LA UNION COLLEGES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Central West, Bauang, La Union
College of Computing and Information Technology Education
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
FIRST Semester A.Y. 2022 – 2023
BSIT 2nd Year
Midterms Module
Science, Technology
and Society
ELEC-FDB
Prepared by:
Richmond Jhon Begonia
College Instructor
INTRODUCTION
Science, Technology and Society (STS) is one of the new general education courses in
the CHED general education program. This module is based on outcome based education
curriculum which help students develop their competencies and skills on the communication,
creativity, critical thinking and problem solving. This module has been prepared for the students
taking up STS subject good for one semester in the collegiate level.
MODULE OBJECTIVES
This module present the general concepts and principles needed to study and
understanding of science, technology and society. It is designed to enable students acknowledge
and appreciate the scientific and technological development from the perspective of its historical
developments up to 21st century and its impact to the humans and its society. This provides the
students the opportunity to read more about science and technology considered in this study
through lectures and activities.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. Describe the development of Science and technology during Renaissance period,
Scientific Revolution, Industrial Revolution and 20th Century.
2. Explicate and recognize the significance of the technology invented during the
Renaissance period, Scientific Revolution, Industrial Revolution and 20th Century.
3. State the meaning of climate change, global warming and greenhouse effect;
4. Identify the causes of climate change
5. Describe the impact of climate change to the society and environment
6. State possible solution to minimize to solve problem of natural resources, and the
implication and climate change.
Table of Contents
Unit 2 Science, Technology and Society from the Perspective of History
Lesson 7 The advance of Science and Technology during the renaissance (A.D. 1300-
A.D. 1550 in Western World)
Lesson 8 The LEAP of Science and Technology during the Scientific Revolution (A.D.
1600-A.D. 1700)
Lesson 9 The impact of Science and Technology on Society during the Industrial
Revolution (A. D. 1730-A.D. 1950 in the modern world
Lesson 10 Science, Technology and Society in the 20th Century
Unit 3 Current Issues Arising from the Application of Science and Technology
Lesson 1 Climate Change
Lesson 2 The State of Natural Resources Management
LEARNING CONTENT
A. Lesson 7 The advance of Science and Technology during the Renaissance (A.D. 1300-
A.D. 1550 in Western World)
Renaissance
Renaissance was a time of creativity and change in Europe. It was rebirth of cultural and
intellectual pursuits after the stagnation of the Middles ages. The renaissance produced a golden
age with many achievements in art, literature, and science, but most importantly, it produced a
new concept of how people thought of themselves, each other, and the world around them. The
Renaissance was centered in Italy during the 1300s, before spreading throughout Europe in the
1500 and 1600s. Great advances occurred in geography, astronomy, chemistry, physics,
mathematics, manufacturing, anatomy and engineering.
• Michael Angelo is known as sculptor, painter, poet, engineer, and architect. His famous
works include the mural on the ceiling the Sistine Chapel, and the sculpture of the
biblical character David.
• The most important technological innovation of the time was invention of the printing
press. This was introduced from China in 1300s. by the 4000s, movable type was being
used in Europe as Johann Gutenberg began printing the Bible in every language. Soon
millions of books were in circulation. This invention led to a higher literacy rate among
people, and helped with spreading of Renaissance ideas.
• Alchemy is the study of the transmutation ofmaterials through obscure processes. It is
sometimes described as an early form of chemistry. One of the main aims of alchemists
was to find a method of creating gold from other substances. Medieval alchemists worked
with two main elements, sulphur and mercury. Paracelus was an alchemist and physician
of the renaissance. The paracelsians added a third element, salt, to make a trinity of
alchemical elements.
• Astronomy – Nicolaus Copernicus. Founded the theory of Heliocentric, that the earth
revolved around the sun. Sun is the center of solar system. His book De revolutionibus
orbium coelestum, was finally published in 1543. A comparison of his work with the
aAlmagest shows that Copernicus was in many ways a renaissance scientist rather than a
revolutionary.
• Medicine with the renaissance came an increase in the experimental investigation,
principally in the field of dissection and body examination, thus advancing our
knowledge of human anatomy.
• The development of modern neurology began in the 16th century with andreas Versalius,
who described the anatomy of the brain and other organs. In 1543, he published one of
the most famous publications in natural philosophy his anatomical book De fabrica. It
was arguably the most important anatomical texts of the century, at once criticizing the
work of the ancients, principally Galen, offering new illustrations based on first-hand
observation observation and fresh dissections.
Learning Activity: Answer the following questions
Answer the following questions
1. (Ptolemy, Copernicus) Founded the theory of Heliocentric states that the sun is the center of
the solar system.
2. He discovered that blood circulates through the body and started the science of Physiology
(William Harvey, Andreas Vesalius)
3. (Johann Gutenberg, Johan Carolus) invented the first mechanical printing press.
4. A great painter, (Leonardo da Vinci, Micheangelo known for his work on Monaliza and the
Last Supper.
