Science and Tech: Historical Antecedents

Historical Antecedents in Science and Technology

• Antecedents are precursors to the unfolding or existence of something
• Antecedents of science and technology paved the way for advanced scientific and technological innovations

Ancient Times

• People were concerned with transportation, communication, recordkeeping, mass production, security, health, and architecture.

Sumerian Civilization

• Sumer was an ancient civilization in Mesopotamia
• Sumer was known for their innovations in language, governance, and architecture

Cuneiform

• Cuneiform is a system that uses word pictures and triangular symbols carved on clay with wedge instruments
• Cuneiform allowed Sumerians to keep records of historically significant and everyday things
• Cuneiform was a way of passing down traditions, cultures, and legacies

Uruk City

• The Sumerians built Uruk using mud or clay from the river, mixed with reeds, to produce sunbaked bricks
• There were no building stones and lumber was limited, making construction a challenge

The Great Ziggurat of Ur

• The Ziggurat, also called the mountain of God, was constructed like the City of Uruk, using sunbaked bricks due to limited building materials
• The Ziggurat served as the sacred place of their chief god, accessible only to priests

Irrigation and Dikes

• Sumerians created dikes and irrigation canals to bring water to farmlands
• They also controlled flooding of the rivers at the same time
• This was one of the world's most beneficial engineering works

Sail Boats

• Sumerians desired to discover faraway lands to settle due to a growing population
• Sailboats were essential for transportation and trading, as well as fostering culture, information, and technology

Wheel

• The Sumerians invented the wheel, using specialized tools
• The first wheels were for farm work and food processing, not transportation
• With the use of the wheel and axle, mass production was made easier, helping farmers mill grains with less effort

The Plow

• The plow was invented to dig the earth faster
• As the plow broke the ground, farmers would drop the seeds

Roads

• Sumerians developed the first roads to facilitate faster and easier travel
• The roads were made with the same technology used in making sunbaked bricks

Babylonian Civilization

• Babylonian civilization emerged near the Tigris and Euphrates river
• The Babylonians were great builders, engineers, and architects

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

• It was a structure made up of layers upon layers of gardens that contained several species of plants, trees, and vines
• No physical evidence has been found to prove the existence of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Its exact location is unknown

Egyptian Civilization

• Another early civilization famous for its legacy is the Egyptian civilization located in North Africa
• Stories tell about the engineering feats of the Egyptians regarding infrastructures established by the Pharaohs

Paper or Papyrus

• The Egyptians developed a system of writing
• They made writing easier for the world
• Paper or papyrus was a welcome development because they were using tables made from clay - The clay was fragile, heavy, and delicate to handle

Ink

• When the Egyptians invented the papyrus or the paper, engraving ceased to be used in writing
• The Egyptians invented ink by combining soot with different chemicals to produce inks of different colors

Hieroglyphics

• Egyptians developed a system of writing using symbols, known as hieroglyphics
• Egyptians believed that it was provided to them by their gods

Hieroglyphic

• Their way of writing is also the root cause why scientists are confused about their history.
• Hieroglyphics are not just ordinary writing of text, but also consisting of many different symbols and illustrations
• Hieroglyphics were well preserved since they were carved at the walls of pyramids and other important Egyptian structures

Cosmetics and Wig

• In modern times, cosmetics are used to improve and highlight facial features
• In ancient Egypt their function of them was for both health and aesthetic

Cosmetics and Wig

• Egyptians wore kohl around the eyes to prevent and even cure eye diseases
• Kohl was created by mixing soon or malachite with mineral galena

Cosmetics and Wig

• During the ancient Egyptian times, wigs were used for health and wellness rather than for aesthetic purposes
• They used it to cover their head from the harmful rays of the sun

Water Clock/Clepsydra

• This device utilizes gravity that affects the flow of water from vessel to another
• This invention also leads to our modern-day clock through series of improvement done by the succeeding civilization

Greek Civilization

• Greece is an archipelago in the southeastern part of Europe
• Europe is known as the birth place of western philosophy
• They include in-depth works on philosophy and mathematics
• Greek civilization has contributed much to the world especially in the fields of science and technology

Greek Civilization

• The first proponents of an atomic theory were Leucippus and Democritus
• Pythagoras was perhaps the first to realize that a complete system of mathematics could be constructed and later called Pythagorean Theorem

Alarm Clock

• The alarm clock was invented by the ancient Greeks
• Although the alarm clock during that time does not resembles the present-day clocks, the purpose was just the same- to tell an individual when to stop or when to start
• It resembles that of the Egyptians but this is more complex but more accurate

Water Mill

• Watermills were commonly used in agricultural processes like milling of grains which is necessary form of food processing during that time
• Mass production of rice became common with the help of watermills.
• Modern-day watermills also help for converting mechanical energy into electricity which also leads to invention of windmill and turbine

Roman Civilization

• The Roman Empire was perceived to be the strongest political and social entity in the west -This because of its huge population and territory -It was considered to be the cradle of politics and governance during the period

