FST-01

1. Explain why it is important to know the History of

Science.
Science is the means by which the whole of our civilization is
rapidly being transformed. In the past, science grew steadily
and imperceptibly. But now science is progressing by leaps and
bounds, for all to see. In science, more than in any other human
institution, it is necessary to search the past in order to
understand the present and to control the future. In other
words, we have to know the history of science. But then, what
is the history of science?
The history of science is not a chronological description of
events of scientific discovery. It is a story of an ongoing process
of the interaction of science and society. It begins in the
primitive human society and threads its way through different
ages which have seen different forms of society, up to the
modern times. It is a story of how social and economic
pressures arising out of a given form of society necessitate
particular inventions and innovations.
The history of science is a story of human life. It is a story of
human striving in all its failings, frailties, and strengths. It is a
story of the interaction of science with other forces in society
such as economics, politics, psychology, culture, and social
organization.
It is important to know the history of science because science
has a cumulative tradition of knowledge. The stock of previous
knowledge forms the basis for new knowledge, with the
previous knowledge merging into the new knowledge.
2. Highlight the characteristics of scientific knowledge.
Scientific knowledge is never at a standstill. It is a dynamic,
and an ongoing process. It is an ever-growing enterprise which
will never end. This is because, in science, there is no single
ultimate truth to be achieved after which all the scientists can
retire.
A remarkable feature of scientific knowledge is that it is never
complete. The more we add to this knowledge, the more

questions arise about the unknown mysteries of nature. New

information is, thus, continuously gathered. New theories arise
if new facts can't be explained by the existing ones.
Practitioners of science can never lay claim to a complete or
ultimate knowledge.
Science is a self-correcting enterprise, i.e., it is open to change.
Science is not dogmatic. It does not unreasonably insist on
standing by preconceived notions, concepts, or ideas that have
been proved wrong through careful experimentation.
Last but not the least, scientific knowledge is objective. That is,
scientific results are repeatable and verifiable by anyone
anywhere if proper facilities are available. This feature of
science is related to the ultimate test of any scientific
statement; that it should be in accord with the observations of
the natural world. Since hard facts are independent of the
prejudices and preferences of individual scientists, and
experiments or observations are essentially repeatable,
objectivity becomes an essential feature of scientific
knowledge. In no sense is science based on experiences open
only to a select few.
3. Elucidate the astronomical methods that have
provided insights about the universe.
It seems preposterous to us today that people once thought
that the Earth was flat. Who could have possibly thought of our
planet as a giant disk with the stars and heavens above, and
boulders, tree roots, and other things below? But this was the
dominant view of Earth in much of the world before the 2nd
century BCE. And it was not explorers who sailed around the
world that finally laid the idea to rest, but an accumulation of
evidence long before this.
Greek philosophers referred to a spherical Earth as early as the
6th century BCE. They observed that the moon appeared to be
a sphere and therefore inferred that Earth might also be
spherical. Two hundred years later, in the 4th century BCE, the
Greek philosopher Aristotle observed that the shadow of the
Earth on the Moon during a lunar eclipse is always curved, thus
providing some of the first evidence that Earth is spherical.
In the 3rd century BCE, the mathematician Eratosthenes
observed that at noon on the summer solstice in the ancient

Egyptian city of Syene, the sun was directly overhead as

objects did not cast a shadow. Eratosthenes was from
Alexandria, Egypt, some 500 miles to the north, and he knew
that a tall tower cast a shadow in that city at the same time on
the summer solstice. Using these observations and
measurements of shadow length and distance, he inferred that
the surface of the Earth is curved and he calculated a
remarkably accurate estimate of the circumference of the
planet.
4. Discuss the Systems View of Life.
The characteristics which we recognize as life are, in fact, an
expression of the coordinated working of various parts in the
organism. Various parts in an organism, whether plant or
animal, are not haphazardly put together, but are organized
into systems. The parts of the system work together and the
entire combination forms one unit.
Evolution has given rise to various types of life forms from
single celled bacteria to organisms as complex as human being.
It is quite interesting to know that even the simplest of these
organisms is able to carry out various life processes like taking
in food, excreting waste material, reacting to stimuli, and
reproducing offspring. The assemblage of all plants and animals
in an environment provided by each other as well as by the
ecosphere works collectively. The way these diverse forms of
life depend on each other makes one imagine this planet itself
as a huge system.
Organic systems maintain themselves in a given composite
form and function. It has been found that all organisms possess
a kind of information and control network which directs them to
adjust to various situations for survival. All organisms possess a
network of information and control which may be very simple or
at times quite complicated. Without it, neither the survival of an
organism nor its existence in a stable physical condition is
possible. In a nutshell, the systems view of life teaches us that
all living systems share a set of common properties and
principles of organization.
5. Describe the various renewable resources of energy
that have the potential to fulfil the needs of the society.

