From an early age we ask why? Curiosity has been a constant in the story of mankind. And this curiosity happens because we crave knowledge and progress! Naturally we have a strong motivation to use that knowledge and build something.
To learn more about this "searching", let's do a thought experiment! I want you to imagine that you lived in an ancient time, let's say you lived in ancient Egypt at its peak of power. Let's construct what your daily life would look like.
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Ancient Egypt
Our Water
All of your water comes from the Nile river, in fact you have to live there!
The Nile is really the life line for all of your community!
With out it, food production would go down causing famine, the people of the city would have to leave the area, or they would die!
Our Paper
Down near the Nile there is a plant called Papyrus.
We make paper from that plant. (the word paper comes from the word papyrus!)
Papyrus is also used in making baskets, containers, and boats.
Our Roads
For many, the river is how many people travel.
It is our main trade route.
The Nile is a source of entertainment.
People take trips in boats, fished, swam and even hunted crocodiles and hippopotamuses.
Wealthier Egyptians enjoyed holding lavish parties with entertainment, food and drink.
Medicine & Hygiene
People do get sick from the Nile river.
We typically only live to 35 yoa
Our medical doctors use “remedies” such as lizard blood, pelican dung, dead mice, urine, and moldy bread.
Human and animal poo is used in medical procedures.
Our Modern World
Our Water
In Australia we still have a water source (e.g a dam), however we have a huge water network. To access water we simple go to the tap and turn!
The great thing about this?
Convenient access and clean water!
How did science improve this situation?
Will the development of pipe networks, the understanding of fluid dynamics, and the use of electricity we now have a water network that is reliable and clean.
Our Paper
Paper is still made from trees, however we now mass produce. We have fields of trees that we harvest and factories that process our paper.
How did science improve this situation?
We have many different forms of paper, colours, thickness etc.
We also have a kind of "digital paper", email and a webpage.
We can send these to the other side of the worlds in milliseconds!
Our Roads
Scientific investigation has enabled us to learn more about the earth and how to build on it. The knowledge and these process are applied by civil engineering to build roads.
So scientific investigation helps you get from here to there, sooner.
How did science improve this situation?
Scientific investigation has enabled us to learn more about the earth and how to build on it. The knowledge and these process are applied by civil engineering to build roads.
So scientific investigation helps you get from here to there, sooner.
Medicine & Hygiene
Instead of being prescribed lizard blood, poo, dead mice, or moldy bread.
We now have pharmaceuticals. The use of pharmaceuticals have increase
the average life expectancy for humans has increased by about 25 years since the year 1900.
How did science improve this situation?
In 1928 Dr Alexander Fleming returned from a holiday to find mould growing on a Petri dish of Staphylococcus bacteria. He noticed the mould seemed to be preventing the bacteria around it from growing. He soon identified that the mould produced a self-defence chemical that could kill bacteria.
He named the substance penicillin.
Conclusion
Science is one way we develop knowledge about the natural world. Note, there are many other way to gain knowledge: experience spirituality reading books and so on...
This article was not designed as a "science will save the world" message. Instead, its purpose is to show you some of the outputs from scientific investigation and discovery.
The goal of science is to form the processes that make natural events happen, to unlock nature!
What is the wonderful thing about science?
It makes things some-what predictable and stable.
It gives humans a little more control in life, and is the fuel that drives technology development, and many industries.
Ultimately It shapes civalization as you know it!
Additional Learning
Water Management in Sydney Australia
Learn how water is stored and delivered in our modern society.
Road Engineering
Making a road that can withstand the pressure of countless vehicles is no easy feat! Learn how they do it.
The Modern Paper Process
Paper is a common product in our lives, but the process is amazing!
Modern Medicine
Science has revolutionised how we maintain good health. Learn about a discovery that lead to the design of antibiotics, and its connection to mould
