Renaissance and Technological Development and their role in evolution of Agriculture,

Industry and Information Age and Vice Versa

Renaissance Period spanning between the 14th to 17th century greatly advanced in the cultural,
artistic and intellectual aspects that profoundly impacted on development in European
civilization. Renaissance signify “re-birth”: the existing period transforming into progressive
era due to influential advancements. The time assisted in the rising new discoveries in art,
literature, philosophy, and science- "Mathematics, astronomy, and physics”. Leonardo da
Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo and Raphael were Renaissance intellectuals who contributed to
art, geology, botany, and engineering, ultimately contributing to the scientific revolution.
Renaissance period highlights the importance of individualism, secularism and importance of
education. The Renaissance period emphasizes the significance of autonomy, secularism, and
education. Along with these developments, the Renaissance has had a significant impact on
agricultural, industrial, and information age.
The Renaissance reignited interest in botany, agriculture, and gardening. The world produced
new ideas for creating instruments for producing and nurturing crops, as well as oil mills to
increase agricultural production. Vinci and Michelangelo experimented with innovative crop-
growing and plant-cultivation techniques. Both studied botany and experimented with various
growing crops and nurturing plants, as well as developing new fruit and vegetable kinds.
Vinci, born during the agricultural era, was more interested in geology and its relationship to
hydraulic engineering. Afterwards, he used his skills to irrigate farm area for farming and
increasing crop yielding. Several of his agricultural allusions may be found in the Museo
Leonardo and the Renaissance of Vinci's Wine. Together with these developments, new crops
from America were brought, such as maize, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, and beans, which
helped to alleviate the shortages that Europe was experiencing at the time. Crop rotation and
other novel framing techniques increased agricultural output while also enhancing land
fertility. These advancing agricultural comprehensions led to renaissance throughout the
14th-17th centuries and served as the foundation for the introduction of technical
improvement in the agricultural domain.
Agricultural discoveries ushered in the usage of new and improved crop producing
technologies. The idea of producing numerous necessary items in bulk for simpler handling
led to the development of the industrial sector. Industrialization, however, is essentially
linked to an increase in trade and commerce. New trade routes and global trade impacted the
European economy and sparked the growth of new businesses. The development of guilds in
regulating trade was a result of the need to govern and manage the expanding trade and
business. Hence, the booming trade during this time period prompted demands for increased
manufacturing of commodities using machinery and a switch to a capital-intensive economy.
"Great Britain" is among the best instances from that era. This provided strong support for the
expanding economies of these trade areas. More sophisticated devices were developed as a
result of the introduction of water-powered mills and the usage of iron in building. The
textile, mining, and metals industries grew as a result. Around 1760, the spinning Jenny and
Water Frame, which both utilized the power of flowing water to speed up the process of
creating threads for weaving, sparked a revolution. This featured just one worker could
complete the task of 3000 hand spinners. With the progress in time, during late 1700s, these
hand looms were replaced by mechanized power loom, and on the other hand, factories using
steam engines were found more efficient along with the transport of coal and mines. Thus, a
boost in commercial activity was caused by population growth, advancements in banking,
trade routes, and manufacturing systems.
Several instances of knowledge, art, and science came from the Renaissance period, which
also lay the groundwork for developments that eventually led to the Information Age. People
then invested themselves in learning and valued classical education. During this era, the
essence of knowledge and the culture of achieving education bloomed and many individuals
were inspired by the quest of information that this culture of gaining education has been
continuing till date with the major advancements. The search of knowledge has remained
constant over time, although the medium has evolved with the growth of institutions. Also,
the period saw extensive information gathering from the arts and culture. Some historical
methods of expressing thought and emotion include writing, using birds as messengers, and
the arts. Via the development of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg, information
technology advanced throughout this time. The dissemination of books in large quantities
across Europe highlights the developing passion of people in gaining education. Scientific
scholars Galileo and Vinci contributions in astronomy, physics and engineering laid the
foundation for modern science.
Galileo pioneered the scientific revolution that flowered in the work of Isaac Newton. He
used the telescope for observing the night sky, which led him discover that the motion of the
earth around the sun, the moons of Jupiter, and the first clear example of bodies in orbit
around a center other than earth. He became an outspoken advocate of Copernican model of
universe. Renaissance-era technological advancement probably contributed to the advent of
the Information Age. The Information Age, also referred to as the Computer or Silicon age,
began in the middle of the 20th century. A swift shift from traditional industries created
during the Industrial Revolution to an information technology-based economy was a defining
feature of it. The internet of things (IoT), digitization, networks, knowledge and research,
consumerization, etc. are characteristics of this era. The information age evolved from the
renaissance era, yet the basic idea of information extraction has remained constant. These
techniques serve the same objectives as those of the Renaissance Era: colonization,
communication, and the expansion of commerce and industry. Yet, as technology has
developed, automated robots are taking the place of antiquated modes of operation.
To sum up, the Renaissance era cleared the ground for the creation of the instruments and
technologies that gave rise to the modern era of technology. Not only so, but the inverse of
the claim is also true: because of these developments, the time period came to be known as
the Renaissance, also known as the "rebirth" period. During this time, the agriculture sector
was propelled by the innovative use of better instruments, adaptation of cutting-edge
practices, and importation of new crops. These technological advancements required the use
of tools, turning labor-intensive processes into capital-intensive ones. This caused a shift
toward improving the industrial sector and ultimately into a more technology era.
