Mesopotamia and Sumerian Civilization

Historical Antecedents

• Science comes from the Latin word "scientia", meaning "knowledge".
• Science is defined as a systematized body of knowledge that urges people to find answers to questions.
• Early civilizations contributed to science and technology as humans sought ways to survive.
• Scientific innovations and discoveries from these civilizations are considered early models of present valuable technologies.

Mesopotamia

• The first recorded civilizations existed in Mesopotamia around 3300-750 BC.
• The word Mesopotamia is Greek for "between two rivers".
• Mesopotamia signifies its location within the Tigris-Euphrates river system.
• The region corresponds to modern-day Iraq, parts of Iran, Syria, Kuwait, and Turkey.
• Mesopotamia is also known as the Fertile Crescent and the cradle of civilization.

Sumerian Civilization

• Sumer, now modern-day Iraq, is the earliest known civilization in Mesopotamia.
• The Sumerians called themselves "the black-headed people".
• The Sumerians were known for building walled city-states.
• Many of their inventions are still widely used today.

Babylonian Civilization

• Babylon served as the center of Mesopotamian civilization for nearly two millennia.
• The name Babylon is derived from "bav-il" or "bav-ilim," meaning "Gates of the Gods".
• Biblical references reveal much about Babylon from the time of Hammurabi in 2000 BS to its downfall around 500 BC.
• Babylon is first mentioned in Genesis 10 in an account that traces the genealogy of Noah's three sons.
• Noah’s son Ham became the father of the Cush, who became the father of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-10), who became a great warrior that included the city of Babylon.

Tower of Babel

• Genesis 11 tells the story of the Tower of Babel.
• The Tower Of Babel states that Babylonians wanted to build the tower “with its tops in the heavens” to make a name for themselves.
• God disrupted the work by confusing the language of the workers.
• The city was never completed, and the people were dispersed over the earth.

Hanging Garden of Babylon

• The Hanging Garden was a structure made of layers of gardens with various plants, trees, and vines.
• King Nebuchadnezzar II gave the Hanging Garden as a gift to his homesick wife, Queen Amytis.
• There is no physical evidence to prove the existence of the Hanging Garden of Babylon.

Egyptian Civilization

• Ancient Egypt was a civilization in Northeast Africa along the Nile River.
• Many stories tell of the engineering feats established by pharaohs.
• Engineering technology along with other practical inventions are considered essential to the civilization.

Paper or Papyrus

• One of the earlier contributions of Egyptian civilization was paper or papyrus.
• Though not the first to develop writing, the Egyptians made writing easier for the world.
• Papyrus was a plant growing abundantly along the Nile River.
• Egyptians processed the plan in order to produce thin sheets on which to write.
• This invention was a major accomplishment in Egyptian record-keeping and communications.

Hieroglyphics

• Like the Sumerians, Egyptians developed a system of writing using symbols, known as hieroglyphics.
• Egyptians believed this writing system was provided to them by their Gods.
• Hieroglyphics were used to tell the history and culture of the ancient Egyptians.
• Egyptian records were well-preserved since they were carved on the walls of pyramids and other important structures.

Cosmetics and Wig

• Egyptians invented the use of cosmetics.
• Egyptians wore Kohl around the eyes to prevent and cure eye diseases.
• Egyptians believed makeup protected a person from evil and was a sign of holiness.
• The wig was another Egyptian invention worn for health and wellness purposes in ancient times.

Greek Civilization

• Greece is an archipelago in the southern part of Europe.
• Greece is known as the birthplace of western philosophy.
• Major achievements include in-depth works in philosophy and mathematics.
• Greek civilization contributed much to the world, especially in science and technology.

Alarm Clock

• One of the most utilized gadgets today was invented by the ancient Greeks: the alarm clock.
• The ancient Greek’s alarm clocks used large complicated mechanisms to time the alarm.
• Greeks used water or small stones and sand that dropped into drums to sound the alarm.

Water Mill

• Watermills were important contributions of the Greek civilizations.
• They were commonly used in agricultural processes like milling grains.
• Milling grains was a necessary form of food processing during that time.

Roman Civilization

• The Roman Empire was perceived as the strongest political and social entity in the west.
• It is considered the cradle of politics and governance.
• Discoveries and inventions still relevant today can be attributed to it.

