Science and technology (topic, essay, vocabulary)

Science and technology (topic, essay, vocabulary)

Science is systemized knowledge through experimentation, observation and study. There are many fields if science for example, natural sciences, social sciences, environmental sciences.

Technology is a product of science. Society depends on technology and on the other hand technology exists thanks to the needs of society.

The industrial revolution started in the 18^th century in the England and brought many changes and inventions. Technology has become part of our life and new technological inventions make our life easier.

People make big scientific and technological progress in transport, medicine, biology and information technology. When we compare how people travelled in the past and how they travel today, the progress in car industry is incredible.

During the last decade, there has been a great change in information and communication technologies, especially in wireless technology. For example, computers are used almost everywhere. The number of people using mobile phones has rapidly increased. They have become a symbol of comfortable, quick communication among people. A cell phone, music player, camera and a palm computer are being put together into one little gadget.

Perhaps one of the greatest inventions of our times is the Internet. No doubt, the net has had a big effect on almost every part of our lives. It has changed the way we do business, how we communicate and entertain and how we search for information. Many people send documents, buy things, book hotels, reserve tickets or transfer their money via the Internet. Chatting, joining discussion groups, reading articles, downloading music is very popular among the young people. Computers have also replaced people in some professions.

Science and technology help us with our everyday work and without it our lives would be more difficult. On the other hand science and technology can be misused, for example we drive cars daily but they pollute the air.

Scientists will continue to conduct research in medicine, and all other fields of science. Slovakia has many good researches – scientists, programmers, technicians, doctors and teachers, but in recent years they have left our country to find a better – paid job elsewhere in the Europe or USA.

Inventions and Discoveries:

• In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell invented thetelephone.
• In 1924 the Scottish inventor and engineer John Logie Baird developed atelevision.
• In 1894 Italian engineer Marconi developed the firstradio while experimenting in his parents` attic.
• Alexander Calder, an American sculptor, invented themobile in the early 20th century. His invention became famous worldwide.
• Isaac Newton: was an English physicist. He discovered gravitational force.
• Alfred Bernard Nobel, the Swedish chemist, invented a safer way of using nitro-glycerine in the production of dynamite.
• Dimitri Mendelevcomposed his periodic table of elements.
• Luis Pasteur,the French biologist, produced a vaccine against rabies. He also invented the process known as pasteurisation.
• Charles Darwinproposed the theory that all differences in animals were formed by natural processes over long periods of time.
• James Watson and Francis Crickclarifiedthe basic structure of DNA.

Inventions of the past
Important discoveries and inventions came in 15th and 16th centuries – new continents /America, Asia, Africa/ were discovered and sciences such as astronomy, philosophy, medicine and biology were developed. At that time also the printing press /kníhtlač/ was invented in Germany by a man called Gutenberg.
Many important inventions came in the18th and 19th century– it was the time of the Industrial Revolution /priemyselná revolúcia/:

- the steam engine - parný stroj => James Watt
- the electric light bulb – elektrická žiarovka => T. A. Edison
- the electric motor – elektrický motor => Michael Faraday 
- the 1st petrol driven car – prvé auto na benzín => G. Daimler, K. Benz
- the electricity – elektrická energia

Later, in the 20th century, these inventions came to existence:
the airplane, the computer, the mobile phone, the Internet, the TV, the videophone, the integrated circuit – integrovaný obvod, the credit cards,  phone cards,pesticides – postreky proti hmyzu, fertilizers – hnojivá …
- In the 20th century, scientists made a lot of medical research that helps the doctors to save human lives and to cure many illnesses – for example:
- the laser 
- new drugs and vaccines – lieky a vakcíny
- penicillin
- vitamin C
- X-ray – rontgen
- Test-tube babies – bábatká zo skúmavky

3. Inventions and technology that we use every day
Today we cannot imagine our lives without technology. We use it every day at home, at work, at school and in many other parts of our lives. They are very important to us. There are many inventions that we use every day. 
For example at home we use these inventions:
- electric appliances – elektrické spotrebiče
- a fridge – chladnička
- a washing machine - práčka
- a computer /PC/, a TV
- an electric kettle – rýchlovarná konvica
- a telephone, a mobile phone
- an answering machine - odkazovač
- a dishwasher – umývačka riadu
- a plug - zástrčka
- a socket - zásuvka
- a microwave oven – mikrovlnka
- a vacuum cleaner /a hoover/ - vysávač

At work we can use:
- a telephone
- a fax machine
- a computer
- a laptop /a notebook/
- a car...

The advantages and disadvantages that the science and technology brought to mankind
The development of science and technology brought to people many advantages but also many disadvantages.
Advantages:
- it made our lives easier and more comfortable
- sometimes science can help to make a human life

- Science and technology help us to learn new information about our life
- science and technology helps us to overcome the distance /prekonať vzdialenosť/

- it helps us to make transactions easier

Disadvantages:
- science and technology can endanger people
- pollution of the environment

- we spend less time talking to our family and friends

Inventions that are important to you – why and how you use them
I think that the most important inventions for me are the electricity, the television and the mobile phone /the computer, a microwave…/ I think electricity is very important because it makes our lives much easier and comfortable – many things that I use every day are powered by electricity – TV, radio, computer, a fridge. I can’t imagine my life without electricity. Other inventions that are very important to me are the TV, the mobile phone and the computer because I like watching TV and playing computer games. I think that the mobile phone is also very important because I can call my friends and family when I have a problem, when I need help, to arrange a meeting or just when I want to talk to somebody.
Many older people don’t like using computers, mobile phones or credit cards. The technology and many new inventions, such as computers, microwaves or dishwashers didn’t exist when they were young and they don’t know how to use it. They are afraid of technology and they don’t trust it. They think that technological inventions are expensive and difficult to use.