Impact of Technology in Environment
Technology is a scientific revolution that applies theoretical knowledge to real-world
situations. Difficulties spark imaginations, which then inspire ideas that lead to the
development of better tools and machinery to address the issue. In the environment, several
unresolved issues that may affect a particular discipline—health, education, transportation,
sanitation, and so forth—could arise. Hence, a vast range of disciplines, such as computer
science, engineering, biotechnology, telecommunications, and others, are included in the
definition of technology. Technology has a significant impact on daily life, from
straightforward alarms to wake up to sophisticated simulations of varied processes.
In essence, technological advancement has accompanied the passage of time and new
scientific discoveries. Evidently, these discoveries have a significant impact on society and
the environment. The utilization of renewable energy, particularly sustainable sources like
solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal energy, has undergone a significant change. In the
past, the globe relied more on fossil fuels like gasoline, diesel, coal, and so forth. Together,
these resources raised carbon footprints, necessitating the development of renewable energy
sources, which are clean energy sources that generate little to no greenhouse emissions. The
development of technology has made it possible to produce solar cells that are more effective
and has helped reduce the costs of renewable resources, making them more affordable and
competitive with conventional energy sources. Similarly, these renewable energy sources
have been cleverly engineered to store energy at periods of peak output and utilize it during
periods of high demand. Also, these renewable resources are increasingly used in vehicles as
substitute fuels for gasoline and diesel. Electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and biofuels are
now possible thanks to technology, providing more sustainable options for transportation.
Technology has also had a significant impact on agriculture, driving it toward more
sustainable practices. Precision farming, or the use of technology like GPS, drones, and
sensors that enables farmers to monitor and manage their fields in real-time, making
modifications as necessary to guarantee optimal plant health and productivity, can be one of
the main causes of that. Technology like moisture monitors, drip irrigation, and weather
forecasting tools assist farmers in conserving water while ensuring that crops receive the
proper amount of water. Moreover, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) brings a combination
of biological, chemical, and cultural strategies to manage pests and lessen dependency on
pesticides for sustainable pest management.
These innovations can have great impacts on the society; nevertheless, the negative impacts
cannot be to overlooked. Many chemicals and components are used in the production of
various instruments, machines, and equipment thanks to technological advancements. They
are referred to as electronic waste since they are often disposed of into the environment after
production (e-waste). These wastes are frequently found being dumped into effluents without
the required waste management and treatment. Moreover, the transportation sector is
responsible for around 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with passenger cars being
the largest contributor. In addition to this, as technology advances, more energy is needed to
keep it running, which increases energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. The energy
sector is responsible for about 73% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with fossil fuels such
as coal, oil, and natural gas being the primary source of energy. Similar to this, technology is
now a significant source of pollution. When fossil fuels are burned, airborne pollutants such
nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides, and particulate matter are released. Industrial procedures,
agricultural methods, and poor e-waste disposal result in the release of hazardous chemicals
that harm aquatic life. The use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture results in soil
pollution, which reduces crop production and soil fertility. Noise pollution, which can cause
hearing loss and other health problems, is primarily caused by industries, vehicles, and
construction. The pollution, depletion of natural resources, and destruction of natural habitat
caused by technology progress all contribute to the global climate change.
Throughout the past few centuries, industrialisation and technological advancement have
played a significant role in the worldwide issue of climate change. Global temperatures have
increased, glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, and extreme weather events are
occurring more frequently as a result of increased greenhouse gas emissions from burning
fossil fuels and deforestation. Fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, industrial operations, and
greater consumption are a few of the ways that technological advancement has contributed to
climatic changes. As was already established, rising energy demand was a result of technical
developments in transportation, business, and agriculture. CO2, CH4, and other greenhouse
gases are released into the environment during the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas. As a
result of the heat being trapped, global warming, or rising global temperatures, results. The
CO2 concentration in the atmosphere has increased from 280 parts per million (ppm) in pre-
industrial times to over 410 ppm today, largely due to human activities such as burning fossil
fuels and deforestation.
Energy-intensive industrial operations result in the creation of significant amounts of
greenhouse gases. The use of fossil fuels to produce high temperatures for the production of
cement, steel, and aluminum is one example. Due to technological advances, more and more
homes and furnishings are being made out of wood and paper, which could lead to
deforestation, biodiversity loss, soil erosion, and reduced carbon sequestration in the region.
Widespread deforestation has resulted from technology in logging, agriculture, and forestry.
More than the total transportation industry, deforestation is responsible for 10% of the
world's greenhouse gas emissions. The FAO estimates that between 1990 and 2020, the
world's forests shrunk by 178 million hectares. The primary source of CO2 absorption is from
forests, however deforestation releases carbon from the trees. These all causes the heat to be
trapped within atmosphere, resulting in global warming. According to the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global temperature has increased by about 1.1°C since
pre-industrial times and is projected to continue to rise in the coming decades.
In conclusion, technology has had many positive effects on the environment, especially when
it comes to the use of renewable resources and the agricultural sector. With better tools and
construction technology, the fields of engineering and health have also seen significant
technical breakthroughs. Nonetheless, the drawbacks brought about by technical
advancement are significant and cannot be ignored. Some of the problems brought on by
technical improvements include climate change, pollution, population growth, habitat loss,
and increased global warming. Hence, technology has an impact on the environment that is
both positive and detrimental.