STSN11G: Science, Technology and Society csssssssschu

2nd Semester I A.Y. 2023-2024

Lecturer: Mr. Paolo Pitagan

sssss When Technology and Humanity Acrosssssssssss s’s’s Emerging Technological Ethical Dilemmas ss ssss

Technology Recent technologies and innovations should not hinder any

- The application of scientific knowledge on techniques individual from enjoying any of the rights mentioned in the
and processes and is used mainly in industries Universal declaration of Human Rights

sssdsj’’sss Society Today and in the Past sss ssssss

Through Technology, Society today possess characteristics

such as:
1. Willingness to transformation
2. Desire to transmit and dominate information
3. Having ease and comfort in life

Advantages of Modern Technology

1. Improved communication, easy access to information
and social networking
2. Improved housing, lifestyle and entertainment
3. Convenience in education
4. Convenience in traveling
5. Change in health industry
6. Efficiency and productivity
7. Initiates creativity and innovation

Disadvantages of Technology
1. Job loss and human displacement
Reilly Center for Science Technology and Values,
2. World destruction weapons
2015-2016, Notre Dame
3. Increased loneliness
4. Competency
Emerging Policies in Relation to S&T
1. Real-time Satellite Surveillance Imagery
sss’ss Universal Declaration of Human Rights sss ssss 2. Colonizing Mass: An Astronaut Bioethics
3. Wearable Technology
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 4. State-Sponsored Hacktivisim and “Soft War”
- Under the universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 5. Enhanced Pathogens
state shall strive to promote and secure the universal 6. Non-lethal Weapons
and effective recognition of these rights through 7. Robot Swarms
teaching and providing education 8. Artificial Life Forms
- These are Article 1 - Article 30 9. Resilient Social-Ecological Systems
10. Brain-to-brain Interfaces

Real-Time Satellite Surveillance Imagery

- Planet Labs, Sky Box Imaging, and Digital Globe are
companies that launched satellites to record the
status of the entire Earth in real time or near real time

Colonizing Mars: An Astronaut Bioethics

- The NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration) and a private company, Mars One
worked for a space mission to colonize the planet
Mars
- In 2018, Mars One will launch a robotic mission to
Mars
- By 2015, four (4) humans will be sent to Mars
Wearable Technology - Sonic Weapons
- Are developed by companies to suit human behavior - Electric Weapons
- Heat Rays
- Disabling Malodorants
- Gases
- Sprays

Robot Swarms
- “Kilobots” / Swarming Robots
- A group of robots developed by researchers from
Harvard University, which are capable of
communicating with each other and perform simple
tasks
- They are used in environmental cleanups or in
responding to disasters

