Technology has enabled societies far and wide to connect, now than ever before! Especially with the pandemic, most — if not all — communication is online. The contemporary society we live in today has allowed the relationship between science and technology to get even closer and stronger, and they are fundamentals that have resulted in advanced and evolving communities. Let’s go ahead and find out what these fundamentals are and how they have shaped our present world.
Written by Navreen Dosanjh
What Are the Fundamentals and How do They Relate?
When science and technology work together, societies grow and thrive. Although, you must be wondering how exactly they do work together. First, we need to understand exactly what these two fundamentals constructs are.
Science studies the social and natural aspects of the world by what we commonly know as the scientific method. The other fundamental, technology, is the entirety of processes, methods, productions, and techniques. The relationship between these two aspects is so close because technology is essentially the application of science. In simple words, science studies the world as well as how it works, while technology uses science to solve problems and make discoveries.
Science consists of biology, chemistry, physics, etc. which we depend on when making discoveries. For example, when the first spacecrafts were being made and tested, Newton’s three laws of motion (physics) were the foundation for the invention. The laws were also applied when testing and making trains and ships.
These two fundamentals have countless impacts on each other. Technology has consistently helped science advance. When new technologies are invented, scientists work harder to improve and revolutionize their designs.
When the first telescope was invented, it quickly spread across Europe, and inventors worked right away to make the technology more powerful. A scientist by the name of Galileo made a clearer telescope which allowed him to discover spots on the moon and sun. Galileo also proved that the sun rotated on its axis and is at the center of the solar system. In such ways, the development of technology has helped science advance and become more effective.
The Relationship Shaping Our World Today
The fundamentals have made a very large impact on our world. Their relationship has substantially changed everything that we do: transportation, communication, food, clothing, housing, as well as the quality of life. With our quality of life improved, we can now shift our focus to other things, such as our education, ethics, and cultures. We have the power to improve human conditions and make the world a better place.
In the medical field, lots of technologies have been made so that illnesses can be cured and the quality of life can be improved. The invention of electronic health records allowed patient information to easily be recorded and transferred, allowing for more efficient care. The incredible invention of pacemakers allowed cardiac patients to be monitored when at home. Other examples include x-rays, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) machines, and biomedical research advancements which help in understanding the human condition.
The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed opportunity for scientific and technological advancements. With schools and jobs being online, many people have been using their devices to communicate, some platforms including FaceTime, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. Technology and science have also been very useful for medical professionals and the governments to make sure that people are receiving correct information during this busy and alarming time. Especially since the world is in desperate need of a vaccine, these advancements have made the process faster and viable, as medical researchers have been able to send their findings and reports to others in effort to collaborate.
The interesting and complex relationship of science and technology — fundamentals in our contemporary society — is that they have drastically changed the world and how everything works, and have led to a better quality of life. Science and technology have shown their true power during this pandemic, when everyone and everything has thus far relied on technological devices, and most importantly: communication.
Let’s continue evolving, let’s continue learning, and most importantly: let’s continue to encourage scientific and technological developments for a better tomorrow.
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