Chapters 29+30 Flashcards
(10 cards)
Define the term innovation
Innovation: New ideas or products that bring about change.
Tell me about the agricultural innovation
• The Neolithic Revolution marked the transition from hunting and gathering to farming,
enabling permanent settlements.
• Farming in Ancient and Medieval Times: Technological improvements were slow but crucial to supporting growing populations.
• The Agricultural Revolution (18th & 19th centuries): Innovations like crop rotation helped to meet the demands of a growing population.
Tell me about the manufacturing and industry innovation
• The Agricultural Revolution led to a population boom, increasing the demand for manufactured goods.
• Cottage Industry: Before industrialisation, goods were produced by hand in homes, but as demand grew, machines were invented to increase production.
• Steam Engine: Played a key role in the Industrial Revolution by powering machinery and increasing production.
Tell me about commutation technology
• Printing Press (1440s): Johann Gutenberg’s invention made books cheaper, spreading literacy and ideas more widely.
• Telecommunications (19th century): The invention of the telegraph and telephone made long-distance communication possible.
• Television and Internet: Revolutionised entertainment and information, bringing global events into homes and facilitating the spread of ideas.
• Satellite Technology and GPS: Enabled mobile phones and revolutionised navigation and communication systems.
Define the term commutation technology
• Communication technology has evolved from early writing systems to modern technologies such as the internet, drastically improving the transmission of information.
Define the term military technology
Military technology has evolved with human conflict, from ancient weapons like swords and shields to modern technologies such as atomic bombs.
Tell me about military technology
• Ancient weapons were typically melee-based (swords, spears), with armour and shields for protection.
• Gunpowder: Revolutionised warfare, making older defensive tactics like walls obsolete.
• World Wars: Led to innovations such as submarines, tanks, and radar, which had far-reaching consequences beyond military use.
• Atomic Bomb: The development of nuclear technology during WWII changed global power dynamics and international relations.
Tell me about ancient and medieval medicine
• Early Medical Beliefs: Illness was often seen as punishment from the gods. In Ancient Greece, temples dedicated to Asclepius (god of healing) offered medical advice.
• Health Care in Ancient Times: Limited to the wealthy who could afford physicians; the poor relied on healers or temple priests. Health care was rudimentary, with treatments like bleeding, cupping, leeching, and amputation.
• Medicine in the Middle Ages: Diseases like smallpox, leprosy, and typhoid were common. Treatments still relied on the theory of the Four Humours, and women’s health, especially childbirth, was poorly understood, with high maternal mortality rates.
Tell me about medicine and healthcare in the 20th century
• Medical Advances: The 20th century saw significant breakthroughs, including the discovery of penicillin (1920s) by Alexander Fleming, which became the first widely used antibiotic, saving millions of lives.
• Pharmaceutical Developments: Key medications like insulin for diabetes (1920s) and modern painkillers (e.g., aspirin) revolutionized treatment and quality of life.
• Surgical Advances: The development of X-rays and later MIRI technology allowed for accurate internal diagnosis, while blood transfusions and heart surgeries (e.g., coronary bypass and heart transplants) became possible.
• Reproductive Medicine: The contraceptive pill, invented in the 1960s, empowered women to control fertility. IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) developed by Patrick Steptoe in 1978 allowed infertile couples to have children.
• Public Health in the 20th Century: The Welfare State model, adopted in many countries after WWII, expanded access to healthcare. Governments funded universal health services, making medical care more affordable.
• Women’s Health: The 20th century also saw major improvements in women’s healthcare, including better childbirth practices, pain management (e.g., epidurals), and the reduction in maternal mortality rates.
Tell me about anatomy,genes and vaccines
Renaissance Advances: With the decline of the Catholic Church’s power, dissection of human bodies became more accepted. Key figures like Andreas Vesalius disproved many of Galen’s theories, improving knowledge of human anatomy.
• William Harvey: Discovered the circulation of blood, proving that the heart pumps blood throughout the body.
Invention of the Microscope: Antonie van Leeuwenhoek’s microscope allowed scientists to discover germs, laying the foundation for germ theory (the idea that diseases are caused by microorganisms).
• Louis Pasteur & Robert Koch: Pasteur proved that germs cause spoilage in liquids (milk, wine), and Koch demonstrated that specific bacteria cause diseases like anthrax and tuberculosis.
• Vaccines: The first vaccine was developed by Edward Jenner in the 1790s using cowpox to prevent smallpox, a method that laid the foundation for future vaccination practices. Pasteur later developed the rabies vaccine.
