MODULE 2 STS

Greek civilization

Greece is an archipelago in the southern part of Europe. Known as the birth

place 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 that sounded the alarm. Plato was believed to have
utilized an alarm clock to signal the start of his lecture. His version used four water
vessels lined up vertically. The upper vessel supplied the water which dropped to the
vessel below it which was set to be filled in a given time. After it was full, water was
siphoned off at a faster rate into the third vessel which would cause the expulsion of
contained air, creating a whistling noise. Rewards, this vessel would empty towards the
bottom for storage and reuse.

Water Mill

They were commonly used in agricultural processes like milling of grains which
was a necessary form of food processing during that time. Because milling was made
possible by the use of watermills, the mass production of rice, cereals, fours, and the
like became common. Watermills were considered better than mills powered by farm
animals because they required less effort and time to operate since the farmer did not
have to raise animals. They only required access to rivers or flowing water where a
mechanism of large wheel with small “buckets” of water attached to it could be installed.

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 modern 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

One of the major contributions of the Romans is the 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. When paper was invented, it became easier
for the Romans to “publish” matters that needed the attention of the Roman citizen. In
fact, with the advent of paper, minutes of the proceedings of the Roman senate were
done in shorthand. 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 newspaper.

Bound Books or Codex

With the invention of the paper, it became easier for civilizations to write down
everything that happened in their time. Record-keeping was much easier since paper
did not easily break, was lightweight, and did not occupy much space. As a result,
civilizations became fond of record-keeping, especially documenting historical events
and newly legislated laws. Aside from Romans writing down information about history
and politics, literature also changed form from clay tablets to parchments of paper.
According to sources, Julius Ceasar 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. The
earlier covers made of wax but were later on replaced by animal skin which proved to
be stronger and longer-lasting. With the papyrus pages bound together and covered by
animal skin, the ancient Roman Empire was able to produce the first books or codex.

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. However, Roman architecture was still regarded
as pioneering since the Romans were able to adapt new building and engineering
technology on architectural designs established in the past. In this manner, they were
able to preserve great and elaborate architectural designs because they could produce
sturdier and stronger infrastructure. The Romans were also able to creatively redesign
old architectural patterns to adapt to the new trends at that time. This development in
the field of engineering and architecture was fully supported and funded by the Roman
government so they were able to implement major projects such as large churches
(cathedrals and basilicas), aqueducts, coliseums, amphitheaters, and even residential
houses. The quality of these majestic roman structures can be seen by the way they
withstood time and the harsh elements of the environment. Today, people of the world
still enjoy these marvels. These structures are proofs of ancient Roman technology.

Roman Numerals

Although other number systems had already been established before the Roman
numeral, these old systems could not keep up with high calculation requirements due to
the increasing rate of communication and trade among nations. Since the Roman
Empire was expanding, it had to deal with many nations to maintain its power. For this
reason the Romans devised their own number system specifically to address the need
for a standard counting method that would meet their increasing communication and
trade concerns. Although the Roman numeral is no longer widely used today due to its
inherent limitations, quite a number of enthusiasts would still use it over other more
popular number systems, like the Hindu-Arabic system, due to its aesthetic and
historical value.
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.
It was famous among other ancient civilizations because of it silk trade. Not a great
amount was written about ancient China partly due to its distance from the other
civilizations, one cannot discredit the significant contribution of Chinese civilization to
the world.

Silk

One of the things that connected Far East China to the world is silk. Although
silk is naturally produced by silk worms, the Chinese were the ones who developed the
technology to harvest the silk and process it to produce paper and clothing. Silk
production resulted in the creation of a product for trade. The silk trade opened China
to the outside world, making way for the cultural, economic, and scientific exchanges. It
bridged the gap between the western world and the middle kingdom.

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 inventor created
machine that was able to shred tea leaves into strips. This machine was done using a
wheel-based mechanism with sharp edges attached to a wooden or ceramic pot.
Because of this invention, the Chinese were able to increase their production of tea and
trade with other nations. China thus became known for its tea exports aside from its silk
products. Chinese may have resulted in making tea as one of the most popular
beverages in the world today.

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 be 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 is showcased the extent of Chinese engineering technology at that time. The
structure was so massive and strong that it was said to have literally divided China from
the rest of the world. The wall’s construction put the nation among the powerful
civilizations during the ancient times. It was the pride of their land and their crowning
glory. Today, with some sections already in ruins, the Great Wall still continues to be a
world attraction due to its historical significance and architectural grandeur.