[Link] described the anatomy of the brain as well as other organs of the body. He is ( William
Harvey, Andreas Versalius.)
6. (Metallurgy, Alchemy) is the science of transformation of materials into other metals, like
gold?
7. It is a period of rebirth after the fall of Roman empire, marked by great advances in science
and technology (Medieval period, Renaissance period).
8. What do you think will happen if the renaissance period does not occur in the history?
9. List down some notable works of different poet, writer and etc. during the period of
renaissance.
10. Who is Otto Brunfels?
B. Lesson 8 The LEAP of Science and Technology during the Scientific Revolution (A.D.
1600-A.D. 1700)
The scientific revolution was the emergence of modern science during the early modern period,
when developments in mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology and chemistry transformed the
views of society and nature. The scientific revolution began in Europe towards and the end of the
renaissance period and continued through the late 18 th century, influencing the intellectual social
movement known as the Enlightenment.
1. Nicholas Copernicus De revolutionibus orbium coelestium is often cied as marking the
beginning of the scientific revolution.
2. William Gilbert published books on the Magnet and magnetic Bodies, and the Great Magnet
the Earth in 1600, whch Laid the foundations of theory of magnetsm and electricity. Gilbert
provided a hyper-imperical study of magnets, magnetism, and electricity with speculations about
cosmology.
3. Tycho Brahe a Danish nobleman. He is known for his accurate and comprehensive
astronomical and planetary observations. He was assisited by Johannes Kepler, where the latter
used the information to develop his own theories in astronomy. In November 1572, he
discovered the Tychos Star or the Star of 1572.
4. Johannes Kepler first publication in astronomy, called Cosmographic Mystery presented
Stridently Copernican worldview dedicated to drawing together mathematical astronomy,
physics, amd a quasi-Phytagorean religios perspective in hope of a new astronomy. He published
the first two of his three laws of planetary motion in 1609, published the first two of his three
laws of planetary motion in 1609. Published his ad vitellioem paralipomena quibus astronomiae
pars optica traditor where he argues that light rays are rectilinear, that they diminish in intensity
by the inverse square of their distance as they travel from the light source. Astronomia nova
shows that Mars moves non-uniformly in an elliptical path and proposes a quasi-magnetic power
or virtue emanating from the sun as partial explanation for the planetary motion. Harmonice
mundi presents his so-xcalled third Law which draws attention to the relationship between the
annual periods of the planets and their distances from the sun.
5. Francis Bacon published Novum Organum in 1620, which outlined a new system of logic
based on the process of reduction, which offered as an improvement over aristotle’s
philosophical process of syllogism. He was a pivotal figure in establishing the scientific method
of insvestigation.
6. Galileo Galilei the famous Italian Astronomer who demonstrated who demonstrated that a
projectile follows a parabolic path. 1608, he invented the telescope which employs a convex
objective lens and concave eyepiece. 1609 he constructed his first telescope and turns it toward
the heavens and able to discover and argues there are innumerable stars invisible to the naked
eye. He discovered mountains on the moon and four rings of Jupiter, later in 1610,
7. Rene Descartes published hi Dicourse on the method in 17673, which helped to establish the
scientific method.
8. Antoine van Leeuwenhook constructed powerful single lens microscope and made extensive
observations that he published around 1660, opening up the micro world biology.
9. Isaac Newton Built upon the work of Kepler and Galileo. He showed thatinverse square law
for gravity explained the elliptical orbits of the planets, and advanced the law of universal
gravitation. In his Principia, Newton theorized his axiomatic laws of motion
10. Alexander Koyre in the 20th century, introduced the term scientific revolution, centering his
analysis on Galileo, and the term was popularized by Butterfield in his Origins of Modern
Science
11. John Locke is recognized founder of empiricism and proposed in an essay concerning
human understanding that the only true knowledge that could be accessible to the human mind
was that which was based on experience. He argued that the human mind was created tabula
rasa, a blank tablet, upon which sensory impressions were recorded and built up knowledge
through a process of reflection.
12. Robert Boyle an English chemist considered to have refined the modern scientific method
for alchemy and have to separated chemistry further from alchemy. Boyle is largely regarded
today as the first modern chemist, and therefore one of the founders of modern chemistry, and
one of the pioneers of modern experimental scientific method.
13. Refracting telescopes first appeared in the Netherlands in 1608. The spectacle makers Hans
Lippershy, Zacharias Jansen and Jacob Matius of Alkmaaral contributed to its invention.
14. Evangelista Torricelli was best known for his invention of the mercury barometer. The
motivation for the invention was to improve o the suction pumps that were used to raise water
out of the mines.
