Technology has shaped the modern world. It has even shaped the societies we live in to a large extent with means of mass transport and information systems. There is probably no area of technology that does not have good and bad effects.
For instance:
• Cars and motor vehicles.
In their favor, cars and other internal combustion engine vehicles have allowed mass movements of people over distances that four centuries ago would have been almost unimaginable. The advantage to this is that increased mobility has maximized our ability to seek jobs and better recreational activities. The disadvantage is pollution and urbanization of wilderness areas, even by the laying of roads.
Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels in cars are blamed for a high proportion of greenhouse gases and steps are underway to convert cars to cleaner fuels.
• Information technology.
Advances in this field have given us the internet and mass storage devices. It is worth remembering that prior to the introduction of mass storage, microfiches, films and books were the predominant forms of storing large amounts of data. However the average novel is roughly just over one megabyte in size, allowing thousands, if not hundreds of thousands to be stored on a single hard disk.
Conversely, the use of memory in humans is changing thanks to the Internet; people don't need to remember things as they can access them on the net. There is also a danger of having too much information available, bewildering some people.
• Pollution and disposal.
Despite the ease technologies have introduced to our lives, the problems of refuse and long-lasting environmental damage caused by the disposal of cars and personal computers remains problematic. Poisonous metals are present in both, and their impact on the environment has often been devastating.
For instance:
• Cars and motor vehicles.
In their favor, cars and other internal combustion engine vehicles have allowed mass movements of people over distances that four centuries ago would have been almost unimaginable. The advantage to this is that increased mobility has maximized our ability to seek jobs and better recreational activities. The disadvantage is pollution and urbanization of wilderness areas, even by the laying of roads.
Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels in cars are blamed for a high proportion of greenhouse gases and steps are underway to convert cars to cleaner fuels.
• Information technology.
Advances in this field have given us the internet and mass storage devices. It is worth remembering that prior to the introduction of mass storage, microfiches, films and books were the predominant forms of storing large amounts of data. However the average novel is roughly just over one megabyte in size, allowing thousands, if not hundreds of thousands to be stored on a single hard disk.
Conversely, the use of memory in humans is changing thanks to the Internet; people don't need to remember things as they can access them on the net. There is also a danger of having too much information available, bewildering some people.
• Pollution and disposal.
Despite the ease technologies have introduced to our lives, the problems of refuse and long-lasting environmental damage caused by the disposal of cars and personal computers remains problematic. Poisonous metals are present in both, and their impact on the environment has often been devastating.
