus infects others
the disease was effectively eliminated worldwide, but through direct contact with blood or other bodily
laboratory copies of smallpox still exist both Russia and secretions. An infected individual can expect to start
the United States as approved by WHO. experiencing symptoms in between 2 to 21 days. Typical
symptoms may include headache, muscle ache, sore
Antidote for smallpox include proper medical throat, and weakness, followed by diarrhea and vomiting.
management for affected patients is advised by the Some patients also suffer from internal bleeding. Between
following supportive care such as: 60 and 90 percent of infected victim die after 7 to 16 days
while some patients recover better than others.
1. The patient should be isolated until all scabs
have fallen off to prevent transmission of the There is no vaccine for no cure for Ebola, only
virus. proper medical management such as avoiding people
2. Maintain fluid and electrolyte balance to who are exposed to it and maintain balance of fluids and
avoid dehydration. electrolytes and oxygen, blood transfusion and treatment
3. Give medication for fever and pain; give food for other infections.
rich in nutrition.
4. Skin lesions should be properly treated. 4. PLAGUE also called BLACK DEATH killed half of the
5. Monitor complications and treat them population of Europe in the 14th century caused by the
immediately. bacterium Yersinia pestis which was transmitted to
6. Vaccination to prevent severe transmission humans by infected rats. Plague exists in two main
and in case of death, strains: bubonic and pneumonic. Bubonic plague
7. Corpses should be cremated. typically spreads by bites from infected fleas, but also
can be transmitted from person to person through
contact with infected bodily fluids. This strain is named
for the swollen glands, or buboes, around the groin,
 armpit and neck that is accompanied by fever, chills, Antitoxin drugs can be administered to the patient
headache, and exhaustion. Symptoms occur within two to prevent the disorder from worsening, but recovery still
or three days and typically last between ne and six takes many weeks according to Davis (2017).
days. Unless treated within the first 24 hours of
infection, 70 percent of those infected die. Pneumonic 7. RICE BLAST is classified as a bioweapon, a kind of
plague is less common and spreads through the air by crop disease caused by the fungus Pyricularia oryzae. It
coughs, sneezes, and face-to-face contact. Its makes leaves of plants that were exposed to the fungus
symptoms include high fever, cough, bloody mucus, and develop grayish lesions with buildup of thousands of
difficulty in breathing. fungal spores. The spores quickly multiply and spread to
all plants it encounters, weakening them and producing
Several countries have explored the use of lower crop harvest. This bioweapon does not kill instantly,
plague as a bioweapon and, as the disease still occurs but low food production could lead to severe hunger in
naturally throughout the world, copies of the bacterium poorer countries, as well as loses in income.
are relatively easy to come by. With appropriate
treatment, plague’s mortality rate can dip as low as 5 Several countries have pursued rice blast as a biological
percent. There is no vaccine that has been approved by weapon including the United States and Russia.
Food and Drug Administration. To prevent rice blast infested plants from
Antibiotics are prescribed to treat bubonic plague, growing, it is suggested to develop fungus resistant plant
and the patients is advised to be hospitalized in isolation. varieties. Other crop management measures can also be
Delayed treatment can easily make the bacteria quickly done, such as: Do not use excessive fertilizer; Irrigate the
multiply in the blood or spread to the lungs. If untreated, soil regularly; Plant early; Use silicon fertilizers as
mortality rate is increased from 50-99 percent. alternative fertilizer and apply appropriate fungicide to
infected plants.
5. TULAREMIA also called rabbit fever. It is a disease
caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis and is one 8. RINDERPEST (cattle plague) is a German name and a
of the most infectious bacteria on Earth. Rabbits, hares, kind of pest caused by a virus like measles but affects
and rodents are especially susceptible and often die in mostly cattle and other ruminant animals such as goats,
large numbers during outbreaks. Humans can become bison, and giraffes. It is a highly contagious,
infected through bites of tick and deer fly, skin contact characterized with fever, loss of appetite, dysentery, and
with infected animals, drinking contaminated water, and inflammation of the mucus membranes. The condition
inhalation of contaminated aerosols or agricultural dusts. gets serious for six to 10 days after exposure until the
animal suffers dehydration.