Learning Activity: : Answer the following questions
1. The law which states that acceleration will a. Johannes Kepler
be proportional to the magnitude of force and b. Nicolaus Copernicus
in the same direction as the force; c. Isaac Newton
a. Law of inertia d. Tycho Brahe
b. Law of acceleration 6. He made extensive observations that he
c. Law of gravitational force published around 1660, opening up the micro-
d. Law of interaction world of biology;
2. An astronomer who believed in a. Aristotle
Heliocentric theory b. Antoine Van Leewenhoek
a. Claudius Ptolemy c. Alexander Koyre
b. Nicolaus Copernicus d. Tycho Brahe
c. Isaac Newton 7. He introduced the term Scientific
d. Edwin Hubble revolution
3. He discovered the star of 1572, a dramtic a. Aristotle
supernova believed to appear in Cassiopeia b. Antoine van Leeuwenhoek
constellation c. Alexander Koyre
a. Johannes Kepler d. Tycho Brahe
b. Nicolaus Copernicus 8. He described that gas constant temperature,
c. Isaac Newton pressure is inversely proportional to its
d. Tycho Brahe volume
4. The following are true about Galileo, a. Robert Boyle
except; b. Hans Lippershey
a. discovered the moon of Jupiter c. Evangelista Torricelli
b. hesitate the Copernian theory d. Jacob Metius
c. developed a refracting telescope 9. He invented the mercury barometer
d. published the starry messenger a. Robert Boyle
5. He argues that light rays are rectilinear, that b. Hans Lippershey
they diminish in intensity by the inverse c. Evangelista Torricelli
square of their distane as they travel from [Link] Metius
light source;
10. He is known as proponent of the law of b. Nicolaus Copernicus
universal gravitation; c. Isaac Newton
a. Johannes Kepler d. Tyho Brahe
C. Lesson 9: The impact of Science and Technology on Society during the Industrial Revolution (A. D.
1730-A.D. 1950 in the modern world
In much of modern science the idea of progressive change, or evolution, has been of the fundamental
importance. In addition to biological evolution, astronomers have been concerned with stellar and galactic
evolution, and astrophysics and chemists with nucleosynthesis, or the evolution of the chemical elements.
Geologist have discovered that the continents are not static entities but are also evolving, according to the
theory of plate tectonics, some continents are moving away from each other while others are moving closer
together. Physics in particular was shaken to the core around the turn of the century. The atom had been
presumed indestructible, but discoveries of X-rays, radioactivity, and the electron could not explained by the
classical theories. The discovery of the atomic nucleus and of the numerous subatomic particles in addition to
the electron opened up the broad field of atomic and nuclear physics. Atoms were found to change not only by
radioactive decay but also by more dramatic processes- nuclear fission and fusion- with release of large amount
of energy.
• Albert Einstein-theory of relativity
• Radioactive isotopes have been used as tracers in complicated chemical and biochemical reactions and
have also found application in geological dating.
• Introduction of microscope by the Janssen team that paved way for the establishment of the cell theory
and the study of minute things. Charles Darwin proposed the natural selection as an explanation of
evolution. Darwins complete theory is published in on the origin of species in 1859. Gregor Mendel’s
theory of genetics, he observed and studied the pattern of inheritance using a pea plant and developed
the Mendelian principles of heredity.
• Louis Pasteur a French scientist known as the father of microbiology. He pioneered pasteurization, a
process of heating milk to a high temperature and pressure to eliminate souring caused bacteria. He
proposed the germ theory of disease, in which diseases arise frm natural existing microorganisms not
from spontaneous generation. He developed a vaccine for rabies and disproved spontaneous generation
theory.
• Hugo de Vries around the turn of the century biological evolution came to interpreted in terms of
mutations the result in genetically distinct species; the survival of a given species was thus related to its
ability to adapt to its environmemt through such mutations.
• The development of biochemistry and the recognition that most important biological processes take
place at the molecular level that led to the rapid growth of the field OF molecular biology, which such
fundamental results as the discovery of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule carrying the
genetic code.
• Modern medicine has profited from this explosion of knowledge in biology and biochemistry, with new
methods of treatment ranging from penicillin, insulin, and a vast array of other drugs to pacemakers for
weak hearts and implanation of artificial or donated organs.
• In astronomy ever larger telescope have assisted in the discovery that the sun is a rather ordinary star in
ahuge collection of stars, the milk way, which itself is only one thegalaxies, that in general are
expanding away from each other. Through space travel astromers were able to study and discover the
nature of the universe beyond Earth. The space began with launch of the first artificial satelites in 1957.
A human first went into space in 1961. Since then cosmonauts have ventured into space for further study
of the universe.
• The study of remote odjects, billions of light-years from the earth, has been carried out at all
wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, with some of the most notable result being made in radio
astronomy, which has been used to map the milky way, study quasars, pulsars, and other unusaual
objects, and detect relatively complex organic molecules floating space.
• The electronics industry , born in the early 2oth cent., has advanced to the point where a complex
device, such as a computer, that once might have filled an entire room can now be carried in an attaché
case. The electronic computer has become one of the key tools in modern industry. Electronics also been
fundamental in developing new communications devices.
