History of Science and Technology

By Dr. Jenina V.Tolentino

 Beginnings of Astronomy

The Babylonians observed the change of seasons closely. They also observed the
movements across the sky of the sun, the moon, the stars and the planets. These
observations led to a method of measuring time. The names used today for many
constellations for example, Aries, Gemini stem from the names given them by early
astronomers.
The Babylonians and other early peoples believe that the heavenly bodies had a direct
effect upon a person’s life. The belief that the position of the heavenly bodies affect a
person’s life is called astrology.
Although some of the later Babylonian astronomers realized that the was probably a
globe, earlier they have pictured the universe as a closed box. The Egyptians similar ideas
about the structure of the universe and each people thought that its own river ran down
the center of the earth.
Early beginnings of
Astronomy
 The belief that the position of the heavenly
bodies affect a person’s life is called astrology
 Science in Greek Civilization

There were many men among the Greek

philosophers and scientists who worked in ways very
much like those of modern scientists. The Greeks;
however, had as their goal the understanding of nature
and not the changing of nature. The idea that nature
could be changed did not enter their minds.
The greatest of the Greek
physicians was
Hippocrates of Cos, known
as the “father of medicine
Systematic presentation
of geometry wit
h a clarity of style and
reasoning.
 Copernicus says Earth orbits the sun. Galileo
knew that Aristarchus was the first heliocentrist.
Sadly, the book of Aristarchus wrote describing
his heliocentric has been lost. Hipparchus was
the greatest astronomer of antiquity. He observed
a new star in the constellation Scorpio. He also
developed trigonometry.
Hipparchus was the
greatest astronomer of
antiquity
 Science in Rome

With the passage of time, power in

the Mediterranean world passed into
the hands of the Romans.
 Science during the Renaissance

The Renaissance which means “rebirth” began in about 1400 in Italy and
spread rapidly over most of Europe. About this time, the Italians discovered
their ancient cultural and intellectual heritage in the ruins of Rome.
Science during the Renaissance
Sir Isaac Newton proposed
the three laws of motion
 Science during the Industrial
Revolution

Power technology was the first to be

influenced by the application of
advanced science. The English
Newcomer steam- vacuum engine
(1711) came from the 17th century
pneumatics
 Science during the Intellectual Revolution

The encyclopediste Jean d’ Alembert edited the huge

encyclopedia, in which the democracy of knowledge was
displayed by the alphabetical ordering of articles. Antoine
Lavoisier explained the conservation of mass.
 Science in the Romantic Era

Danish Physicist Hans Christian

Oersted discovered the electromagnetism
for motors and generators