Roman Civilization

• Because the Roman Empire was so large, other civilizations looked up to it as their model in terms of legislation and codified law
• The Roman Empire was conquered because of its existing laws which make it more complex and more stable compared to the other civilizations

Newspaper

• The Roman Acta Diurna was The first known newspaper -It was published on orders from Julius Caesar -Newspapers became very famous and helped people know important events that has happened

Bound Books/ Codex

• Julius Caesar commissioned the very first bound book -It was a collection of papyrus.
• This provided a safer and more manageable way to keep the information secure.
• The codex could hold many volumes, had a built-in cover for protection, and the pages could be numbered for reference

Roman Numerals

• Roman numerals originated in ancient Rome -They survived for some uses after the end of the Roman Empire
• The numbers in the system are represented by combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet -Arabic numerals became more useful for arithmetic and counting

Plumbing and Sanitary Management

• Romans were very knowledgeable when it came to civil engineering
• Their engineering excellence is highlighted by their sewage and sanitary plumbing systems.
• The drainage pipes were connected and were flushed regularly with the water running off from streams

Surgical Tools

• Romans developed precision medical instruments that influenced many modern-day surgical tools.
• Roman armies employed a trained chirurgus (essentially, a medic trained in surgery) to staunch blood loss

Chinese Civilization

• The Chinese civilization is considered the oldest civilization in Asia
• Also known as the middle kingdom
• China is located on the far east of Asia
• It was very famous among the other ancient civilization because of its silk trade.

Chinese Civilization

• Chinese civilization contributions to the world: -Silk industry -Tea production -Worlds Famous Great wall of China -Gun powder

Chinese Civilization

• China even until know controls the production of almost everything
• The things like gadget, furniture, weapon, medicine, basic necessities
• Its economy is getting bigger and its control over the international politics is indeed very impressive

Medieval/Middle Ages

• The start of the middle ages was marred by massive invasions and migrations -Technology was needed in the field of weaponry, navigation, mass food and farm production, and health

Printing Press

• Johann Gutenberg was able to invent the printing press
• It evolved to be the mechanical printing press which was eventually used all over the world
• The printing press was invented to address the need for publishing books that would spread information to many people at a faster rate

Microscope

• Growing population caused massive migration and urbanization during the period
• More and more people are transferred to polluted and populated urban areas which resulted in more people getting sick and needing medical attention

Microscope

• To develop the proper medicines for the illness, experts had to invent this device to magnify the small things that are invisible to the naked eye

Telescope

• Since the Middle Ages were also known as the age of exploration, the need for nautical inventions was high
• Ship captains needed to see far and wide for them to navigate or avoid dangers at sea

War Weapon

• There was a great development in weaponry during the Middle Ages
• The well crafted bows, spears, even armors were used in close range hand-to-hand combat and for open-area battles

Modern Times

• Due to the Booming world population during the nineteenth century, people needed efficient means of transportation Faster and easier means to communicate
• Due to massive industrialization, the modern times again faced more complicated problems

Pasteurizatio

• As people were able to develop better means of production to meet the needs of the population, food preservation and food safety became an issue
• Pasteurization may lead to food poisoning, diphtheria, and typhoid fever

Pasteurizatio

• Louise Pasture invented pasteurization
• Pasteurization is the process of heating dairy products to kill the harmful bacteria
• Through this process, milk could be stored and consumed for a longer period

Petroleum Refinery

• Samuel M. Kier was able to invent kerosene by refining petroleum
• Kerosene was later on referred to as the “illuminating oil”
• Nowadays, kerosene is still present as still used by many people for powering automobiles, factories, and power plants

Telephone

• Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone
• The connection is very limited, the commoners cannot afford to buy one, and it is not that reliable in terms of stability and consistency

Calculator

• calculator had already been developed,
• modern times required a faster way to compute more complicated equations
• The calculator paved the way for easier arithmetic calculations, but also resulted in the development of more complex processing machines like computer

Philippine Inventions

• The Philippines also contributes to the global advancement of science and technology
• They have the Filipino Inventors Society to remedy the needs of the consumers by inventing useful machines
• These inventors are supported by the DOST or the Department of Science and Technology

Karaoke

• Roberto del Rosario invented his version of a karaoke machine between 1975 and 1977
• His system incorporates an amplifier speaker, one or two tape mechanisms, an optional tuner or radio, and a microphone mixer with features to enhance one's voice
• The whole system was enclosed in one cabinet casing

Salamander: Amphibious Tricycle

• The Salamander is the tricycle reimagined -It can transform from traveling on land to traveling in water
• ,It allows it to serve as a rescue vehicle in the event of flooding
• Victor Llave and his team invented the Salamander

Salt Lamp

• The SALt Lamp is an environment-friendly and sustainable alternative light source that runs on saltwater,
• It makes it suitable to those who live in coastal areas
• Aisa Mijeno invented the Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt) lamp.

Medical Incubator

• Designed in 1941 by to help rural communities without electricity
• It was a makeshift incubator that utilized two wicker laundry baskets of varying sizes space between the baskets
• Hot water bottles regulate the temperature of the infants