• A watt steam engine. The steam engine, made of iron and fueled primarily by coal, became widely used
in Great Britain during the Industrial Revolution
Important Technological Developments
1. Metallurgy
A major change in the metal industries during the era of the Industrial Revolution was the placement of wood
and other bio-fuels with coal. For a given amount of heat, coal required much less labour to mine than cutting
wood and converting it to charcoal, and coal was more abundant than wood. The substitution of coke for
charcoal greatly lowered the fuel cot for pig iron wrought iron production. Using coke also allowed larger blast
furnaces, resulting in economies of scale. The cast iron blowing cylinder was first used in 1760. It was later
improved by making it double acting, which allowed higher furnace temperatures.
James Watt and Matthew Boulton, had succeeded by 1778 in perfecting his steamengine, which incorporated a
series of radical improvements, notably the closing off of the upper part of the cylinder thereby making the low
pressure steam drive the top of the piston instead of the atmosphere, use of steam jacket and the celebrated
separate steam condenser chamber.
2. Machine tools
Created a demand for metal parts used in machinery. This led to the development of several machine tools for
cutting metal parts.
3. Chemicals
The large scale production of chemicals such as sulphuric acid by the lead chamber process was invented by
Englishman John Roebuck. Sulphuric acid is used for pickling iron and steel, and for bleaching cloth. Nicolas
Leblanc, in 1791 introduced a method for the production of sodium carbonate. Sodium carbonate had many use
in the glas, textile, soap, and paper industries. The development of bleaching powder calcium hypochlorite,
revolutionized the bleaching processes in the textile industry by dramatically reducing the time required for the
traditional process then in use, which required repeated exposure to the sun in bleach fields after soaking the
textileswith alkali or sour milk.
4. Cement
In 1824 Joseph Aspdin, a britist bricklayer turned builder, patented a chemical process for making Portland
cement which was an important advance in the building trades. This process involves sintering a mixture of clay
and limestone to about 1,400°C, then grinding it into a fine powder which is then mixed with water, sand and
gravel to produce concrete. Cement was used on a large scale in the construction.
5. Gas lighting
Though others made a similar innovation elsewhere, the large-scale introduction of this was the work of
William Murdoch, an employee of Boulton and Watt, the Birmingham steam engine pioneers. The process
consisted of the large-scale gasification of coal in furnaces, the purification of the gas, and its storage and
distribution. The first gaslighting utilities were established in London between 1812 and 1820.
6. Glass making
A new method of producing glass, known as the cylinder process, was developed in Europe during the early
19th century. In 1832, this process was used by the Chance Brothers to create sheet glass. They became the
leading producers of window and plate glass. This advancement allowed for larger panes of glass to be created
without interruption, thus freeing up the space planning in interiors as well as the fenestration of buildings.
7. Paper machine
A machine for making a continuous sheet of paper on a loop of wire fabric was patented in 1798 by Nicolas
Louis Robert
8. Agriculture
Improved agriculture productivity freed up workers to work in other sectors of the economy. Industrial
technologies that affected farming included the seed drill, the Dutch plough, which contained iron parts, and the
threshing machine. Jethro Tull invented an improved seed drill in 1701. It was a mechanical seeder which
distributed seeds evenly across a plot of land and planted them at the correct depth.
9. Transportation
At the beginning of the industrial revolution, inland transport was by navigable rivers and roads, with coastal
vessel employed to move heavy goods by sea. Wagon ways were used for conveying coal to rivers for further
shipment. From astounding automobile and the early airplane to the modern supersonic jet and the giant rocket
that has taken astrounouts to the moon. Transportation improvements, such as canals and improved roads, also
lowered food costs. Railroads were introduced near the end of the industrial revolution.
10. Food and nutrition
Food supply had been increasing and prices falling before the industrial revolution due to better agriculture
practices.
11. Housing
Living conditions during the industrial revolution varied from splendour for factory owners to squalor for
workers. The industrial revolution also created a middle class of professionals, such as lawyers and doctors,
who lived in much better conditions
12. Clothing and consumer goods.
Onsumers benefited from falling prices for clothing and household articles such as cast utensils, and in the
following decades, stoves for cooking and space heating.’
Learning Activity: Answer the following questions
Compare and contrast the following: 6. Alchemy and metallurgy
1. Plate tectonic and continental drift theory 7. John Roebuck and Nicolas Leblanc
2. X-rays and radioactivity 8. Gas lighting and glass making
3. The work of Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel 9. Seed drill and Dutch plough
4. Biochemistry and molecular biology 10. Transportation by means of land and canals
5. Germ theory of disease and spontaneous
generation
D. Lesson: 10 Science, Technology and Society in the 20th Century
There are heaps of developments of science and technology, during this century and it keeps on upgrading. The
following are some of the remarkable invention that had major impact of human being.
1. The airplane
An airplane or aeroplane was invented by the Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville. It is powered, fixed-wing
aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine or propeller. Their work leads them to make the
first controlled, sustained, powered flights on December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North North Carolina. On Jan.
