LESSON 10

THE IMPACT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ON SOCIETY DURING

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
In much of modern science the idea of progressive change, or evolution, has been of
fundamental importance. In addition to biological evolution, astronomers have been concerned
with stellar and galactic evolution, and astrophysicists and chemists with nucleosynthesis, or the
evolution of the chemical elements. Geologists have discovered that the continents are not static
entities but are also evolving; according to the theory of plate tectonic, some continent are
moving closer together.
Physics in particular was shaken to the core around the turn of the century. The atom had
been presumed indestructible, but discoveries of X-rays (1895), radioactivity (1896), and the
electron (1897) could not be explained by the classical theories. The discovery of the atomic
nucleus (1911) and of numerous subatomic particles in addition to the electron opened up the
broad field of atomic and nuclear physics. Atoms were found to change not only by radioactive
decay but also by more dramatic processes- nuclear fission and fushion – with the release of
large amounts of energy.
Albert Einstein Theory of Relativity
Radioactive isotopes have been as tracers in complicated chemical and biochemical reactions and
have also found application in geological dating.
Introduction of microscope by the Janssen team that paved way for the establishment of the cell
theory and study of minute things.
Charles Darwin. He proposed the natural selection as an explanation of evolution, Darwin’s
complete theory is published in “On the Origin of Species” in 1859.
Gregor Mendel Theory of Genetics, he observed and studied the pattern of inheritance using a
pea plant and developed the Mendelian Principles of Heredity.
Louis Pasteur a French scientist known as the father of microbiology. He pioneered
pasteurization, a process of heating milk to a high temperature and pressure to elimination
souring caused bacteria. He also proposed the germ theory of disease, in which diseases arise
from naturally existing microorganisms not from spontaneous generation. He developed a
vaccine for rabies and disproved spontaneous generation theory.

Hugo de Vries around the turn of the century biological evolution came to be interpreted in
terms of mutations that result in a genetically distinct species; the survival of a given species
was thus related to its ability to adapt to its environment through such mutations.
The development of Biochemistry and the recognition that most important biological processes
take place at the molecular level led to the rapid growth of the field of molecular biology, with
such fundamental results as the discovery of structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), molecule
carrying the genetic code.
Modern medicine has profited from this explosion of knowledge in biology and biochemistry,
with new methods of treatment ranging from penicillin, insulin, and a vast array of other drugs to
pacemakers for weak hearts and implantation of artificial or donated organs.
In Astronomy ever larger telescopes have assisted in the discovery that the sun is a rather
ordinary star in a huge collection of stars, the Milky Way, which itself is only one of the
galaxies, that in general are expanding away from each other. Through space travel astronomers
were able to study and discover the nature of the universe beyond Earth. The space age began
with the launch of the first artificial satellites in 1597. A human first went into space in 1961.
Since then cosmonauts and astronauts have ventured into space for further study of the universe.
The study of remote objects, billions of light-years from the earth, has bee carried out at all
wavelengths of Electromagnetic radiation, with some of the most notable results being made in
radio astronomy, which has been used to ma[ the Milky way, study quasars, pulsars, and other
unusual objects, and detect relatively complex organic molecules floating in space.
The Electronic Industry, born in the early 20th century has advanced to the point where a
complex device, such as a computer, that once might have filled an entire room can now be
carried in an attache case . The electronic computer has become one of the key tools of modern
industry. Electronics has also been fundamental developing new communications devices (radio,
television, laser).
A watt steam engine. The steam engine, made of iron and fueled primarily by a coal, became
widely used in Great Britain during Industrial Revolution.
James Watt and Matthew Boulton, had succeeded by 1778 in perfecting his stream engine,
which incorporated a series of radical improvements, notably the closing off of the upper part of
the cylinder thereby making the low pressure steam drive the top of the piston instead of the
atmosphere, use of a steam jacket and the celebrated separate steam condenser chamber.

Important Technological Developments

Metallurgy. A major change in the metal industries during Industrial Revolution was the
replacement of wood and other biofuels with coal.
Machine Tools. This led to the development of several machine tools for cutting metal parts.
Chemicals
John Roebuck- Sulphur acid
Nicolas Leblanc- sodium carbonate which has many uses in the glass, textile, soap and paper
industries.
Bleaching powder- revolutionized the bleaching processes in textile industry.
Cement
Joseph Aspdin British bricklayer turned builder. He patented a chemical process for making
Portland cement which was an important advance in the building trades.
Gas lighting
William Murdoch is an employee of Boulton and Watt, the Birmingham steam engine pioneers.
Glass making a new method of producing glass , known as the cylinder process. It was used by
the Chance Brothers to create sheet glass.
Paper Machine a machine for making a continuous sheet of paper on a loop of wire fabric was
patented in 1798 by Nicholas Louis Robert.
Agriculture
Jethro Tull invented an improved seed drill in 1701. It was a mechanical seeder which
distributed seeds evenly across a plot of land and planted them at the correct depth. Improved
agricultural activity freed up workers to work in other sectors of the economy.
Transportation
At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, inland transports was by navigable waters was by
navigable rivers and roads with coastal vessel employed to move heavy goods by sea. Canals
were the first technology to allow bulk materials to be economically transported long distances in
land. Transportation improvements, such as canals and improved roads, also lowered food costs.
Railroads were introduced near the end of Industrial Revolution.
Food and Nutrition food supply had been increasing and prices falling before the Industrial
Revolution due to better agriculture practices;
Housing Living conditions during the Industrial Revolution varied from splendor for factory
owners to squalors for workers.
The Industrial Revolution also created a middle class of professionals such as lawyers and
doctors , who lived much better conditions.
New Public Health Acts improved over the course of the 19th century by regulating sewage,
hygiene and home construction.
Clothing and consumer goods
Consumers benefited from falling prices for clothing and household articles such as cast iron
cooking utensils, and in the following decade, stoves for cooking and space heated.
Hubble space telescope
Edwin P. Hubble invented the orbiting observatory that was launched into orbit by the space
shuttle Discovery in 1990.
Rocket the first vehicle to leave the earth. Rocket is propelled upward by hot exhaust gases
streaming from nozzles at the tail.