Tularemia symptoms normally appear within
three to five days after exposure and may vary depending There is no known treatment and animals
on the method of infection. Patients may experience exposed to it are required to be isolated and slaughtered.
fever, chills, headache, diarrhea, muscle aches, joint Vaccination can be administered by the authorities.
pain, dry cough, and progressive weakness. Pneumonia Maintain cleanliness and proper sanitation of cattle farms.
like symptoms can also develop. If left untreated, Using disinfectants like sodium hypochlorite, a 3%
respiratory failure, shock and death can follow. The household beach can kill the virus.
illness typically lasts less than two weeks, but during that 10. NIPAH disease is caused by the nipah virus
time, the infected people are basically bedridden. in 1999 that resulted to an outbreak in Nipah
Tularemia is not transferred between human region of Malaysia, infecting 265 and killing
hosts but can spread very rapidly between animal hosts 105 people. Health workers suspect the virus
and humans or when used in aerosol form. It can be naturally occurs in fruit bats. The exact
easily treated with antibiotics or prevented with a vaccine. nature of transference is uncertain, but
experts think that the virus ay spread through
6. BOTULINUM toxin is caused by bacteria Clostridium close physical contact or contaminated body
botulinum that contains deadly botulinum toxin. It is fluids. The illness typically lasts 6 to 10 days,
colorless and odorless in air. The spores are found in including symptoms that range from mild,
fruits, vegetables, and seafood. In this spore state, they flulike conditions such as fever and muscle
are considered harmless but when they begin to grow, pains to encephalitis, or inflammation of the
they produce deadly toxin. Humans primarily exposed to brain. In these most severe cases, patients
the toxin through the consumption of contaminated foods. experienced drowsiness, disorientation,
The signs of botulism are blurred vision, vomiting and convulsions ad ultimately coma. Nipah virus,
difficulty in swallowing. To prevent severe effects, an is classified as a Category C biological
antitoxin botulism should be administered to the victim. If weapon. While no country is known to have
untreated victim will experience paralysis, affecting the developed to use it as a bioweapon, it has
muscles and eventually the respiratory system. In the that potential use because of its 50 percent
absence of the respiratory support, Clostridium botulinum mortality rate.
can kill exposed victim within 24 to 72 hours. Because of
these reactions, the deadly toxin was labelled as
Category A biological weapon. MOST COMMON CHEMICAL WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION
1. SARIN also called GB, odorless nerve gas and injectable atropine and pralidoxime (Kermit D Huebner,
considered an organophosphate chemical, a potent 2016).
pesticide. Sarin is a tasteless, odorless, colorless liquid
that has no odor in its pure form which was developed in 5. ZYKLON B is another poison gas invented in Germany
Germany by Gerhard Schrader in 1938. in 1920 by Fritz Haber, a type of hydrogen cyanide used
by the Nazis to kill war victims inside gas chamber during
Sarin can evaporate into vapor and spread into the WW II. It is a colorless vapor at normal temperatures with
environment. It is highly poisonous chemical that kills smell like bitter almonds. Eventually, the use of poisonous
because it interferes with signaling within the nervous gas in war was prohibited by 1899 Hague Convention the
system by suffocation. The production and storing of sarin toxic gas is blown by the wind in all directions it victimizes
were banned in 1997 by the United Nations’ Chemical both enemy troops and friendly forces. However, it has
Weapons Convention of 1995. US has stopped producing been reported that hydrogen cyanide was used by Iraq in
sarin since 1957. It was used as well by Iraqi insurgents, the war against Iran and against the Kurds in northern
and it is still used in the ongoing Syrian Civil War. Iraq during the 1980s. Hydrogen cyanide has high toxicity
and in sufficient concentrations rapidly leads to death.
Antidote for Sarin is exposure to Atropine and pralidoxime Antidote use is Amyl nitrite, and sodium thiosulfate which
chloride for nerve agent against toxicity, however, it must are antidotes for cyanide toxicity.
be administered within minutes to a few hours after
exposure to be more effective. (National Istitute for 6. MUSTARD AGENTS was first used near the end of
Occupational Safety and Health, 2017) WW I. Exposure to it severe eye and lung damage. The
chemical compound is often called “blister agents”
2. SOMAN is a combination of Sarin and Lewisite, an because their injuries usually resemble burns or blisters.
effective blistering agent. It is more expensive to produce Sulfur mustard, commonly known as mustard gas, can
than sarin. It is a colorless liquid, become dark brown form large blisters. Sulfur mustard exposure can cause
when aged. It is tasteless but it has been variously 2nd and 3rd degree chemical burns. Sulfur mustard
described as having a sweet, musty, fruity, spicy, or nutty sometimes smells like garlic, onions, or mustard and
smell. It is more deadly than sarin and tabun. The nerve sometimes has no odor. There is no antidote for mustard
agent Soman is said to have come from the Soviet exposure. The best thing to do is to avoid it by leaving the
Union’s chemical arsenal. It is considered a volatile area immediately where the sulfur mustard is present. Go
substance effective mainly through inhalation (Greaves, to higher ground, because sulfur mustard being heavier
2010). than air, will settle in low-lying areas.
Antidotes to nerve agent poisoning must be given TWO MAIN TYPES OF NUCLEAR REACTION THAT
immediately. These include, atropine, pralidoxime CAN BE USED TO MAKE WEAPONS
diazepam.