Artificial Life Forms

- Synthetic Biology
- An emerging science focused on the
State-Sponsored Hacktivisim and “Soft War” custom-building of synthetic life forms by
- Soft War introducing synthetic DNA to an existing
- An unarmed force using cyber war and organism
hacktivism with the aim of transforming
cultural values and identities of the society to Resilient Social-Ecological Systems
achieve political ends - These programs and projects needed to face societal
- Progresses to cultural invasions and problems brought about by:
psychological operations - Poverty
- Movies on Cyber War / Crime: TRON, Jurassik Park, - Economic Globalization
War Games, Cloak and Dagger, Hackers: Wizzards - Natural Phenomena like climate change and
of the Digital Age natural disasters
- Hacktivisim
- The act of misusing a computer system or Economic Challenges
network for a socially or politically motivated - The national government has many programs
reason designed to reduce poverty
- Individuals who perform this are known as - Spent mainly as:
hacktivists - Cash Assistance
- Education
Example of Groups who do Hacktivisim - Medical Benefits
1. Anonymous - Noncash Benefits (food stamps and
2. WikiLeaks subsidized housing)
- Many of these programs have drawn criticism
Enhanced Pathogens from those who say that much money is
- Policies on researches on Influenza, SARS and wasted and the programs do not help people
MERS have been suspended in the US because of
Biosafety concerns Brain-to-brain Interface Experiment
- Researches of these kinds could increase - Started in 2014
mammalian transmission and virulence which - Directs communication from one brain to another
outweigh benefit without speech by using EEG machine that detects
- This could be potentially exposing the virus into the brain activity in the sender and a trans-cranial
general public and could give rise to devastatingeffect magnetic stimulation coil that controls movement in
the receiver thereby performing the act as directed by
Non Lethal Weapons the sender
- Are not designed to kill but they remain to be an
emerging ethical and policy dilemma
- Examples:
- Lases Missiles
- Blinding Weapons
- Pain Rays
ssss’’ss Why Does the Future Not Need Us? ssssssssss Usual course of life as individuals age and replaced by
other species more adapted to the changing world
Technological Stages (Schultz, 2016)
1. Proto-Technology Disappearance of the ecological niche due to the abrupt
2. Classical Technology changes man has inflicted in the ecosystem
3. Modern Technology
4. Postmodern Technology Earth has had several Mass Extinctions
1. Background Extinction Rate
Proto-Technology - Extinction usually occurs one species at a
- Focuses on the time when early tools were developed time
before civilization - Most historical extinctions
2. Mass Extinction Events
Classical Technology - 5 events in Earth’s history that killed off
- Concentrates on the rise of agricultural technologies massive numbers of species at once
and the establishment of communities and cities that - 50-95% of all species went extinct at one
enabled the survival of civilization time
3. Humans are causing the Sixth Mass Extinction
Modern Technology Event
- Fueled by science concepts and principles date back - Population growth
500 years ago - Development
- Resource depletion
Stonehenge
- Built 5,000 years ago Species extinction due to human activities may be the single
biggest environmental problem we face, because extinction is
The Colloseum irreversible.
- AD 80
Modern Technological Advancement, The Impact of its
The Pyramid Implementation and Possible Threat to Extinction
- 2,350 BC 1. Ozone layer depletion through chloroflourocarbons
(CFC)
Modern Technology 500 years ago 2. Usage of fossil fuel to global warming and climate
● Notre Dame de Paris change
● St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican 3. Nuclear war and nuclear contamination
● Taj Mahal, India 4. Plastics
● Empress Palace, England 5. Petroleum-based fertilizer
6. Habitat destruction
Postmodern Technology
- This replaces naturally occurring products with Ozone Layer Depletion
technology developed ones - CFC destroyed the ozone layer that protects the
planet from the UV radiation from the sun
Examples:
1. Gasoline-powered automobiles The Montreal Protocol
2. Jet engines - By 2065, the ozone layer is expected to recover full
3. Synthetic fertilizers from all CFC damages
4. Plastics (PVC, BCBs - banned 1979) - Year 1980 levels: Antartic Hole
5. Chlofloucarbons (discontinued 1994) - The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete
6. Synthetic detergents the Ozone Layer is an international Treaty designed
7. Nylon to protect the ozone layer by Phasing out the
8. Insecticides production of numerous substances (ODS) believed
9. Organochlorine compounds (DDT - banned to be responsible for Ozone depletion
1973) - The treaty was opened for signature on September
10. Plastics (Polysterene and Polyesters) 16, 1987, and entered into force on January 1, 1989,
followed by a first meeting in Helsinki, May 1989.
s’’’’ Technology Driven Extinction and Displacement ssss Since the, it has undergone seven revisions
- Current Statues - ratified by all 197 UN members
Two Scenarios of Extinction - The Montreal Protocol says that the production and
1. Usual course of life as individuals age consumption of compounds that deplete ozone in the
2. Disappearance of the ecological niche stratosphere–chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons,
 carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform - are to Petroleum-based Fertilizer
be phased out by 2030. - Are non toxic especially when they are used solely to
increase crop yield and income
Usage of Fossil Fuel Led to Global Warming and Climate - Continuous use of such fertilizers, however, pollute
Change nearby rivers and other bodies of water
- Top climate scientists have predicted and projected - Accumulated amounts of fertilizer components such
increase of 2 celsius would be felt by 2050. as N and P cause algal blooms result to oxygen
- This will cause drastic weather and climate depletion, cloudiness, and foul smell of water
phenomenon across the regions of the globe - These effect indirect extinction
- Burning of fossil fuels was responsible for
greenhouse gas emissions Example:
- River Water Pollution
Crude Oil, Oil Coal, and Gas - Soil Contamination
- High carbon content - Water Cloudiness
- Formed from fossilized materials or organic
materials buried and lived million years ago Habitat Destruction
- According to Kulbert (2014), Anderson and Wilson
Fossil Fuels (Environmental Impact) (2002), the interdependency of each form cannot be
- It causes air pollution, climate change and affect recreated once it is destroyed
carbon cycle - Habitat destruction like:
- Carbon dioxide is released when burning fossil fuels, - Land Alteration
which is linked to an increase in temperature - Deforestation
- Release of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from - Some agricultural practices (Kaingin)
the burning of oil and coal contribute to smog and
acid rain What is Causing Habitat Destruction?
- Combustion of gasoline releases ozone - eye and 1. Humans
lung irritant, carcinogen, and part of smog 2. Chemical run off
3. Oil spills
sssdsj’’sssss Hiroshima Bombing sss sssssssssss 4. Natural disasters

