SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY AND
SOCIETY
HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS IN THE
COURSE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
 Science, Technology, and Society
Science, technology and society refer to the study of how
people interact with the scientific knowledge and technology they
create and how these interactions shape our social, economic,
cultural and political structures. It also refers to:
• how scientific knowledge and technological advances impact
our individual and collective behavior;
• how technology can be used to benefit society and its citizens;
• how we can use technology responsibly to sustain our
environment and society.
HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS IN
THE COURSE OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
 Seat Work (Group Activity)
HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS

1. Each group to explain the specific topic

assigned to them.
Divide the class 2. What can be learned from the
into 7 groups. development of society and the
corresponding development in science and
technology?
3. Is science and technology a force for
society’s development or demise? Justify.

Discussion will resume at exactly 9:30 AM

 ANCIENT TIMES

Transportation
Communication
Weapons and armors
Conservation of Life
SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION

Sumeria is located on the southernmost

tip of ancient Mesopotamia.. Sumerians
are known for their high degree of
cooperation with one another and their
desire for great things. They are not
contented with the basic things that life
can offer. This desire pushed them to
develop many things connected with
science and technology.
 CUNEIFORM

It is the first writing system known

as cuneiform
It is system that utilizes word
pictures and triangular symbols
which are curved on clay wedge
instruments and then left to dry.
 URUK CITY
Another important contribution of the
Sumerians is the City of Uruk. It is a great
wonder not only because it is considered
to be the first true city of the world but
also for the way it was erected. There
were no building stones in the location of
this city and lumber was limited, making
the construction a big challenge. The
Sumerians were able to build the city
using only mud or clay from the river,
which they mixed the reeds, producing
sunbaked bricks- a true engineering feat.
 THE GREAT ZIGGURAT OF UR
Another engineering and architectural feat
of the Sumerians is the Great Ziggurat of
Ur. The ziggurat, also called the mountain
of god, was built in the same manner that
they constructed the City of Uruk, Without
much building materials, the structure
was constructed using sunbaked bricks.
The ziggurat served as the sacred place
of their chief god, where only their priests
were allowed to enter. As such, even
today, people still enjoy and marvel at the
preserved Great Ziggurat of Ur.
 IRRIGATION AND DIKES
As population increased, so did the demand for food. The Sumerians were
challenged to mass produce food items but the elements in the environment
seemed uncooperative.
 SAILBOATS