1, 1914, the St. Petersburg Tampa Airboat Line became the world’s first scheduled passenger airline service,
operating between St Peterbergs and Tampa, Florida. It was a short-lived undertaking but it paved the way for
today’s daily transcontinental flights.
Airplanes had a presence in all the major battles of World War II. The first jet aircraft was the German Heinkel
He 178 in 1939. The first jet airliner, the de Havilland Comet, was introduced in 1952. The Boieng 707, the first
widely successful commercial jet, was in commercial service for more than 50 years, from 1958 to at least
2013.
2. Computers
A computer is an electronic machine that accepts information, stores it, processes it according to the instructions
provided by a user and then returns result. Today, computers have become part of our everyday activities. While
computers as we know them today are relatively recent, the concepts and ideas behind computers have quite a
bit of history.
Charles Babbage referred to as the father of computers, conceived an analytical engine in 1830 which could be
programmed with punched cards to carry calculations. It was different from its predecessors because it was able
to make decisions based on its own computations, such as sequential control, branching and looping. KonraZuse
built the very first electronic computers in Germany in the perio of 1935 to 1941. The Z3 was the first working,
programmable and fully automatic digital computer. Zeus is often regarded as the inventor of the computer.
The Britist built the Colossus and the americans built the Electronic Numerical Integrator Analyzer and
Computer, or ENIAC between 1943 and 1945. Both Colossus and ENIAC relied heavily on vacuum tubes,
which can act as an electronic switch that can e turned on or off much faster than mechanical switches.
Computers systems using vacuum tubes are considered the first generation computers.
The first semiconductor transistor was invented in 1926, but only in 1947 was it developed into a solid-state,
reliable transitor for the use in computers. Similar to a vacuum tube, a transistor controls the flow of electricity,
but was only a few millimetres in size and generated little heat. Compueter systems using transistor are
considered the second generation of computers.
The following are some of the highlighted development of computer.
• Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak introduce Apple Computers on April Fool’s Day and roll out the Apple I,
the first computer with a single-circuit board in 1976
• The first IBM personal computer, code-name Acorn, was introduced. It uses Microsoft’s MS-DOS
operating system. It has an Intel Chip, two floppy disk and an optional color monitor in 1981.
• The first dot-com domain name was registered on March 15, years before the World wide Web would
mark the formal beginning of Internet history in1985.
• Tim Berners-Lee, a researchers at CERN, the high- energy physics laboratory in Geneva, develops
Hypertext Marup Language (HTML), giving rise to the World Wide Web i(WWW) in 1990.
• The Pentium microprocessors advances the use of graphics and music on PCs on 1993
• PCs became the gaming machines as command and conquer, alone in the Dark 2, Theme Park, Magic
Carpet, Descent and Little Big Adventure were among the games to hit the market in 1994.
• The term WI-FI becomes part of the computing language and users begin connecting to the Internet
without wires in 1999.
• Apple unveils the Mac OS X operating system, which provides protected memory architecture and pre-
emptive multi-tasking, among other benefits in 2001.
• Mozillas’ Firefox 1.0 challenges Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, the dominant Web browser. Facebook, a
social networking site, launches in 2004.
• Youtube, a video sharing services, is founded. Google acquires Android, a Linux-based mobile phone
operating system in 2005.
• Apple introduces the Macbook Pro, its first Intel-based, dual-core mobile computer, as well as an Intel-
based iMac. Nintendos Wii gsme console hits the market in 2006.
• The iphone brings many computer functions to the smartphone in 2007.
• Google releases the Chromebook, a laptop that runs the Google Chrome OS in 2011.
• Facebook gains 1 billion users on October 4, 2012
• The first reprogrammable quantum computer was created in 2016.
• The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a new Molecular Informatics
program that uses molecules as computers (2017)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive medical test that physicians use to diagnose medical
conditions. Magnetic resonance imaging of the body uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves, or pulses and
a computer to produe detailed pictures of the inside of your body such as organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually
all other internal body structures. It may be used to help diagnose the presence of certain disease and
abnormalities or monitor treatment for a variety of conditions within the body.
Physicians use an MR examination to help diagnose or monitor treatment for conditions such as: tumors of the
chest, abdomen or pelvis; disease of the liver, such as cirrhosis, and abnormalities of the bile ducts and
pancreas; inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohns’disease and ulcerative colitis, heart problems, such as
congenital heart disease, malformations of the blood vessels and inflammation of the vessels; a fetus in the
womb of a pregnant woman.
The Internet
the internet was the work of dozens of pioneering scientists, programmers and engineers who each developed
new features and technologies that eventually merged to become the information superhighway we know today.
It started in early 1900 when Nikola Tesla toyed with the idea of a world wireless system. Paul Otlet and
Vannevar Bush conceived of mechanized, searchable storage systems of books and media in the 1930’s and
1940’s J.C.R. Licklider popularized the idea of an Intergalactic Network of computers. These ground breaking
ideas landed him a position as director of the U.S. Department of defense Avanced Research Projects Agency
(ARPA), the government agency responsible in creating a time-sharing network of computers known as
ARPANET, the precursor to today’s internet in 1960.
