Introduction
Throughout the history of existence, humankind has developed in science and technology. Scientific and technological progress is becoming one of the leading human development indicators. Progress is a sharp and noticeable jump moving forward from the lowest to the highest. The growth of technology and science contributes to the development of the human brain. Technological improvements and increased production levels are features of the continued dominance of engineering over agricultural labor. Inventions appeared depending on the period and the difficulties faced by humanity. Thus, during industrial revolutions, people needed cars, wars made people think about the nation’s security; in the modern world, innovation is aimed at simplifying existence.
The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution – an innovative period of the mid-18th and 19th centuries – transferred people from a predominantly agricultural existence to a relatively urban lifestyle. This movement, which originated in Britain, was not a sudden burst of advancement but a series of successive breakthroughs that supported or fueled each other (Mokyr 72). One of the main achievements of the industrial revolution was the steam engine. James Watt, a Scottish engineer, did not develop a steam engine but made a more efficient version in the 1760s by adding a separate condenser, which changed the mining industry (Mohajan 380). The scientist added a crank mechanism that produced a continuous rotational movement of the shaft (Mohajan 380). Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction at the heart of modern power generation (Redinz 826). Furthermore, Thomas Edison created a direct current generator that converts mechanical energy into natural current electrical energy (Josephson 38).
The ruling powers were supportive of the revolution in science and technology. Thus, in the United States, there was a period of the fastest economic growth in history and, therefore, an improvement in the population’s quality of life. Industrial production in the United States has moved to the forefront, overtaking energy giant UK. Great Britain persisted in the increased spread of the Industrial Revolution, which led the empire to more vital defense industry and the emergence of more ships and railways. The German Empire reacted positively to the industrial revolution, although this industrialization on the territory of this state began later than the British one. The country directed significant investments in the development of science and technology, which allowed the government to use economic resources in a timely and efficient manner, in contrast to the experience of the British Empire. The development of science and technology has changed people’s lives. Industrial enterprises provided many jobs. However, rapid urbanization exacerbated social problems for the peasants. For example, it was more difficult for them to migrate and adapt to urban conditions and work. Thus, their position was limited by their ability to adapt to the new world.
The World at War
During world wars, humanity faced difficulties that required immediate solutions. Therefore, the main task in the First World War was the desire of states to strengthen their military positions to protect the population. Numerous attempts to save wounded soldiers led to the emergence of blood transfusion technology. During the experiments, doctors discovered blood transfusion into incompatible groups, technologies for storing material in refrigerators were developed (Alvarado-Esquivel et al. 1627). The Second World War also required active inventions for successful combat. One of the most important inventions of World War II was the development of nuclear weapons. This discovery caused a lot of ethical discussions, but it became an impetus in science and the emergence of nuclear energy (Duffey and D’Auria 198). During World War II, the United States began to develop new machines for calculating ballistic trajectories. This led to electronic computers, which replaced humans in complex calculations (Schlombs 27). Later on, the first programming language was created based on innovation.
The attitude of countries to inventions during the world wars was ambiguous. Although technological progress in nuclear energy has allowed governments to reach a new level, the danger of these inventions remains a cause for controversy. Atomic weapons have led to tensions and an arms race between Russia and the United States. Other large countries like Great Britain defended security and signed peace agreements. However, countries reacted positively to the development of technology. Thus, the United States developed electronic computers, making them the most potent technical country. Britain and Germany also strengthened their positions due to technological innovations. The development of science and technology has become a serious impetus to change the way people think and live. First, humanity realized the danger of the world situation in nuclear energy and the cold war, which made people afraid of destruction. However, blood transfusions have helped save many lives, significantly improving the way people live. Moreover, the appearance of computing technology has led to new jobs and the development of new professions.
Contemporary World
The modern world is actively developing, and since the middle of the 20th century, the technical progress of humanity has increased significantly. The surrounding reality is full of various innovations, including science, technology, and medicine. Humans possess a colossal amount of knowledge in a multitude of fields. Thanks to information technology, people seriously simplify their lives, leaving time for personal affairs. One of the main achievements of the modern world is the invention of the Internet. The world’s first Internet was born by creating a research computer network. The first program for exchanging e-mails on the Global Web appeared in the 20th century and immediately became a demand among Internet users (Brugger and Milligan 245). Later, a computer system for distributing domain names began to function, making it possible to obtain information about the site area. In the 21st century, the development of bionics has intensified and is one of the most significant technological advances (Jia et al., 3824).
Thus, the prototypes of “smart” prostheses with feedback, the so-called emulation of tactile sensations, appeared, which allow a person to feel what the prosthesis “feels” (Jia et al. 3824). Moreover, devices separate from humans were created, controlled only through a mental interface. As a rule, this resembles a headband with a dry electrode, allowing one to control actions. Due to this progress, world powers have become more economically developed countries. Thus, the United States is one of the leading countries in prosthetics. Moreover, the state is actively developing Internet technologies and computer applications, which positively affects the country’s budget. The current superpower is China, which has a somewhat negative attitude towards Internet progress and a closed network. However, they are optimistic about innovative introductions, especially in prosthetics. The Internet has radically changed people’s lives and their attitude to the world. First, it simplified the communication system and education. According to topics, knowledge arrays have become available for humanity, electronic, and classified. Innovations in prosthetics have forced people with disabilities to be seen not as people with limited abilities but as equals.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that innovations have been an integral part of humanity throughout history in connection with the above. The major powers were optimistic about progress in most cases, except when these achievements threatened the population. Thus, people’s lives changed for the better, thanks to the emergence of new jobs, as well as economic well-being. Scientific and technological discoveries continue to be made today, at a faster rate than ever before.
Works Cited
Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme, et al. “Association between Toxoplasma Gondii Infection and History of Blood Transfusion: a Case-Control Seroprevalence Study.” Journal of International Medical Research, vol. 46, no. 4, 2018. pp. 1626-1633. Web.
Brügger, Niels, and Ian Milligan, eds. The SAGE handbook of web history. Sage, 2018.
Duffey, Romney B., and Francesco D’Auria. “Nuclear Energy and Its History: Past Consequences, Present Inadequacies and a Perspective for Success.” Energy and Power Engineering, vol. 12, no. 6, 2020. pp. 193-236.
Jia, Yu, et al. “A Numerical Feasibility Study of Kinetic Energy Harvesting from Lower Limb Prosthetics.” Energies, vol. 12, no. 20, 2019. p. 3824.
Josephson, Matthew. Edison: A biography. Plunkett Lake Press, 2019.
Mohajan, Haradhan. “The First Industrial Revolution: Creation of a New Global Human Era.” Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, vol. 5, no. 4, 2019. pp. 377-387.
Mokyr, Joel. The Economics of the Industrial Revolution (Routledge Revivals). Routledge, 2018.
Redinz, José Arnaldo. “Faraday Induction from Point-charge Fields.” American Journal of Physics vol. 87, no. 10, 2019. pp. 824-828. Web.
Schlombs, Corinna. Productivity Machines: German Appropriations of American Technology from Mass Production to Computer Automation. Mit Press, 2019.