Another challenge to the Sumerians

was transportation. At that time, the
wheel was not yet invented; the main
mode of transportation was through
waterways such as rivers and seas.
Boats were used to carry large
quantities of products and were able to
cover large distances.
 WHEEL
In the latter part of their history, the
Sumerians were able to invent the
wheel since the specialized tools
needed to create it were already
available. The first wheels were not
made for transportation but for farm
work and food processes. With the
use of the wheel and axle, mass
production was made easier.
Farmers were able to mill grains
with less effort in less time.
 THE PLOW
Another farm technology invented by the
Mesopotamians is the plow. Humans evolved
from being food gatherers to farm cultivators.
However, farmers needed a technology which
would enable them to dig the ground where the
seeds would be planted. The plow was
invented to dig the earth in a faster pace. As the
plow breaks the ground, the farmer would just
drop the seeds and farm work would already be
done.
With this tool, farmers could cultivate larger
parcels of land faster, enabling them to mass
produce food without taking so much effort
and time.
 THE ROADS
In order to facilitate faster
and easier travel, the
Sumerians developed the
first roads. With this work,
the flow of traffic become
faster and more organized.
They made the roads with
the same technology they
used in making the
sunbaked bricks that they
laid down on the ground.
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
Another early civilization famous for its legacy
is the Egyptian civilization located in North
Africa. Many stories tell about the engineering
feats of the Egyptians especially regarding
about the infrastructures established by the
pharaohs. Aside from engineering technology,
the Egyptians have contributed other practical
things that the world now considers as
essentials. It is thus safe to say that the
pyramids are not the only contribution of the
Egyptians civilization to the modern world.
PAPER OF PAPYRUS
One of the earlier contributions of
Egyptian civilization was the paper or
papyrus. Although Egypt was not the
first to develop a system of writing, they
were able to make writing easier for the
world. Before the Egyptian innovation,
clay tablets were used.
However, safe-keeping and
transporting them were a major
problem. Clay tablets were very fragile,
heavy, and delicate to handle.
So, bringing them to places was a
major challenge.
INK
When the Egyptians invented the
papyrus of the paper, engraving
ceased to be used in writing. As a
result, the Egyptians invented ink by
combining soot with different
chemicals to produce inks of different
colors. The ink must withstand the
elements of nature since it was used
to record history, culture, and codified
laws. It must also be tamper-proof so
that people could not simply tinker with
those written down by authorities.
 HIEROGLYPHICS
Like the Sumerians, the Egyptians also
developed a system of writing using
symbols, known as hieroglyphics. This
form of writing can still be seen today and
remains to be a famous as the pyramids
where they were found.
Hieroglyphics was the language that tells
the modern world of the history and culture
of the ancient Egyptians. Their records were
well-preserved since they were carved at
the walls of pyramids and other important
Egyptians structures.
COSMETICS
The Egyptians also invented the use of
cosmetics. Although cosmetics in the modern
times are used to improve and highlight the
facial features of a person, their function in
ancient Egypt was for both health and
aesthetic reasons. Egyptians wore Kohl
around the eyes to prevent and even cure eye
diseases. Kohl was created by mixing soot or
malachite with mineral galena. Egyptians also
believed that a person wearing make-up was
protected from evil and that beauty was a sign
of holiness. At present, the cosmetic industry
is a booming multibillion industry
 WIG
The wigs were used to protect the
shaved heads of the wealthy
Egyptians from the harmful rays of
the sun. Wearing a wig was better
than putting on a scarf or any other
head cover since wig allowed heat to
escape. Moreover, it was considered
cleaner than natural hair because it
prevented the accumulation of head
lice.
 WATER CLOCK/CLEPSYDRA
This device utilizes gravity that
affects the flow of water from one
vessel the other. The amount of
water (or its height, depending on
the method used) remaining in the
device determines how much time
has elapsed since its full. In the
process, time is measured. The
water clock was widely used as a
timekeeping device during the
ancient times.
BABYLONIAN CIVILIZATION
Babylonian civilization emerged near the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers. The Babylonians were great builders, engineers, and
architects. One of their major contribution is the hanging gardens
of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
 HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON
Today, people can only marvel at the beauty
of the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon
from stories of historians and paintings that
portray the place. It was said to be a structure
made up of layers upon layers of gardens that
contained several species of plants, trees,
and vines. According to legends, the great
Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II built the
gardens for his wife, Queen Amytis. However,
no physical evidence has been found to
prove the existence of the Hanging Gardens
of Babylon. Its exact location is also unknown.
GREEK CIVILIZATION
Greece is an archipelago in the
southeastern part of Europe.
Known as the birthplace of western
philosophy, some of the major
achievements of the Greeks include
in-depth works on philosophy and
mathematics. More than coliseums
and the Olympics, the Greek
civilization has contributed much to
the world especially in the fields of
science and technology.
ALARM CLOCK
One of the most utilized gadgets today that
was invented by the ancient Greeks is the
alarm clock. Although the alarm clock
during that time did not resemble the
present-day alarm clock, the purpose was
just the same- to tell an individual when to
stop or when to start.
The ancient Greek’s alarm clocks used
large complicated mechanisms to time
the alarm. They made use of water (or
sometimes small stones or sand) that
dropped into drums which sounded the
alarm.
WATER MILL
Watermills were also
considered as one of the most
important contributions of the
Greek civilization to the world.
They were commonly used in
agricultural processes like
milling of grains which was a
necessary form of food
processing during that time.
 ROMAN CIVILIZATION

