Where would we be as a global community without the study and aid of science and technology?

How could humankind have survived through the ages without it? Science and technology have been around for almost as long as time itself. Ancient caveman used early science to learn how to make fire. Caveman, who developed spears from sticks tied with carved stones to hunt with, benefited from the creation of science. he word science !"##$, % &' comes from the (atin word) scien tia, which means *knowledge+ or *knowing+ and technology !"##$, % &' comes from the pairing of two greek words) techne and logia which means *art or craft+ and *skill+. hroughout the centuries, many different fields of science and technology have been developed as ways to better understand the natural world around us. ,uch of the early studies of science and technology pre dating the si-teenth and seventeenth centuries were dismissed and labeled as being forms of magic or the works of supernatural forces that should remain unchecked and un.uestioned. ,any early scientific e-periments of that time were deemed unethical and frowned upon by society. Advancements in the fields of science and technology are ethical and necessary to the beneficial development of humankind. /t would seem that in today0s society the methods of science and technology are once again being scrutini1ed by society. ,any of the break throughs and developmental research that is conducted by scientists in the medical field as well as other fields of science are being deemed by society as unethical. Some e-tremists are claiming that some of the scientific developments are entering the realm of 2od0s work, and that we as humans should not be tampering with. We as a world community have benefited from many accomplishments due to the versatility of scientific study. Science has played a huge part in development of each era of time. ,an, powered by his imagination and in.uisitive character, has wondered the mechanisms of 3ature since time infinite. his .uest for the truth, the ways in which his surrounding works, has led to many a scientific discoveries and innovations. Since the art of making fire and creating handcrafted tools, our civili1ation has come a long way. Science and echnology are making advances at an ama1ing rate. 4rom telephones to the /nternet, calculators to computers, cars to rockets and satellites, we are submerged in a sea of discoveries and inventions made possible by Science. 4ields like ,edicine and communications have made inroads into our cultures and thus our lifestyles. So vast is the impact of Science in our lives, that people fear the unthinkable. 5epeatedly, the truth is that we are so dependent on Science and echnology that we who create it are nothing but mere puppets. How can we be the slaves of this great resource? /n fact, it would not be wrong to term Science as a friend of Humanity. his faithful friend has come through many a times. We have reaped innumerable benefits out of this friendship. echnological literacy has to be emphasi1ed in the schools and encouraged throughout the population. he effective use of technology means *matching solutions in search of

problems to problems in search of solutions+ 5esearch laboratories must focus on the specific needs of the country. /n developing countries, this means emphasi1ing applied research and development while maintaining a core of basic researchers who can follow and participate in world advances. As in industrial countries, scientific, technological, and social specialists must work together, materials engineering needs to interact with biology, computer science with linguistics, medicine with sociology, and engineering with economics and the law. he concept of matching local solutions to local problems also applies to education and training, where important human issues must be fully addressed to promote the successful transfer of technology. 6repackaged knowledge for the use of technology is of little use in developing countries. o be absorbed, new knowledge must be grounded in what is already understood with technological concepts linked to local culture and knowledge. echnology is not, however, a package that can be bought off the shelf and become immediately productive) it is a cumulative process of learning. So, for developed and developing countries alike, the ability to reali1e knowledge7based productivity gains depends on a country0s capacity to tap the global system of generation and transmission of knowledge, generate indigenous knowledge, diffuse and transfer information, and use knowledge in productive activity. Ac.uiring new technologies re.uires a system receptive to innovation, with incentives and mechanisms for translating knowledge into action. he process of diffusion implementation is greatly strengthened if there is feedback from the users of technology to generators of knowledge. he education system must therefore give students practice in understanding the systems, manipulating them, talking about them to one another, and envisioning the function from many viewpoints. he use of tools for managing information comple-ity needs to become part of schooling for an ever7increasing portion of the population. 6reparing them to use technology re.uires a combination of skill7development, practice with comple-ity, and the development of adaptive problem solving capabilities. (ook at the so7called developed nations, developing nations and under7developed 8 poor countries. he conclusion is very loud and clear. Science and echnology are a must. 9ut at the same time let us not under7estimate the ancient histories of nations that had ama1ing progress and development in various walks of life. /n the general sense of the present day, Science and echnology are the most important parameters and essential tools for the development of any country.