Hiroshima Bombing Aftermath ssssass Biodiversity and the Healthy Society sssssssss
- The death toll (of all related deaths) was about
135,000 Biodiversity / Biological Diversity
- More than 40% of the city was destroyed - The vastness of multitude of living organisms and
- 75,000 instantaneous deaths, 50,000 explosion how they interact with each other and their
injured environment
- Total deaths by the end of 1945 may have reached - Is essential to human survival
80,000
- The radius of total destruction was about 1 mile Variety of living things; variety of life in an ecosystem
(1.6km), followed by fires across the northern portion 1. Ecological Diversity
of the city to 2 miles (3.2km) south of the bomb - Different habitats, niches, species
interactions
Plastics
- Were regarded as one of the most versatile and 2. Species Diversity
useful products in history as they are non-toxic to - Different kinds of organisms,
man relationships among species
- They were found toxic to the environment, as they do - The variety of species per unit area
not decompose the natural way - Includes both the number of species
- Decomposition happens but a very slow process present and their relative abundance
- In the ocean, it have already killed about 100,000 - The vast number of different species
marine species as they have mistakenly eaten as in a particular area
food - Related to the number and the
distribution of species in a particular
Petroleum-based Polymers area
- Epoxy - A trait of the community
- Nylon - Promotes the biotic interactions and
- Polypropylene stability of the community
 3. Genetic Diversity Community and Ecosystem Diversity
- Different genes and combinations of - Diversity at the level of community and ecosystem
genes within populations exists along 3 levels
- Variation of differences in the genes - It could be within community diversity (alpha diversity)
of a species - Between-communities diversity (beta diversity)
- Genes are segments of DNA which - Diversity of the habitats over the total landscape or
dictate the traits or characteristics of geographical area (gamma diversity)
an organism
- The diversity of genes within a Types of Biodiversity
species 1. Ecosystem Diversity
- Related to the number of genes in a - Refers to the variety of habitats,
particular population communities, and ecological processes in the
- A trait of the species biosphere
- Promotes the adaptability and
distribution of a particular species in sssds’’’ssss Taxonomy and Ecology ss sssssssssss
diverse habitats
Taxonomy and Ecology
Importance of Biodiversity - 2 fundamental sciences that generate knowledge and
1. Genetic diversity information to fully understand the importance of
2. Protect freshwater resources biodiversity for human survival
3. Speed recovery from natural disasters
4. Maintaining balance of the ecosystem Taxonomy
5. Sustainability and growth - The science concerned with classification, especially
6. Provision of food security organisms
7. Adaptation to different habitats
8. Provision of biological resources Ecology
9. Promote soils formation and protection - The scientific study of interactions between
10. Maintain food chain in the nature organisms and their environment
11. Sources of foods, clothing, shelter and medicines
12. Source of raw materials for industrial activities Limitations of Taxonomy and Ecology
13. Provides variation around us so life might not be - Biodiversity conservation strategies focused on
boring research and policy on global scale but not much on
14. Maintaining a balanced future local diversity
15. Clean air - Lack of specific date on species composition of
16. Shelter communities
17. Economic resources - Biodiversity studies lacking in taxonomic precision
18. Clean drinking water - Few taxonomists
19. Preserved all living organisms from become extinct - Insufficient biodiversity inventory and assessment

Benefits of Biodiversity Status of Philippine Biodiversity

- Biodiversity provides us with food, shelter medicines - The Philippines has very rich and diverse flora and
and clothing fauna
- 80% of our food supply comes from 20 kinds of plants - Considered as biodiversity hotspot
- About 80,000 edible wild plant species could be - Attracts tourists and scientists to come over and
utilized by humans examine its natural resources
- Humans use at least 40,000 species of plants and - The Philippines hosts 52,177 described species
animals a day which is more than half is found nowhere in the world
- More than 50% of all prescriptions contain natural - Philippines is considered a hotspot because it
products continues to experience an alarming rate of
destruction brought about by
Components of Biodiversity
1. Genetic Diversity or diversity of genes sssdss’s’’ssssss Flora and Fauna ss lsssssssssssss
2. Species diversity or Diversity of Number of species
3. Community diversity or Ecological Diversity or Variety Flora
of Ecosystem - The plant life occurring in particular region or time,
generally the naturally occurring or indigenous native
plant life
- A treatise on or list of the plants of an area or period
Fauna Habitat Destruction
- The animals characteristic of a particular time period - Loss of biodiversity results from an anthropogenic
or a particular location activities such as urbanization, construction,
- Refers to the animals agricultural land development, logging, river
damming, and use of pesticides, herbicides, and
fertilizers

