SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS

What is the difference between science and technology?

What do you think are the most important, useful or interesting inventions in the 19th and 20th centuries? 
For example, you could talk about cars, airplanes, bicycles, TV, computers, mobile phones, nuclear power,
solar and wind power, plastic, cameras, x-rays, robots, etc.  Give reasons for your answers.  What is your
favorite new technology?  What electrical appliances do you use every day and how do they make your life
easier? What things would you never let technology replace?

Do you think that the bicycle was a more useful invention than the car?  Why or why not?  What kind of
inventions would you like to see in the future?  Which inventions would help mankind the most in the future?

What do you think robots should be used for?  Do you think robots will cause unemployment (loss of jobs) in
the future or create more jobs?  Why?  Do you think using cell phones too much is bad for our physical or
mental health? Why?  How do you think face-to-face communication differs from communication using
technology?  What social changes have Smart Phones made?  What are the good and bad points of using
computers?  Do you think that modern technology reduces or increases stress? Why?

What do you think are the most important medical discoveries or inventions in the last century? You can talk
about antibiotics, lasers, X-rays, microsurgery, genetic testing, cloning or any other equipment or technology.

Do you think people should be allowed to clone animals, people, or organs of people? Why?  Do you think
couples should be allowed to choose the sex or other characteristics of their baby like eye colour? Why or why
not?  If you could copy your brain for future generations, would you?
Do you think that medical discoveries have developed faster than the ethical rules to control them?  Explain
your answer.

What has science done for humankind? Do you feel comfortable with the idea of Artificial Intelligence, that
robots can think autonomously or very soon even fight? What will the Elites of the world do when they are
defended by a drone army- will they still care about the people? With new tech comes new problems-
computer hackers, viruses, spy wear...

Are you worried about how much information Internet companies such as Google/Facebook have about you,
and what it could be used for? How is this information used by them or governments to monitor you?

How have technological advances affected our lives? What are some local ways you have seen to reduce
waste and pollution or conserve energy?  What forms of energy can be used instead of burning fossil fuels?  In
your life time, what changes have you seen in your environment for better or worse?  

Do you think money should be spent to explore space or is it better spent helping people on Earth? Why?
What questions will science never answer?

Can you name some inventions by Slovak scientists or businessmen and what they invented?

Do you think science and technology is taught enough in schools, or too little?
Alfred Nobel, held 365 patents, The one personal trait of Nobel that helped him to sharpen his creativity
include his talent for information access, via his multi-lingual skills.  Despite the lack of formal education,
Nobel gained proficiency in six languages: Swedish, French, Russian, English, German and Italian. He also
developed literary skills to write poetry in English."  What else do you know about Nobel?  What was his most
famous invention and why is his name still a "household word" today?

What kinds of developments do you expect in science and technology in the future? What are some of the
greatest technological achievements? Which do you think is the greatest/ most useful invention? How would
your life change if all your technological devices were taken away for a week? Which new technologies that
have emerged over the last fifteen to twenty years have had the most impact on our lives?