1. FISSION WEAPONS. In fission weapons, atoms are
3. VX, or O-ethyl S-diisopropylaminomethyl split. The core of a fission bomb is made of either
methylphosphonothiolate, is brownish in liquid form, plutonium or highly enriched uranium. Plutonium and
and its vapors are odorless. The United States began uranium atoms are both heavy, meaning they have many
producing VX in April 1961. VX is a very toxic nerve gas, protons and neutrons in the nucleus. During the fission,
an extremely very toxic chemical agent that is used as when the heavy nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, extra
nerve gas that causes convulsions, loss of neurons are released.
consciousness, paralysis, and failure of the respiratory
system leading to death. It is 100 times more deadly than 2. FUSION WEAPONS. In fusion weapons- often known
sarin. VX was first synthesized in the early to mid-1950s as hydrogen bombs- deuterium and tritium, two isotopes
by Rhanaji Ghosh, a chemist working for Imperial of hydrogen, are fused together to create heavier atoms.
Chemical Industries in Britain. An individual exposed to a This reaction also occurs in the center of the sun. Fusion
nerve-agent, is generally given the antidotes atropine and can only happen at extremely high temperatures and
pralidoxime, as well as an injected sedative/antiepileptic pressure. There is no theoretical limit to the explosive
such as diazepam. (Taylor, 2017). force of a fusion weapon. Typically, fusion weapons are
10 to 100 times as explosive just like the fission bombs
4. TABUN, was discovered by accident in Germany by a dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
German chemist, Gerhard Schrader, sometime in 1937. It
is a colorless or brownish liquid, and odorless as a vapor. EFFECTS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Tabun is classified as an organophosphate and originally
intended to be used as pesticide and considered as one 1. BLAST refers to the very fast release of energy in an
of the easiest of nerve gases to manufacture. Tabun can explosion producing a shock wave equivalent to several
be mixed with water and can be used to poison water or thousand pounds of pressure per square inch (psi),
food and it can also be inhaled when released into the air. devastating force that can break most objects on earth.
Signs of exposure are visual disturbance, runny nose, By comparison, brick houses and human lungs can be
chest tightness, nausea, vomiting and convulsions. A crushed at about 30 psi pressure or less.
large dose exposure can lead to loss of consciousness, 2. HERMAL RADIATION is a form of energy with a
convulsions, paralysis, and respiratory failure, which can combination of heat and light. The heat from a nuclear
lead to death. Antidote for tabun is administration of explosion is so intense that nearly all materials at the
center of the explosion are immediately vaporized. The
thermal energy creates a fireball which rapidly expands
outward, consuming oxygen and combined with the blast
effect, creating near destruction for some distance from
the epicenter. The light produced by a nuclear explosion
can be seen from hundreds of miles away, so intense that
it can make sand explode, blind people many miles away,
ignite flammable materials at large distances, and burn
human skin.
3. DIRECT NUCLEAR RADIATION releases several
forms of radiations such as gamma, alpha and beta
particles. Both gamma rays and neutrons can easily
penetrate or pass-through solid objects and can be
deadly. Beta and alpha particles are generally less
dangerous, having much stronger ranges- several meters
and several centimeters, respectively. Alpha particles
cannot penetrate human skin, but if ingested, they can
cause the most damage to the human body.
4. FALLOUT consists of large numbers of particles,
which are propelled upward in the blast and becomes
irritated or contaminated with radiation during the
explosion. Some of this material will fall back to earth
within few minutes and may continue falling for about 24
hours.
EFFECTS OD RADIATION ON HUMANS
1. Depending on the amount of radiation, how fast and
how low the radiation contamination, it can affect the
cells, tissues, and organs of the body. Large does can
cause death within hours, days, or weeks of exposure.
2. The most serious delayed, long-term effect of radiation
exposure is increased cases of leukemia, thyroid, lungs,
breast, and bone cancers. The type of cancer acquired
depends on how the body was exposed to radiation. In
the case of uranium mine workers, high cases of lung
cancer are caused by inhaling radioactive dusts.
3. While workers who painted glow-in-the-dark radium
onto watch faces licked their radioactive paintbrushes,
which lead to increase cases of bone cancer and
radiation-induced anemia.
4. Hiroshima survivors exposed from the nuclear bomb
attack have been seen to manifest high cases of
leukemia, cataract, hair loss, increased in infertility rates
and birth defects (Reed).
RADIOLOGICAL WEAPON OF MASS DISRUPTION
Radioactive “dirty bombs” are weapons of mass
disruption not mass destruction. A radioactive “dirty
bomb” is made by combining radioactive material with
conventional explosives usually dynamite to spread it but
would not cause massive death and injury as compared
to the scale of a nuclear weapon detonation. They are
more intended to spread terror than mass killings.