Pollution Causing Biodiversity Loss

- Fish kill due to Red Tide
- Heavy metals in water

Introduction of Non-Native Species and New Varieties

- Non-native species of Invasive Alien Species (IAS)
includes exotic micro- and macro- species introduced
accidentally or deliberately, to a place that is not a
part of their natural habitat or distributional range

Examples:
- Janitor fish
- Crown knife fish
- Giant snakehead
- Black-chin tilapia
- Jaguar guapote
- Invasive species affecting the Aquaculture
Summary of Threatened Wildlife Species Industry
- Asian Clam, San Francisco
- Coqui Frog, Hawaii
- Brow Tree Snake, Guam
- Zebra Mussel, US and UK
- Rabbits, Australia
- Africanized Honeybee, South
America

Global Climate Change threatens Biodiversity

- Gradual increase in the world’s temperature causes
Global Warning

Global Warming leads to:

1. Iceberg meltdown in polar regions leading to sea level
rise
The 2014 data show that there are 211 wild fauna/animals 2. Increase in amount of rainfalls
and 526 wild flora/plants which are threatened 3. Too hot summers and too cold winters
4. Frequent grass and forest fires
Threats of Biodiversity/Cause of the Loss of Biodiversity 5. Changes in sea temperature
(Amman, 2005, Braun and Amman, 2001)
- Habitat destruction Exploitation
- (Genetic) Pollution - Illegal wildfire trade
- Introduction on Non-Native species and New varieties - Overfishing
- Global climate change - Illegal logging
- Overexploitation of resources - Collecting species for trade
- Overpopulation - Gathering endangered species
- Alien invasive species
- Hybridization Human Overpopulation
- Diseases - It poses the greatest threat to biodiversity
How are Humans Affecting the Environment? Cryopreservation Technology
1. Human Overpopulation - A non-lethal storage of organelles, cells, tissues or
2. Deforestation some biological constructs at ultra low temperature
3. Loss of Biodiversity - This technology enables the conservation of
4. Pesticide use germplasm
5. Bio Magnification - In the Philippines, this technology is used by the
6. Poor Air Quality Philippine Carabao Center
7. Poor Water Quality
8. Loss of Natural Resources Molecular Genetics Tools
9. Ozone Depletion 1. PCR Technologies
2. DNA Sequencing Technology
ssss’s’’’’’sss Conserving Biodiversity ss lsssssssssssss 3. Cloning Technology
4. Transgenesis Technology
Strategies to conserve biodiversity need realistic 5. Marker Assisted Selection
solutions and will need multidisciplinary strategies like:
1. Political, socioeconomic, and scientific input The Role of Evolution in Biodiversity
2. All major stakeholders (Government, NG, National 1. Evolution
and International Organizations) must participate 2. Microevolution
3. Researchers can be done 3. Macroevolution
4. Proper investigations on environmental problems can
be used for policy making Evolution
5. Relevant information maybe given to local - A change in the genetic composition of a
communities regarding sustainable use of biodiversity population over time

Biodiversity can be prevented through: Microevolution

1. Appropriate Research - Evolution below the species level
2. Government Legislation - Changes in the gene pool of a population
3. Education over time
4. Awareness
5. Sustainable Use of Biodiversity Macroevolution
6. Sustainable Use of Habitats and Fisheries - Evolution on a grand scale gives rise to new
7. Integration / Co-ordination species or new genera, family, class or phyla

Save It
- Enact political legislation ensuring
preservation of species
1973
- Amended through the 108th U.S. Congress
Responsible Agency
- Department of the Interior
- U.S. Fish and Wildfire Service
Study It
- The more known about something, the more
its value can be understood and then it is
more likely to be saved
Use it Sustainably and Equitable
- Do not extract resources at a faster rate than
they can be renewer
- Cut down consumption levels in general so
there is not such a disparity between the U.S.
and developing nations