(i) Solar Energy : Solar energy is energy derived from the Sun's
radiation. The Sun is a powerful source of energy and provides
the Earth with as much energy every hour as we collectively
use in a year worldwide. Photocells and photovoltaic devices
are used to capture and harness solar energy.
(ii) Wind Energy : Wind energy is energy derived from winds
blowing at high speed. Wind flow can be harnessed to obtain
both mechanical and electrical energy. Windmills and wind
turbines are used to harness wind flows and convert them to
desirable energy.
(iii) Wave and Tidal Energy : Tidal power, AKA tidal energy, is a
form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into
useful forms of power, mainly electricity. Although not yet
widely used, tidal power has potential for future electricity
generation. Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean
surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful
work.
(iv) Geothermal Energy : Geothermal energy is energy derived
from the heat of the earth. Electricity is produced from
geothermal energy by drilling wells into the geothermal
reservoirs. The hot water that rises emerges at the surface as
steam. The steam is used to drive turbines producing
electricity.
(V) Atomic Energy : Atomic energy is energy in the nucleus of
an atom. There is enormous energy in the bonds that hold
atoms together. Nuclear power plants use nuclear fission to
produce electricity.
(vi) Biogas : Biogas typically refers to a mixture of different
gases produced by the breakdown of organic matter in the
absence of oxygen. Biogas can be produced from raw materials
such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant
material, sewage, green waste or food waste.
6. How has the application of scientific knowledge
improved agriculture in the arid zones, dry lands, and
hilly regions of our country?
In the arid zone, large scale planting of shelter-belts help
minimize soil erosion caused by wind. It also helps in the
establishment of pastures and grazing lands. The abundant

sunlight available in the desert areas can be harnessed for

heating, cooking, and lighting purposes. By doing so, the
pressure to grow fuel-wood yielding trees can be considerably
reduced. Since a large number of cattle are found in arid areas,
their dung can be mixed with soil to enrich it. The solar energy
can also be utilized by installing solar stills which will help in
supplying clean water that can be used for farming and
drinking.
With the availability of good techniques of conserving water,
and crops which grow with little water, there is considerable
scope for stabilizing crop yields from drylands. Run-off water
should be collected in community-owned ponds to provide the
crops with life-saving irrigation. Deep ploughing in areas with
red soil, and sowing two crops at a time in area with black soil
helps in conserving water. The residue of leaves and crops,
when mixed with soil, lead to improved texture and waterholding capacity of soil.
Hilly regions can practice terrace cultivation. Under this system,
the upper reaches of the hills are devoted to forestry; the next
to growing fruits trees, perennial fodder grass, and legumes;
and the third growing a mix of low-cost crops. Construction of
earthen dams with locally available materials would collect
water, and the system would perfectly blend with the
ecosystem.
7. Enumerate the various practices for the prevention of
disease in the ancient and modern times.
In the ancient times, practices like washing of hands before and
after meals, daily bathing, not carrying footwear into living
rooms, denial or permission to enter places where food is
cooked, especially for persons who have not had a bath were
adopted. Isolation of mother and the newborn, soon after
delivery, was a common custom which also helped in
preventing infection of the mother and the baby.
Excavations of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa have revealed the
existence of a covered drainage system and water supply.
House drains emptied all wastewater into the street drains.
They also had proper sanitation. The Egyptians had arranged
for public baths and underground drainage. The use of
mosquito nets and association of plague with rats was known to

