Learning Packet 3:

Special Issues in Science, Technology and Society

Introduction

Impact of technology on the environment

edinburghsensors.com

Biological diversity is the foundation for livelihoods and sustainable development,

supplying basic needs such as food, energy, medicine, recreational and cultural
benefits. However, population growth, industrialization and urbanization have
accelerated the decline and extinction of species as well as the degradation of
ecosystems. The losses are due to a range of pressures driven by socio-economic
factors, including climate change, ecosystem degradation, illegal trade and
unsustainable use.

Biotechnology can help conserve biodiversity and help protect some species from
going extinct. Modern biotechnology provides breakthrough products and
technologies to combat debilitating and rare diseases, reduce our environmental
footprint, feed the hungry, use less and cleaner energy, and have safer, cleaner and
more efficient industrial manufacturing processes.
With the development of genetic engineering, research in biotechnology developed
rapidly because of the new possibility to make changes in the organisms' genetic
material (DNA). Through genetic engineering farmers can raise more food for a
growing world population while reducing agriculture’s impact on the environment.
Genetically modified crops enable farmers to grow more crops using less land while
applying fewer chemicals and conserving water and energy allowing farmers to be
more productive and efficient. Nanotechnology is also increasingly being used to
create new foods and food packaging by breaking matter down into microscopic
nanoparticles that are just atoms wide and “programming” them to perform specific
tasks. A range of nanotech applications for food have been used and proposed, from
packaging (e.g., forming an air-tight vacuum seal) to taste (e.g., mimicking the flavor
and texture of familiar foods).

The Nano world is perhaps the fastest growing world in the twenty-first century.
Global competition among nations in nanotechnology research, development and
marketing is on the rise. Advantages of nanotechnology towards improving the
quality of life are many. However, disadvantages of nanotechnology especially
related to human health, genetic disorders and climate change are only beginning to
surface raising serious concerns. The Nano world will continue influence science and
technology.
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this unit, students will be able to:

 Link learned concepts to the development of the information age and its
impact on society;
 Illustrate how the social media and the information age have impacted our lives;

 Determine the interrelatedness of society, environment and health;

 Discuss the ethics and implication of GMOs and potential future impacts;

 Discuss the major impacts (both potential and realize) of nanotechnology on

society;

 Analyze the issue through the conceptual STS lenses;

 Critique the issue and its cause and benefits to the society;

 Describe gene therapy and its various forms;

 Assess the issues potential benefits and detriments to global health;

 Identify the causes of climate change;

 Assess the various impacts of climate change including economic, geo- political,
biological, meteorological, and etc.; and

 Apply STS concepts to the issues of climate change.

 Topic 8: Information Age

Learning Objectives
Key Terms
At the end of this topic, students will be able to:
Information  Discuss the history of

Cypher Information Age


Computer
 Determi
Innovation ne the human and
social impacts of
Realibility
developments in
the Information
Age

Activating Prior Learning

Situation:

Imagine that you are at lost in the wilderness and there is a substitution
cypher (a method of encrypting message in which the letters of the original
text are systematically replaced by different alphabet) that you need to
answer to solve your dilemma.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R

Hint: This is the first thing that you will be doing when you are at lost

Encrypted word: AFXGJESLAGF KWSJUZAFY

Answer:

Presentation of Contents

What Will Come After The Information Age?

forbes.com

Information plays an important role in understanding the truth and reality. If there are

information available, our lives might be enigmatic and chaotic. The development of

our system of acquiring, storing and retrieving information had spurt with the advent

of science and technology and now we are in the century which is considered by

many as the Information Age.

Information Age is the period starting in the last quarter of the 20th century when

information became effortlessly accessible through publication and through the

management of information by computers and computer networks. It is a true new

age based upon the interconnection of computers via telecommunications, with these

systems operating on both real-time and as needed basis- Theory of Information Age

(Messenger, 1982).
Before it has reached its current state, constant change has taken place in the form

of information revolution. By 1960’s to 1970’s, rapid growth of information resulted to

difficulty in collecting and managing them1980’s there was Information Anxiety

(Richard Wurman). In 1990’s, information became the currency of the business

world. At present, information turned out to be a commodity, an over developed

product, mass produced and unspecialized.

Robert Harris has outlined the truths about Information Age. He described it as

follows

1. Information must complete

2. Newer is equated to truer

3. Selection is a viewpoint

4. The media sells what the culture buys

5. The early word gets the perm

6. You are what you eat and so is your brain

7. Anything in great demand will be counterfeited

8. Ideas are seen as controversial

9. Undead information walks ever on

10. Media presence creates the story

11. The medium selects the message

12. The whole truth is a pursuit

Accessibility of information was made faster and easier with the aid of

computer. One of the significant applications of computers for science and

research is evident in the field of bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is the

application of information technology to store, organize and analyze vast

 amount of biological data which is available in the form sequences and

structures of proteins – the building blocks of organisms and nucleic acids- the

information carrier (Madan, n.d.) Such was established because of the need to

create databases of biological sequences. Application includes the Human

Genome Project, Pharmacogenomics Drug Discovery, Gene Finder and

Annotator.

APPLICATION

Activity 1
Arrange the photos chronologically by writing numbers 1-12 below each
photo and explain the manner by which information is being acquired, stored,
retrieve and utilize.
Activity 2

Problems on fake news have surfaced different multimedia platform, with

these, users must be knowledgeable on how to verify the authenticity of a
source. Create a checklist on how to check on the reliability and authenticity
of information found in websites and journals.

FEEDBACK

Create a poster on the advantages and disadvantages of Technology.