Techniques of Conserving Biodiversity

1. Cell and Tissue Culture
2. Cryopreservation Technology
3. Advances in molecular biology and genetics
ssssssass Genetically Modified Organisms ssss’ssssss 11. Zucchini
12. Soy bean
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) 13. Pineapple
- Organisms with foreign genes incorporated into their 14. Potatoes
genome such that they exhibit different but desirable
properties that do not occur naturally by mating Genetically Modified Crops
and/or natural recombination (Key, 2008) 1. Corn
- One whose genetic material has been altered using 2. Cotton
genetic engineering 3. Jatropha
- Used in foods and medicines 4. Rice
- Has led to concern about the dangers they might 5. Soy
cause to the environment and to human health 6. Sugar beets
7. Cassava
Foreign Genes 8. Papaya
- May come from bacteria, viruses, insects, 9. Banana
animals, or even humans 10. Eggplant
11. Tomatoes
Modification 12. Apple
- Transgenic 13. Peas
- Cisgenic 14. Yellow crookneck squash
15. Zucchini
Advantages of GMO
1. Pest Resistance Corn
2. Improved Nutrition - Was first genetically modified with the insertion of
3. Pharmaceuticals in Plants toxin gene from the bacterium Bacillus
4. Salinity resistance Thuringiensis
5. Disease Resistant - With the commercialization of BT Corn, an increase in
6. Produce Higher Yields corn production was realized because of its
7. Phyto-Remediation resistance to the attack of corn borer
8. Cold Tolerance
9. Herbicide Tolerance Cotton
10. Drought Tolerance - Almost half of it grown in the world have been
genetically modified to resist pests and pesticides
Disadvantages of GMO
1. Are toxic to other organisms Jatropha
2. Genetically modified foods do not taste the same as - Seeds are similar to palm oil
the natural ones - Can be used as biofuel
3. Possible damages to the environment - Has a high source of protein livestock
4. Humans may develop various allergies or may
worsen existing ones Rice
5. Ecological imbalances can occur - Golden Rice is the genetically modified rice
6. Can cause other significant damage to the human containing beta carotene, a precursor of Vitamin A
body - The developed variety can benefit Filipinos with
Vitamin A deficiency
Not all the risks and dangers that may arise from the - Golden rice can be profitable for farmers
introduction of GMOs are yet known
Soy
Cultivated Genetically Modified Foods - Soybeans in the US 90% genetically modified to be
1. Papaya herbicide resistant
2. Bananas
3. Apples Benefits of Soybean
4. Corn 1. Helps to prevent osteoporosis
5. Strawberries 2. Boosts metabolic activity in body
6. Sweet peppers 3. Improves digestive and bone health
7. Dairy 4. Helps to lower cholesterol levels
8. Tomatoes 5. Aids in managing weight and diabetes
9. Cotton 6. Prevents neural tube defects in infants
10. Sugar 7. Helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes
Genetically Modified Animals Escherichia coli) and then screened for the
1. Fishes presence of genes of interest
2. Cows
3. Chickens 3. What are the major issues that need to be
4. Pigs addressed in the regulations of GMOs?
5. GMO Salmon
6. GMO Rainbow Trout

Cows
- Produces hypoallergenic milk

Gene
- The basic unit of biological heredity that carries
hereditary characteristics

Vector
- A plasmid or cosmid that accepts foreign DNA and
serve as vehicle for transformation

Plasmid
4. What types/varieties of GMOs are already applied
- Extrachromosomal element capable of independent
in ASEAN Member countries?
replication

Cloning / Genetic Engineering

- Technique used to alter or move genetic material
(genes) of living cells

Restriction Enzyme
- Enzyme that cuts the DNA

Impacts of GMOs
- Inserted useful genes affect the growth pattern and
hence takes place in short time saving lots of money
- Designed crops are produced
- Through GM, salt tolerant organisms can be
researched to grow plants in saline soils
- Increased income for farmers that grow BT corn
- Less money spent for germicides and herbicides
- Delayed ripening for papayas increase market profit
- Downside of GMO is creating “super weeds’ that
have evolved

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are GMOs safe?
- Based on 20+ years of data since GMO
crops were introduced, no substantiated
evidence of a difference in risks to human
health between current commercially
available genetically engineered GMO crops
and conventionally bred crops
2. How are GMOs produced?
- Cloning requires a source of DNA or donor
organisms
- The DNA is cut with restriction enzyme and is
ligated to a vector, usually a plasmid
- After ligation, the chimeric molecules are
transformed in competent cells (usually