The Roman Empire was perceived to be the strongest political and social entity in the west.
It was considered to be the cradle of politics and governance during that period. Because
the Roman Empire was so large, other civilizations looked up to it as their model in terms of
legislation and codified laws. Aside from their contributions in politics, a lot of discoveries
and inventions still relevant today can be attributed to the Roman Empire.
NEWSPAPER
The first newspapers, known as gazettes,
contained announcements of the Roman
Empire to the people. Made before the
invention of paper, these gazettes were
engraved in metal or stone tablets and then
publicly displayed. These documents were
edited and published on the same day that
they were recorded. This way, the Romans
enjoyed easy access to government
information the same way we benefit from
present-day newspapers.
BOUND BOOKS or CODEX

According to sources, Julius Caesar

started the tradition of stacking up
papyrus to form pages of a book.
Later on, they were able to provide
covers to protect the papyrus
ROMAN ARCHITECTURE
Roman architecture is one of the most
visual contributions of the ancient
Roman Empire to the world. Roman
architecture was considered a
continuation of Greek architecture,
hence the resemblance.
ROMAN NUMERALS

Roman devised their own number

system that would meet their
increasing communication and trade
concerns.
CHINESE CIVILIZATION

The Chinese Civilization is considered to be

the oldest civilization in Asia, If not the world.
Also known as the middle kingdom, China is
located on the far east of Asia.
SILK
One of the things that connected far East
China to the world is Silk. Although silk is
naturally produced by silkworms, the
Chinese were the ones who developed the
technology to harvest the silk and process it
to produced paper and clothing. Silk
production resulted in the creation of a
product for trade.
 TEA PRODUCTION
Tea is a beverage produced by pouring hot
or boiling water over crushed or shredded
dried tea leaves. It was believed that the first
tea was drunk by a Chinese Emperor. Tea
production was developed when an unknown
Chinese investor created a machine that was
able to shred tea leaves into strips.
 GREAT WALL OF CHINA

Once considered the only man made structure

that could be seen from outer space, the Great
Wall of China is said to the largest and most
extensive infrastructure that the nation built. It
was constructed to keep out foreign invaders
and control the borders of China. Made with
stone, brick, wood, earth, and other materials,
it showcased the extent of Chinese
Engineering technology at that time.
 GUNPOWDER
The gunpowder is one of the most
interesting inventions in China. Originally, it
was developed by Chinese Alchemists who
aimed to achieved immortality. They mixed
charcoal, sulphur and potassium nitrate, but
instead of creating an elixir of life, they
accidentally invented a black powder that
could generate large amounts pf heat and
gas in an instant.
 MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES
The start of the middle ages was marred by
massive invasions and migrations.
Wars were prevalent during this time. As
such, great technology was needed in the
fields of weaponry, navigation, mass food
and farm production, and health. The wars
have resulted in population decline, but
during the latter part of the period, there was
significant rise in population.
Trade and Commerce among nations
increased which resulted in greater
demands for transportation technology.
WAR WEAPONS
Since wars were widespread during the
Middle Ages, great development in the
weaponry technology also occurred. All
sides must develop weaponries not only
as offensive tools but also defensive
instruments. For open-area battles, people
developed crossbows and longbows so
that they could attack the enemies at long
ranges, keeping themselves safe with the
protection of walls and fortresses.
PRINTING PRESS
After the Chinese developed woodblock
printing, Johann Gutenberg was able to
invent the printing press, a more reliable way
of printing using a cast type. He utilized
wooden machines that extracted juices from
fruits, attached to them a metal impression
of the letters, and pressed firmly the cast
metal into the piece of paper, which then
made an exact impression on paper. This
general invention soon evolved to be the
mechanical printing press which was
eventually used all over the world.
 MICROSCOPE
To develop the proper medicines for
illnesses, expert must understand the
sickness through an investigation. Thus, they
needed the device that could magnify things
invisible to the eye. Guided by the principles
used for the invention of eyeglasses in
earlier years, Zacharias Janssen was able to
develop the first compound microscope.
 TELESCOPE

