Lesson 

2: 
Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology
 

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:

 Discuss the historical antecedents of science and technology,  ancient times, medieval
times, and modern age   

 identify some innovations and inventions made by the Filipinos; and explain how
Philippine scientific and technological inventions shaped and were shaped by various
social contexts.
Science and Technology in Ancient Times

 People are concerned with transportation and navigation,

communication and record keeping, mass production, security, and
protection, health, aesthetics and architecture.

 Science and Technology keep on advancing in order to meet the

growing needs of people.

 Science and Technology, has the end goal of improving lives and
making the work easier, faster and efficient

 Ancient civilization created technology that has been modified and

that is still being used today.
Ancient Wheel

Sumerian Wheel Potter’s Wheel

the ancient wheel is credited to Sumerians heavy flat disk made of hardened clay
- for the purpose of transportation which was spun horizontally on an axis
 Paper
The Edwin Smith Papyrus
 Ancient Egyptians began writing on
papyrus made from the pith of papyrus
plant cyperus papyrus

 Lightweight, strong, durable, and

portable.

 With the advent of papyrus,

documentation and record keeping
became efficient and widespread, and
vast
Shadoof
 A hand-operated device used for lifting
water Invented by early Egyptians to
irrigate land and water crops
 Ancient precursor of sophisticated
irrigation tools
Antikythera mechanism
 Greeks ancient worlds analog computer
orrery

 Discovered in 1902, retrieved from the

waters of Antikythera, Greece

 Akin to a clock, the case has a circular face

and rotating hands, a knob on the side
makes it possible to wound forward and
backward, a mechanism which displays the
celestial time.
Aeolipile
 Hero’s engine, the steam engine.
 “temple wonders”
 A steam powered turbine spun when the
water container at its center was heated
 Vitruvius, Roman author, architect and
civil engineer described aeolipile as a
scientific invention through which “the
mighty and wonderful laws of heavens
and the nature of winds”
 Science and Technology in Middle Age

 Major advances in scientific and technological development

 It includes a steady increase of new inventions, introductions of innovations

in traditional productions and emergence of scientific thinking and method.
Heavy Plough
 Most important technological innovation during the middle ages

 Harness different types of soil including clay soil.

 Heavy plough stirred the Agricultural revolution in Northern Europe

 Gunpowder
 Accidentally invented by Chinese alchemist
 By product of attempts made by the Chinese to
invent the elixir of life which is why the
Chinese called it huoyao or “fire potion”
 Prior to this, swords and spears were used in
battle wars.
 Gunpowder allowed for more advanced
warfare
Paper Money
 The first known versions of
paper money could be traced
back to the Chinese in 17th
century AD as an offshoot of
the invention of block printing
similar to stamping.

 Before paper money, precious

metals such as gold and silver
were used as currency.
Mechanical Clock

 The development of the

mechanical clock paved the
way for accurately keeping
track of time.

 It changed the way days were

spent and work patterns were
established.
Spinning Wheel

 A machine used for transforming fiber

into thread or yarn and eventually woven
into cloth on a loom.

 It is theorized that the Indians invented

the spinning wheel between 6th and 11th
century.
Science and Technology in Modern Ages

 As the world population increased, Modern Ages realized the utmost importance of
increasing the efficiency of transportation communication, and production.

 Industrialization took place with greater risk to human health, food safety, and the
environment which had to be addressed s scientific and technological progress unfolded at
an unimaginable speed.
 Compound Microscope

 A Dutch spectacle maker Zacharias Janssen

invented the first compound microscope in
1590.

 Capable of magnifying objects 3 to 10x

larger than their original size.

 Today compound microscope is an

important instrument in many scientific
studies.
Telescope
 Invented by Galileo Galilei

 Can magnify objects 20 times

larger

 Galileo made important

astronomical discoveries.

 Identified the craters and

mountains on the moon,
 Jacquard Loom
 Most critical drivers of the Industrial
revolution

 Built by French weaver Joseph Marie

Jacquard, it simplifies textile
manufacturing

 Demonstrated the ingenuity of loom in

which a series of cards with punched
holes automatically created complex
textile designs and made mass
production easier.
Engine Powered Airplane
 The first engine powered aircraft; Operated and designed by brothers Orville
Wright and Wilbur Wright.
 Television

 Invented by Scottish engineer John Logie

Baird.

 He successfully televised objects in outline

1924, recognizable human faces in 1925, and
moving objects in 1926 and projected
colored images in 1928.
Inventions by Filipino Scientists

 Necessity has always been the mother of Philippine inventions

 Filipinos are responsible for developing scientific and technological

innovations focused on navigation, traditional shipbuilding, textiles,
food processing, indigenous arts and techniques, and even cultural
inventions
 Electronic Jeepney (e-jeepney)
 Jeepney is one of the most recognizable
national symbols of the Philippines and the
most popular mode of public transportation.
 E-jeepney was introduced in Metro Manila
and Bacolod City
 This is an inventive response to traditional
jeepneys that belched smoke causing air
pollution.
 E- jeepney is Environment-friendly and
economical
Erythromycin
 Ilonggo scientist Abelardo Aguilar invented erythromycin antibiotic out of
Bacterial strain Streptomyces erythreus
Medical Incubator

 National scientist, a world-renowned pediatrician Fe Del Mundo invented the

incubator and jaundice-relieving device.
Mole Remover

 Rolando dela Cruz invented the local

mole remover without surgical procedure. It is
made up of cashew nut extracts (Annacardium
occidentale) which are very common in
Philippines.
 He won a gold medal for this invention in the
International Invention, Innovation, Industrial
Design, and Technology Exhibition in Kuala
Lumpur Malaysia in 2000.
Banana Ketchup
 Invented by a Filipino food technologist Maria Orosa
Reference
Science, Technology, and Society
Outcomes-Based Module
by: Edward jay Mansarate Quinto, PhD, LPT
Aileen Domondon Nieva, MEng, ChE, RChE

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