Gunpowder

The gundpowder is one of the most interesting inventions in China. Originally, it

was developed by Chinese alchemists who aimed to achieve immortality. They mixed
charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate, but instead of creating an elixir of life, they
accidentally invented a black powder that could actually generate large amounts of heat
and gas in an instant. Ironically, instead of prolonging life, gunpowder is widely used to
propel bullets from guns and cannons which cause countess deaths. In fact,
gunpowder propelled weapons are preferred by raiders who plan to attack at a distance.
The same weapons are also used to dissipate any attempts of invasion. On the other
hand, gunpowder is also used in fireworks during important celebrations in China.

MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES

The start of the middle ages was marred by massive invasions and migrations.
Wars were prevalent during that 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 in population. Trade and commerce among nations increased, which
resulted in greater demands for transportation technology. Some of the most innovative
minds came from this period.

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 that cast metal into a 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. The printing press was invented to address the
need for publishing books that would spread information to many people at a faster rate.
This invention also made works accessible to individuals who could not even write.

Microscope

Another invention in the Middle Ages is the microscope. Growing populations

caused massive migration and urbanization during the period. More and more people
transferred to polluted and populated urban areas which resulted in more people getting
sick and needing medical attention. To develop the proper medicines for illnesses,
experts must understand the sickness through an investigation. Thus, they needed a
device that could magnify things invisible to the eye. Guided by the principles used for
the invention of eyeglasses in earlier years, Zaccharias Janssen was able to develop
the first compound microscope. With this device, people were able to observe
organisms that were normally unseen by the naked eye. The microscope in discovering
new means in preventing and curing various illnesses.

Telescope

Since the Middle Ages was also known as the Age of Exploration, the need for
nautical inventions was high. Considering the vast and empty oceans that separated
lands, ship captains needed to see far and wide for them to navigate or to avoid
dangers at sea. The invention of the telescope, an optical instrument that helps in the
observations of remote objects, was a great help for navigators during this time.
Together with the telescope, this invention of the compass, oars, and rudders made sea
travelling easier and faster.

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 a defensive instruments. For open-area battles, people
developed cross bows and long bows so that they could attack the enemies at long
ranges, keeping themselves, a need addressed by the creation of iron. Body armors.
However, body armors were heavy and limited their movements. The problem was
eventually solved by the invention of the chain mail.

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. Faster and easier means to communicate
and compute should be developed to establish connections between and among
nations. All these needs resulted in the development of industries. However, due to
massive industrialization, the modern times again faced more complicated problems.
Food processing and medicine posed some of the bigger challenges since health was
of great concern.

Pasteurization

As people were able to develop better means of production to meet the needs of
population, food preservation and food safety became an issue. The challenge to keep
manufactured food from deteriorating was greater for dairy products, especially milk,
since they usually spoiled faster. These goods needed to be consumed almost
immediately after production or they would cause illness like diphtheria, food poisoning,
and typhoid fever. Since transporting these products would also take time, it would be
impossible to take them.

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 longer period. It also prevented illnesses caused by
harmful bacteria. Other contributions of Pasteurization to science, technology, and
medicine included his works on molecular asymmetry, fermentation, and vaccination.

Telephone

The more people got connected by trade and exploration, the more they needed
a way to easily maintain these connections and communicate with each other I real
time. Governments likewise needed some kind of communication system which would
allow them to administer their states well. 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 computer.

PHILIPPINNE INVENTIONS

Despite being considered a developing country, 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 vulnerable countries in terms of natural disasters. Many of the discoveries
and inventions made by the Filipinos were therefore built from the indigenous materials
or created to adapt to the harsh tropical environment.

SALAMANDER AMPHIBOUS TRICYCLE

It has become ordinary for Filipinos to convert transport vehicles into something
more useful. An example is the conversion of American military jeeps used in World
War ll into jeepneys. Another Filipino innovation is the addition of a sidecar to a
motorcycle, transforming it into a tricycle to accommodate more passengers.

During the rainy season, flooding is a common occurrence in many areas of the
country. Tricycles find it difficult to traverse the streets. To remedy the issue, Victor
Llave and his team at H2O Technologies were able to invent the Salamander, an
amphibious tricycle that can cross not only flooded streets but also rivers and lakes. It
may be utilized to travel from island to island. Since the Philippines is an archipelago,
the Salamander is a useful invention but that has a lot of potential.