The invention of the telescope, an optical

instrument that helps in the observation of
remote objects, was a great help for
navigators during this time. Together with
the telescope, the invention of the compass,
oars, and rudders made sea travelling
easier and safer.
MODERN TIMES
The booming world population during the
nineteenth century onwards demanded that
more goods be produced at a faster rate.
People needed efficient means of
transportation to trade more goods and
cover a larger distance. Machines that
required animals to operate must thus be
upgraded.
PASTEURIZATION
Louis Pasteur, a French biologist,
microbiologist, and chemist, found a
way to solve the problem. He
invented pasteurization, the process
of heating dairy products to kill the
harmful bacteria that allow them to
spoil faster. Through this process,
milk could be stored and consumed
for a long period. It also prevented
illnesses caused by harmful bacteria.
PETROLEUM REFINERY
Samuel M. Kier was able to invent
kerosene by refining petroleum.
Kerosene was later on referred to as
“illuminating oil” because it was used
at first to provide lighting to homes.
After some time, it was applied for
heating purposes. The development
of kerosene established the
petroleum refinery industry.
TELEPHONE

Important day to day decisions must

be discussed and addressed at the
fastest time possible. Thus, the
development of the telephone by
Alexander Graham Bell was one of
the most important inventions at that
time.
CALCULATOR
Although an earlier version of the calculator
had already been developed,
circumstances in the modern times
required a faster way to compute more
complicated equations. Computing devices
must also be easy to carry since they
would be utilized on a day to day basis.
The Creation of modern calculators did not
only pave the way for easier arithmetic
calculations, but also resulted in the
development of more complex processing
machines like the computer.
PHILIPPINE INVENTION
The Philippines also contributes to the
global advancement of science and
technology. It is quite remarkable to note
the ingenuity of the Filipinos despite the
lack in resources. The Philippines is
known to be one of the most vulnerable
countries in terms of natural disasters.
Many of the discoveries and inventions
made by the Filipinos were therefore built
from indigenous materials or created to
adapt to the
 SALAMANDER AMPHIBIOUS
TRICYCLE
H2O Technologies headed by Dominic
N. Chung and Lamberto Armada,
together with Chief Designer Victor
“Atoy” Llave, was able to invent the
Salamander, an amphibious tricycle that
can cross not only flooded streets but also
rivers and lakes. It may also be utilized to
travel from island to island.
Since the Philippines is an archipelago,
the Salamander is a useful invention that
has a lot of potential.
SALT LAMP
A young Filipina inventor named
Aisa Mijeno was able to invent a
lighting system that utilizes a
material abundant in the
Philippines- saltwater. She
invented the Sustainable
Alternative Lighting (SALt)
lamp, an environment- friendly
light source that runs on
saltwater.
 MEDICAL INCUBATOR
Dr. Fe del Mundo a Filipino pediatrician
and the first Asian woman admitted into
Harvard Medical School, devised a
medical incubator made from indigenous
and cheap materials which did not run on
electricity. It was made by placing a native
laundry basket inside a bigger one and hot
water bottles were inserted between the
baskets to provide warmth and a
makeshift hood to allow oxygen
circulation.
MOSQUITO OVICIDAL/LARVICIDAL
TRAP SYSTEM
In 2010, the Department of Science and
Technology-Industrial Technology
Development Institute (DOST-ITDI)
introduced the:
Mosquito Ovicidal Larvicidal Trap System,
also known as OL trap. This trap system is
made of natural ingredients that are lethal
to mosquitos but safe for humans and the
environment.
EJEEPNEY
The jeepney dominated the
Philippine streets and is considered
as the primary mode of
transportation of most Filipinos.
However, the diesel-powered
jeepney produces large quantities of
black smoke and a major contributor
of noise pollution. To counter these
disadvantages, the electric jeepney
(eJeepney) was developed. It is
environment-friendly since it does not
emit any smoke and noise.
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Climate change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
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