Optic Fiber
Fiber optic is preferred over electrical cabling when high bandwidth, long distance, or immunity to
electromagnetic interference are required. Due to much lower attenuation and interference, optical fiber has
large advantages over existing copper wire in long-distance, high-demand applications.
Optical fiber is used by may telecommunications companies to transmit telephone signals, internet
communication, abd cable television signals. The prices of fiber-optic communications have dropped
considerably since 2000. Today, fiber is present in virtually every nation on the Earth, forming the absolute
strength of the modern communications infrastructure.
Gene Therapy
Gene therapy attempts to treat genetic diseases at the molecular level by correcting what is wrong with
defective genes. The first gene therapy was pproved in the European Union I 2012, after two decades of dashed
expectations. This approval boosted the investment in developing gene therapies.
The gene therapy is successful, if it could work by preventing a protein from doing something that causes harm,
restoring the normal function of a protein, giving proteins new functions, or enhancing the existing functions of
proteins.
Gene therapy relies on finding on finding a dependable delivery system to carry the correct gene to the affected
cells. The gene must be delivered inside the target cellsand work properly without causing adverse effects.
Delivering genes that will work correctly for the long term is the greatest challenge of gene therapy, the DNA
for the desired gene is inserted into the genetic material of the virus and deliver its new genetic material which
contains the desired DNA. Fatty molecules known as liposomes may also be used as can micropipettes,
sometimes called gene guns to insert genes into cells physically.
3D Metal Printing
3D Metal Printing is one of the advances in the technology that provide instant metal fabrication. This
innovation enables the ability to create large, intricate metal structures on demand and therefore could
revolutionize manufacturing. It gives the manufacturers the ability to make a single or small number of metal
parts much more cheaply than using existing mass-production techniques.
Learning Activity
Choose at least five remarkable inventions in the 20th century and explain how these inventions are important to
the society, in not less than five sentences.
Unit 3 Current Issues Arising from the Application of Science and Technology
A. Lesson 1: Climate Change
The Earth’s climate has changed throughout history. Just in the class 650, 000 years there have been seven
cycles of glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago making the
beginning of the modern climate era- and of human civilization. Most of these climate changes are attributed to
very small variations in Earth’s orbit that change the amount of solar energy our planet receives.
Earth is very special planet- it orbits close enough to the sun to receive a lot of energy, but far enough away not
to be scorched. To help keep these conditions constant , our planet is wrapped in a layer of greenhouse gases.
This layer acts like a blanket, keeping the earth warm and shielding it from the cold of universe.
Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an
extended period of time. Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers
have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are
flowering sooner.
What is global Warming?
Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s near surface air and oceans in
the recent decades and its projected continuation. In common usage the term refers to recent warming and
implies a human influence. Most of the observed increase in globally average 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
variation combined with volcanoes also produced greenhouse effect.
What causes climate change?
Human activities like mining, wrong practices in agriculture, illegal logging, burning of fossil fuel,
deforestation, too much car that emits carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and producing industrial waste are
believe to be the sources of greenhouse gasses that in the long run cause the climate change.
The Greenhouse gases and effect
• Small amount of heat trapping gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, nitrous oxide
and chlorofluorocarbon play a key role in determining the earth’s average temperature and thus its
climates.
• Together , these gases are known as greenhouse gases. They allow light, infrared radiation, and some
ultraviolet radiation from the sun to pass through the troposphere. The earth’s and some ultraviolet
radiation from the sun to pass through the troposphere. The earth’s surface then absorbs much of this
solar energy and degrade it to longer wave infrared radiaton, , which then rises into the troposphere,
some of this heat escapes into space, some is absorved by molecules of greenhouse gases, warming the
air. This natural trapping of heat is the troposphere is called greenhouse effect.
• The greenhouse effect first proposed by Swedish chemist Svante Arrhnius in 1896, has been confirmed
by numerous laboratory experiments and atmospheric measurements.
• Significance: the earth would be a cold and lifeless planet with an average surface temperature of -18°C.
• Measured atmospheric levels of certain greenhouse gases-CO2, CFCs, methane, and nitrous oxide-have
risen substantially in recent decades- caused by human activities: burning fossil, fuels, agriculture,
deforestation, and use of CFCs.
Carbon dioxide concentration- Carbon dioxide is responsible for 50-60% of the global warming from
greenhouse gases produced by human activities since pre-industrial times. The main sources are fossil fuel
burning: coal, oil and natural gas and the land clearing and burning. Carbon dioxide is nevertheless the main
driver of the greenhouse effect. Because of this the layer of greenhouse gas is getting thicker, which is in
turn making the Earth warmer.
Chlorofluorocarbon- contribute to global warming in the troposphere and deplete ozone in the
stratosphere. The main sources are leaking air conditioners and refrigerators, evaporation of industrial
solvents \.
