Technology
hideTechnology is a broad concept that deals with an animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects an animal species' ability to control and adapt to its environment. Technology is a term with origins in the Greek "technologia", "τεχνολογία" — "techne", "τέχνη" ("craft") and "logia", "λογία" ("saying"). However, a strict definition is elusive; "technology" can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, hardware or utensils, but can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include "construction technology", "medical technology", or "state-of-the-art technology".
The human species' use of technology began with the conversion of natural resources into simple tools. The prehistorical discovery of the ability to control fire increased the available sources of food and the invention of the wheel helped humans in travelling in and controlling their environment. Recent technological developments, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact freely on a global scale. However, not all technology has been used for peaceful purposes; the development of weapons of ever-increasing destructive power has progressed throughout history, from clubs to nuclear weapons.
Technology has affected society and its surroundings in a number of ways. In many societies, technology has helped develop more advanced economies (including today's global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Earth and its environment. Various implementations of technology influence the values of a society and new technology often raises new ethical questions. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied only to machines, and the challenge of traditional norms.
Philosophical debates have arisen over the present and future use of technology in society, with disagreements over whether technology improves the human condition or worsens it. Neo-Luddism, anarcho-primitivism, and similar movements criticise the pervasiveness of technology in the modern world, opining that it harms the environment and alienates people; proponents of ideologies such as transhumanism and techno-progressivism view continued technological progress as beneficial to society and the human condition. Indeed, until recently, it was believed that the development of technology was restricted only to human beings, but recent scientific studies indicate that other primates and certain dolphin communities have developed simple tools and learned to pass their knowledge to other generations.
For more information about Technology, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with technology
Software cos. eye key patent case in Supreme Court
Nov 08, 2009 |
5 / 5 (4) |
2
(AP) -- With the technology industry looking on, the Supreme Court on Monday will explore what types of inventions should be eligible for a patent in a pivotal case that could undermine such legal protections ...
DNA molecules in moss open door to new biotechnology
Nov 06, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
Plasmids, which are DNA molecules capable of independent replication in cells, have played an important role in gene technology. Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden have now demonstrated that plasmid-based methods, ...
HP Enables Better, Faster Decision Making with Breakthrough Sensing Technology
Nov 05, 2009 |
4 / 5 (2) |
0
HP today announced new inertial sensing technology that enables the development of digital micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometers that are up to 1,000 times more sensitive than high-volume products currently ...
Samsung Develops Advanced Packaging Technology to Achieve a 0.6mm-thick 8-chip Package
Nov 05, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
0
Samsung Electronics announced today that it has developed the world's thinnest multi-die package, one that measures a mere 0.6mm in height. Designed initially for 32 gigabyte (GB) densities, the new memory ...
International survey of physicians in 11 countries reveals US lagging in access, quality, HIT use
Nov 05, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
Fifty-eight percent of primary care doctors in the U.S. report their patients often have difficulty paying for medications and care, and half of U.S. doctors spend substantial time dealing with restrictions insurance companies ...
Microsoft, Taiwan to set up cloud computing centre
Nov 04, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
US software giant Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday signed an agreement with Taiwan to jointly establish a research centre here for the development of Internet computing technology.
Portable 3-D laser technology preserves Texas dinosaur's rare footprint
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Nov 04, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
Using portable 3D laser technology, scientists have electronically preserved a rare 110 million-year-old fossilized dinosaur footprint that was previously excavated and built into the wall of a bandstand at a Texas courthouse ...
NIST test proves 'the eyes have it' for ID verification
Technology / Computer Sciences
Nov 04, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
0
The eyes may be the mirror to the soul, but the iris reveals a person's true identity—its intricate structure constitutes a powerful biometric. A new report by computer scientists at the National Institute ...
Will Europe Be Powered by the Sahara
Nov 04, 2009 |
4 / 5 (22) |
27
(PhysOrg.com) -- Europe has long been interested in developing alternative energy sources. And, one of the more interesting places that some Europeans are looking for solar power is the Sahara. With the vast ...
Lasers put a shine on metals
Nov 03, 2009 |
4.8 / 5 (8) |
2
(PhysOrg.com) -- Polishing metal surfaces is a demanding but monotonous task, and it is difficult to find qualified young specialists. Polishing machines do not represent an adequate alternative because they ...
575-million-dollar fund targets technology startups
Nov 02, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
0
Silicon Valley venture capital firm Greylock Partners said Monday it has 575 million dollars in a new fund to back promising technology startups.
University research worth $187 billion over 12 years, group says
Oct 31, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
In what it calls a first-of-its-kind study, the nation's leading biotechnology trade group this week put a dollar figure on the value of university-driven research, asserting that economic output grew $187 billion from 1996-2007 ...
US boots up new unified cybersecurity center
Oct 30, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
0
US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano cut the ribbon on Friday on a state-of-the-art unified command center for government cybersecurity efforts.
Listen, watch, read -- computers search for meaning
Technology / Computer Sciences
Oct 30, 2009 |
4 / 5 (1) |
1
(PhysOrg.com) -- European researchers have created the first integrated semantic search platform that integrates text, video and audio. The system can 'watch' films, 'listen' to audio and 'read' text to find relevant responses ...
Eco-friendly metal coating replacement for chromate
Oct 30, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
1
(PhysOrg.com) -- CSIRO has developed a novel coating technology, "Quench Coat", to protect galvanised products from 'white rust' ? the form of zinc oxide that tarnishes freshly galvanised coatings, making ...
