Natural Science and Sumerian Civilization Quiz

Science, Technology, & Society

• This course examines the interplay between science, technology, and society.
• It explores how scientific and technological advancements impact societal structures, cultures, and values.
• The course also delves into the historical context of these developments.

Science and It's Branches

• Science is a system of knowledge about the natural world, gained through the scientific method.
• It involves the study of the natural world.
• Science employs scientific methods.
• Divisions of Science include:
  • Natural Sciences (deals with natural objects and phenomena, grouped into physical and biological sciences)
  • Biological Sciences (concerned with living things, their structures, processes, and influencing factors)
  • Natural Science Branches: -Botany, Zoology, Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology, Cytology, Ecology, Bacteriology, Parasitology, Mycology, Phycology,
  • Physical Sciences (focuses on the predictable behavior of the world around us)
  • Physical Science Branches:
    • Astronomy, Mathematics, Geology, Mineralogy, Oceanography, Physics, Meteorology, Climatology, Earth Science
  • Social Sciences (explore human society—past, present, and behavior)
  • Branches of Social Sciences:
    • Economics, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, History

Technology

• Technology represents the practical applications of knowledge about nature.
• It's often categorized as art or craft or a subject area.

Society

• Society is a community, nation, or broad group of people with shared traditions, institutions, and collective activities.

Ancient Times

• Ancient civilizations focused on transportation, navigation, communication, record-keeping, mass production, security, health, aesthetics, and architecture.
• Reasons for transportation advancement include:
  • Searching for food and better locations.
  • Discovering new places.
  • Trading surplus goods.
  • Facilitating communication.
  • Preventing possible conflicts.
  • Discovering and occupying new places.
• Record-keeping provided documentation of trades.
• Mass production developed to meet the needs of expanding populations.

Mass Production

• Growing populations necessitated increased food production.
• Mass production of resources was crucial.
• Technology solved the problem of increased need for resources.

Weapons and Armor

• Weapons and armor became necessary due to conflict between groups.
• Establishments of alliances with other tribes were also needed.
• Protection, security, and avoidance of conflict were key motivations.

Health

• Science and technology played prominent roles in the discovery of cures for and prevention of illnesses.
• Engineering feats allowed the design and construction of structures to meet specific needs and wants.
• Elaborate architectural designs reflected technological advancement of civilizations.
• Beauty and aesthetics were also important motivators for development.

Sumerian Civilization

• Sumeria, located in ancient Mesopotamia, was known for its cooperation.
• Sumerians were not content with basic necessities
• Inventiveness and development of technology were paramount.
• Sumerians developed cuneiform writing utilizing word pictures and triangular symbols carved on clay.
• They were able to keep records of daily life with great historical value.
• The city of Uruk was a remarkable engineering feat built entirely using mud and sun-baked bricks.

Irrigation and Dikes

• Increasing populations led to a challenge in food production due to resource scarcity.
• Sumerians countered this using irrigation canals and dikes to bring water to farmlands and control flooding.

Sailboats

• In the absence of the wheel for transportation, water routes were used.
• Larger quantities of products could be carried and covered larger distances through the use of water-borne sailboats.

The Wheel

• The initial purpose of the wheel was not transportation, but rather for use in farm work and food processes.
• Wheel and axle inventions led to greater ease of mass production.

Plow

• Developed to enhance and speed-up farming processes.
• A faster rate of land preparation made the planting process faster.

Roads

• Advancements in road construction brought about easier and more organized flow of traffic.

Babylonian Civilization

• Babylonian civilization arose near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
• Babylonians were notable builders, engineers, and architects.
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a layered structure comprised of different species of plants, trees, and vines.

Egyptian Civilization

• Egyptian civilization, situated in North Africa, known for impressive engineering feats reflected in their infrastructures.
• Papyrus, derived from the Nile River plant, was a significant contribution to ease of writing.
• Ink, made from a combination of soot and chemicals, enabled the recording of history, cultures, and coded laws.
• Hieroglyphics, a system of symbols, were developed to serve as writing system.

Cosmetics

• Egyptian cosmetics were used for health and aesthetic purposes.
• Kohl, a substance applied around the eyes, was used in the prevention and treatment of eye illnesses.
• Wigs served a health and wellness function to protect the head.

Water Clock/Clepsydra

• This device relied on the principles of gravity to measure time.
• The amount of water remaining in the vessel determined the duration passed.

Greek Civilization

• Greece, an archipelago in southeastern Europe, was the birthplace of western philosophy.
• Major achievements included in-depth studies of philosophy and mathematics.
• Alarm clocks, water vessels and water systems were developed to signify the start of lectures.
• Important innovations included watermills, a better alternative that required less effort.

Roman Civilization

• The Roman Empire was a powerful political and social entity.
• They pioneered politics and governance and served as examples for other civilizations in legislation and codified laws.
• First newspapers (gazettes) were developed and contained announcements to the public of important news.
• Bound books (codex) were created in order to ease storage of papyrus documents..
• Roman architecture builds upon the traditions of the Greeks making similar architectural elements.