Methane concentration- Methane is produced when anaerobic bacteria breakdown organic matter in moist
places that lack oxygen. These areas include swamps and other natural wetlands, rice paddles and landfills,
intestinal tract of cattle, sheep, and termites.
Nitrous oxide concentration- Nitrous oxide can trap heat in the troposphere and deplete ozone in the
stratosphere. It is released from nylon production, burning of biomass and nitrogen fertilizers in soil,
livestock wastes.
Some possible effects of warmed world
A warmer global climate could have a number of possible effects.
• Changes in food production; reduce water • Weather extremes are expected to increase in
supply number and severity
• Change in makeup and location of many • Poses threats to human health, affects the
world’s forest respiratory tract increasing air pollution in
• Can cause massive wild fires winter months
• Reduction in biodiversity due to loss of habitat; • Drought
destroying the coral reefs • Lead to growing number of environment
• Water in the oceans would expand and lead to refugees. Causing social disorder and political
rise in sea level instability.
• Warming at the poles caused ice sheets and
glaciers to melt, the global sea level would rise
far more; melting of polar ice caps
How can we lower down the possible outcome of global warming?
• Get involved- cut fossil fuel use in • Remove carbon dioxide from smoke
half stack and vehicle emissions
• Improve energy efficiency; switch off • Plant and tend trees; green your
light when not in use community
• Shift to renewable energy resources • Trim production of industrial waste;
• Reduce deforestation encourage practice of 3R’s
• Use sustainable agriculture • Full implementation of laws
• Slow population growth concerning conservation of the
environment and the planet Earth
Learning Activity: Answer the following questions
1. The following are effects of climate a. Methane
change, except b. Carbon dioxide
a. Glaciers have shrunk c. Carbon monoxide
b. Extreme weather conditions d. Chlorofluorocarbon
c. Sea water level drop down 5. Which gas produced from bacterial
d. Plant and animals ranges have shifted and decomposition of organic matter?
trees are flowering sooner. a. Methane
2. It is a change in the statistical distribution b. Carbon dioxide
of weather pattern that last for an extended c. Carbon monoxide
period of time. d. Chlorofloucarbon
a. Climate change 6. What convention where cutting of
b Body change greenhouse emission was discussed to help
c. System change slow global warming?
d. Global warming a. Montreal
3. It refers to the increase in the average b. Kyoto protocol
temperature of the Earth’s near-surface air an c. Rio de Janeiro
oceans in recent decades d. Asean 2015 integration
a. Climate change 7. What was done by Philippines’government
b. body change to address the problem on climate change?
c. System change a. The Congress enacted a law to monitor
d. Global warming action of the government related to climate
4. Greenhouse gas responsible as main driver change
of global warming
b. The government was not able to put up c. Ozone depleting substance slowly enter the
agency to address the problem on climate stratosphere and deplete the ozone layer
change d. CFCs were utilized in many industries as
c. The government was not able to put up working fluid
agency to address the problem 10. Arrange the following reaction
d. The Philippine government asked accordingly
everybody to plant trees and prevent illegal 1. Ultraviolet rays release the chlorine from
lodging. CFC
8. Which is not true with global warming? 2. Chlorofluorocarbon is released from earth’s
a. Caused by heat released from the earth’s surface
surface 3. Chlorine destroythe ozone layer
b. Caused by the entry of ultraviolet rays from 4. CFC’s rise into the ozone layer
the sun to the earth’s atmosphere 5. Formation of ozone hole allowing more UV
c. Primarily the result of carbon dioxide into to pass through
the atmosphere
d. Greenhouse effect a. 1,2,3,4,5
9. Which sentence is not true? b. 2,4,1,3,5
a. Ozone depleting substances are manmade c. 5,4,3,2,1
substances d. 2,4,3,1,5
b. Ozone depleting substances are harmful to
human and environment
B. Lesson 2: The state of Natural Resources Management
Natural Resources are all that exists naturally on Earth. It include sunlight, atmosphere
air, water, land, metal ores, oil and most forms of energy along with all vegetation and animal
life that naturally exist on earth. Some natural resources such as sunlight and air can be found
everywhere, and are known as ubiquitous resources. However, mist resources only occur in small
sporadic areas, and are referred to as localized resources.
There are very few resources that are considered inexhaustible- these are solar radiation,
geothermal energy, and air. The vast majority of resources are exhaustible , which means they
have a finite quantity, and can be depleted if managed improperly.
On the basis of origin, natural resources may be divided into:
Biotic resources are obtained from biosphere such as forest and animals, and the materials that
can be obtained from them. Fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum are also included in this
category because they are formed from decaying organic matter.
Abiotic resources are those that came from non-living, non-organic material. Examples of abiotic
resources include land, fresh water, air and heavy metal including ores such as gold, iron, copper,
silver, etc.