them. The Indian and Chinese system of medical care knew

about immunization also. Inoculation with live small pox germs
to prevent smallpox was known to them.
In the modern times, many of the preventive practices of the
ancient times have been adopted along with new practices
joining the old ones. Vaccinating children, washing hands after
touching dirty things or playing with pets/strays, carrying a
sanitizer whenever going out, drinking filtered, boiled, or
bottled water, taking appropriate safety measures before
engaging in sexual acts with people to protect self from STDs,
etc. are a few of the new disease-preventing measures brought
into practice.
Apart from the aforementioned, changes are also made to the
housing/environmental conditions. Living in places with proper
air-ventilation, abundant sunlight through the day, and proper
supply of clean water are a few of the things that are taken into
consideration while settling down somewhere.
8. How can the technological advances in mass
communication benefit the distance education system in
India? Discuss.
The technological advancements in mass communication have
the ability to benefit distance education greatly as it's
inevitably linked to media and technology. The organizational
pattern and operating practices of a distance education facility
are generally based upon the same educational philosophy as a
conventional system. However the use of media is greater in
Distance Learning.
One of the greatest strengths of Distance Learning is its ability
to harness the latest technologies to reach the unreached
employing mass media technology. Distance education
institutions have bridged the distance and made education
more accessible with the help of various technologies and
delivery media. Different media types are used to deliver
information.
There are a good number of media for mass communication
such as radio, Television, newspapers and films etc. Previously,
the mass media in the form of illustrative were only put to
marginal and individualized use. There was neither any

coherent thinking nor a scientific organization of these

materials in the educational process.
In fact, the mass media have become a well of message around
the world of today and have entered into all the structures of
daily life. They can be used and in fact are being used as a
means of education. So the role of mass media in education is
gaining importance every day. They influence the attitude and
behaviour of the people indirectly. These agencies cover
entertainment, informatory propaganda, historical record,
education and improvement of moral judgment and moral tone
of the people.
9. List three ways of technology transfer and discuss
their various dimensions.
Import : This form of transfer involves transferring the essential
expertise associated with the capabilities of more developed
nations to the lesser developed nations, who require it for
accelerated industrialization. This can be done in several ways:
through licensing, joint ventures with foreign firms, direct
foreign investments, etc. Its efficiency depends on many factors
like supplier's ability and desire to transfer, the recipient's
capacity and desire to absorb, the recipient's socioeconomic
and cultural environment and communications processes.
Lab to Field : It has been the policy of the Govt. of India, from
the time of Independence, to achieve self-reliance by
developing indigenous technology in as many areas of industry
as possible. We, therefore, had created a chain of laboratories
in all areas. The NRDC was set up in 1953 for facilitating the
transfer of technology from the labs of national R&D institutes
to the field. These institutes offer their processes for
commercial exploitation to NRDC.
Export : India has gained experience and expertise in various
fields of technology. Thus, we are in a position to assist a lot of
developing nations in the process of technological
advancement. India exports technology to a large number of
Asian, Middle-Eastern, African, and Latin American nations. This
is in the form of technological know-how or machinery.
The multiple dimensions of technology transfer mean there are
many potential stakeholders, including innovators, developers,
owners, suppliers, buyers, recipients, users, consumers,

financiers, donors, governments (including policy makers and

regulators), insurers, international institutions, and nongovernmental and community-based organizations. The
stakeholders involved in any specific transaction will depend on
the type and status of the technology and the associated
nature of the transfer pathway.
10. Write an essay on The importance of self-reliance in
Science and Technology for national development.
Development is required in every individual to every nation in
all aspects and for development to happen, science and
technology go hand in hand. For any successful economy,
particularly in todays quest for knowledge based economies,
science, technology and engineering are the basic requisites. If
nations do not implement science and technology, then the
chances of getting themselves developed becomes minimal
and thus could be even rated as an undeveloped nation.
Science and technology has made life a lot easier and also a lot
better with the advancement of medicines and analysis on
diseases. Apart from the medical side, there has been
remarkable development in education, communication,
agriculture, industry etc. the global economic output has
increased 17 folds in the 20th century.
For every nation to get developed, the application of both
science and technology has to go hand in hand. Villages are
developed into towns and towns to cities and cities are
expanding to greater horizons. This expansion has occurred
through the expansion of science and technology over the
years passed and will be more in the coming years.
It goes without saying that, a nations development and
prosperity is judged to a large extend by the status of science
and technology of that nation. A scientifically unsophisticated
society means an underdeveloped nation in all sectors.
Without proper implementation of science and technology, no
nation could grow and all those nations that were labelled as
low in growth have proved where they stand today and all that
has happened only because of science and technology.