Chinese Civilization

• China is the oldest civilization in Asia.
• Silk production was responsible for connecting China and the rest of the world.
• Tea production employed machines to shred tea leaves into strips.
• The Great Wall of China was a large extensive infrastructure built to keep out foreign invaders.
• Gunpowder, utilized for weaponry, originally developed by alchemists to attain immortality and not as a weapon.

Medieval/Middle Ages

• Massive invasions and migrations ushered in the Medieval period.
• Wars were prevalent, resulting in advancements in weaponry, including crossbows, longbows and iron body armors.

Printing Press

• Johann Gutenberg invented a more reliable and improved method of printing, utilizing a cast type.
• The method used wooden machines to extract juice from fruits, attach them to a metal impression, and press firmly the cast metal into a piece of paper.

Microscope

• Zacharias Janssen developed the first compound microscope, building on the concept of eyeglasses.
• The tool allowed for unprecedented observation of organisms and details invisible to the naked eye.

Telescope

• The invention of the telescope supported the navigation efforts across great distances and seas.
• The combined use of a telescope and navigational tools (compass) allowed for greater ease of navigation..

War Weapons

• Widespread wars during the Middle Ages prompted significant advancements in weaponry technology.
• Development in crossbows, longbows, and iron body armors resulted from close-range and open-area combat needs.

Modern Times

• The increase in the world population and the demand for increased production necessitated more efficient use of resources.

Pasteurization

• Developed as a solution to the problem of food preservation and safety and spoilage of readily perishable items.
• Dairy products, especially milk, required special handling to prevent rapid spoilage.

Petroleum Refinery

• Samuel M. Kier developed kerosene by refining petroleum for illuminating homes.
• In the modern times, the usage of kerosene further extended into the realm of heating purposes.

Telephone

• The need to maintain real-time communication in a vastly expanding interconnected world spurred the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell.

Calculator

• The need for more complicated calculations in modern times led to the invention of the calculator and paved the way for complex processing machines like the computer.

Philippine Inventions

• Despite the lack of readily available resources, the Filipinos demonstrated remarkable ingenuity to cope with the natural disasters and environment of the Philippines.
  • Salamander Amphibious Tricycle
  • SALT Lamp
  • Medical Incubator

Mosquito Ovicidal/Larvicidal Trap System

• The DOST-ITDI, in 2010, developed a mosquito control system using natural ingredients which are harmless to humans and the environment.

eJeepney

• The jeepney, a prominent mode of transportation in the Philippines, was initially powered by diesel resulting in a major contributor to noise and air pollution.
• An electric jeepney (eJeepney) was developed to address these issues.

Intellectual Revolution

• This period marked a significant shift in society's thoughts and beliefs through advances in science and technology.

Copernican Revolution

• Early humans questioned how the heavenly bodies shaped the Earth's daily and night cycle.
• The invention of the telescope allowed humans to comprehend space and the intricate patterns in the celestial bodies.
• Greek philosophers theorized about planet movements resulting in an understanding of a geocentric Earth model.
• Claudius Ptolemy, a famous philosopher and astronomer, posited that planets, the Sun and Moon revolved around Earth (geocentrism).
• Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer and mathematician, challenged the prevailing geocentric model.
• He introduced the heliocentric model, in which the Sun is at the center of the solar system and planets revolve around the Sun.
• This idea, initially rejected, was eventually universally adopted.

Darwinian Revolution

• Charles Darwin, an English naturalist published his book, "On the Origin of Species" and introduced the theory of evolution and natural selection.
• Darwin's theory of evolution explained how populations gradually adapt to their environment becoming fit to survive.

Freudian Revolution

• Psychology, once categorized under philosophy, became more defined as a science.
• Sigmund Freud's theory of psychoanalysis revolutionized individuals perception of psychology.
• Freud's theory of psychoanalysis explained human behavior as being affected by numerous conscious and unconscious factors.
• Personality was argued to be developed from the interactions of the id,ego and super ego (conflicting elements).

Science, Technology & Nation-Building

• Development in science and technology has a crucial role to play.
• The pre-colonial period witnessed the development and use of plants and herbs for medicinal purposes.
• Systems of farming and animal-raising were also established.
• Transportation modes from terrestrial to maritime were developed.
• The colonial era witnessed advances in construction methods through the introduction of walls, roads and bridges by the Spaniards.
• The American occupation further modernized various aspects of Philippine life.
• The Bureau of Science was established and supported further governmental development in science and technology.
• The post-colonial period saw continued advancements in science and technology with the various agencies supporting the cause.
• Ferdinand Marcos, a Philippine dictator, played a pivotal role in bolstering science and technology agencies and their importance..

Test your knowledge on natural science and the contributions of the Sumerian civilization. This quiz covers a range of topics including branches of science, technology, and architectural achievements of the Sumerians. See how well you understand these foundational concepts in biology, physical science, and ancient history.