Newspaper

• One of the major contributions made by the Romans, is the newspaper.
• Roman newspapers were known as gazettes.
• Gazettes primarily contained announcements to the people of the Roman Empire.

Roman Architecture

• Roman architecture is one of the most visual contributions of the ancient Roman Empire.
• It is the continuation of Greek architecture.
• Roman architecture was still regarded as pioneering, as Romans adapted new building and engineering technology.

Chinese Civilization

• Chinese civilization is considered the oldest civilization in Asia.
• The civilization was famous, among other ancient civilizations, because of the silk trade.

Silk

• Although silk is naturally produced by silkworms, the Chinese developed the technology to harvest it.
• They process the silk to produce paper and clothing.

Great Wall of China

• The Great Wall of China has been considered the only man-made structure that could be seen from outer space.
• The Great Wall of China is the largest and most extensive infrastructure that the nation built.

Gunpowder

• Gunpowder is among the most interesting inventions.
• It was originally developed by Chinese alchemists who aimed to achieve immortality.
• By mixing charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate, they ended up inventing black powder that could generate heat and gas in an instant.

Middle Ages

• The Middle Ages were marred by massive invasions and immigrations.
• Wars were prevalent, and tech was needed in weaponry, navigation., mass food & farm production, and health.
• Trade and commerce increased, which resulted in greater demands for transportation technology.

Printing Press

• After the Chinese developed woodblock printing, Johann Gutenburg invented the printing press.
• The printing press was a more reliable way of printing using a case type.
• Gutenburg utilized wooden machines that extracted juices from fruits.
• Attached to these machines was a metal impression of letters.
• The letters were pressed firmly onto a piece of paper, which made an exact impression on paper.

Microscope

• The microscope was another invention in the Middle Ages.
• Zacharias Janssen developed the first compound microscope.
• This device allowed people to observe organisms that were normally unseen by the naked eye.
• The microscope was a key in discovering new means of preventing and curing various illnesses.

Telescope

• The Middle Ages were the Age of Exploration.
• A high need for nautical inventions occurred.
• The telescope, an optical instrument that helps in the observation of remote objects, was a great help for navigators.

Modern Times

• The booming world population in the 19th century onward demanded more goods to be produced at a faster rate.
• People needed efficient means of transportation, along with machines.
• All of these needs resulted in the development of industries.

Pasteurization

• Louis Pasteur, a French biologist, microbiologist, and chemist, found a way to solve the problem of deteriorating dairy products, especially milk.
• Pasteur invented pasteurization, the process of heating dairy products to kill the harmful bacteria that allow them to spoil faster.

Telephone

• As more people connected by trade and exploration, the need to easily maintain communication in real-time increased.
• Alexander Graham Bell developed the telephone.
• Alexander Graham Bell's development was one of the most important inventions at that time.

Calculator

• Although earlier versions existed, modern times required a faster calculator to compute more complicated equations.
• Modern calculators paved the way for easier arithmetic calculations and resulted in the development of more complex machines.

Philippine Inventions

• Despite being considered a developing country, the Philippines contributes to the global advancement of science and technology.
• Many discoveries and inventions made by Filipinos were built from indigenous materials.
• Many discoveries and inventions made by Filipinos were created to adapt to the harsh tropical environment.

Salamander Amphibious Tricycle

• During the rainy season, flooding is a common occurrence in the Philippines.
• Tricycles found it very difficult to traverse streets when flooded.
• Victor Llave and his team H2O Technologies invented a tricycle that can cross flood streets.
• His tricycle could also cross rivers and lakes.

SALt Lamp

• One of the major needs in the Philippines is electrification.
• Activities would cease and travel would become dangerous in many rural areas when it gets dark.
• Filipino inventor Aisa Mijeno invented the Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt) lamp.
• It is an environment-friendly light source that runs on saltwater.

Mosquito Ovicidal/Larvicidal Trap System

• Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral illness that is endemic in the Philippines, along with other tropical and subtropical areas.
• In 2010, the Department of Science and Technology-Industrial Development Institute (DIST-ITDI) introduced OL Trap.
• The OL trap is made of natural ingredients lethal to mosquitoes but safe for humans and the environment.