Renewability is a very popular topic and many natural resources can be categorized as either
renewable or non-renewable:
Renewable resources can be replenished naturally. Some of these resources like sunlight, air,
wind geothermal heat, biomass, etc. are continuously available and their quantity is not
noticeably affected by human consumption. Renewable resources are important aspect of
sustainability.
Non-renewable resources or infinite resources either form 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 their rate of formation is extremely slow meaning they are
considered non-renewable.
Threats to renewable Resources
Today natural resources are decreasing at accelerated rate not only because of the natural
environmental changes but of non-natural environment changes caused by human activities.
Extinction is a natural part of life on Earth. Over the history of the planet most of the species that
ever existed, evolved and then gradually went extinct. Species go extinct because of natural
shifts in the environment that take place over long periods of time, such as ice ages and human
activities.
Deforestation- The destruction of rain forests is one of the critical causes of climate change.
Deforestation causes carbon dioxide to linger in the atmosphere. As carbon dioxide accrues, it
produces a layer in the atmosphere that traps radiation from the sun. It also means habitat loss for
some living things. Deforestation also affects the water cycle. It reduces the content of water in
the soil and groundwater as well as atmospheric moisture. Deforestation reduces soil cohesion,
so that erosion, flooding and landslides follow.
Over exploitation/Overfishing- is causing loss of some endangered species like the blue fun
tuna.
Growing human population- causing some renewable resources, species and organisms facing
a very high risk of extinction due to over-consumption. It has been estimated that over 40% of all
living species on Earth are at risk of going extinct.
Climate Change- leads to rise of the sea level, thereby losing some of land territory, increase in
global temperature that warms the earth especially the oceans making it impossible for some
species to survive, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in the mass due to
shrinking of ice sheets. Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that climate-warming
treds over the past century are very likely due to human activities.
The concept of 8R’s in Saving the Natural Resources
• Reuse- Instead of buying everything new, reuse things as much as you can. This will not
only reduce waste but also save you money.
• Repurpose- Don’t throw away things you’re no longer using: repurpose them into
something useful or beautiful. Worst case scenario, donate used item to a charity or thrift
store for someone
• Rot- compost as many things you can instead of throwing it in the garbage. Composting
is a great way to renew the Earth, help reduce waste and maybe even help your garden.
• Repair- when something breaks, don’t just immediately go out and buy a replacement.
First see if you can repair the item, or take it somewhere and have it repaired. It will not
only save you some money in the long run but also help reduce waste.
• Recycle- on the topic of reducing waste, recycle whenever you can. Glass, cardboard,
paper, bottles, aluminium, batteries, electronics, scrap metal can be recycled into a usable
things such décor, storage, or safety box.
• Refill- disposable items like cups, paper plates, paper napkins and bottles might be
convenient, but they’re terrible for the environment. Try using something that can be
washed or refilled more than once whenever you can.
• Reduce- downsize and simplify your home to reduce waste and excess. Living simply can
really help you gain an appreciation for the little things, reduce your bills and help the
environment by having less waste.
• Refuse- whenever possible, refuse to buy over-packaged and single use items or items
that are not organic. Change your daily habits and eating habits, lessen extravagant
expenses of material things and food. Spend your money worthy. Try shopping at
farmers’ markets instead of the supermarket and pay attention to what you put in the
shopping cart.
d. localized resources
Learning Activity: Answer the 6. Using of pet bottle as decorative
following questions material is an example of?
1, It refers to all resources that exist a. recycle
naturally b. refill
a. Natural living things c. repair
b. Natural Resources [Link]
c. Non -iving things 7. Referring to the amount of biological
d. all living things material most often derived from plants
2. Which is not an exhaustible resources? a. Biogas
a. Air b. Biosphere
b. Mineral ores c. Biofuel
c. Solar radiation d. Biomass
d. Geothermal energy 8. It is a type of resources that does not
3. Which natural resources is not obtained renew itself
from non living things? a. Abiotic resurces
a. Crops and vegetables b. non-renewable resources
b. air c. renewable resources
c. silver and Gold d. localize resources
d. Water [Link] a treat to renewable resources
4. Natural Resources which can developed caused by destruction of forest
profitably in the future is called? a. landslide
a. Actual resources b. deforestation
b. Potential resources c. over gazing
c. Stock resources d. illegal logging
d. reserve resources 10. The following causes depletion of
5. It is a type of resources that can be natural resources, exept?
replenished naturally a. combustion of fossil fuel
a. Abiotic resources b. volcanic eruption
b. non-renewable resources c. reduce
c. renewable resources d. denudation of forest
Performance Task
1. In a long bond paper (landscape) make a poster slogan, the theme of the poster slogan will
be on how to save the natural resources
2. In a long bond paper (landscape) make a collage that shows the different inventions that
created during the Industrial Revolution and 20th century. Use brochures, magazines and
newspapers. Printed pictures are not accepted
[Link] the documentary film Bagyo by Dingdong Dantes and make a summary and
reflection about this documentary film. (Long bond paper)