Science, Technology, and Society (STS) Historical Antecedents

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms, inventions, and historical antecedents of Science, Technology, and Society across major historical eras.

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

An interdisciplinary field, also known as science and technology studies, that examines how social, political, and cultural values influence scientific research and technological innovation, and how these in turn affect society.

Science

An organized, dynamic inquiry following the scientific method that forms concepts, methods, principles, theories, laws, and procedures to describe and explain nature.

Technology

A material product of scientific inquiry that applies knowledge to solve scientific and practical problems, helping humans survive and improve their lives through a system of skills, tools, and resources.

Bronze

A durable alloy developed during the Bronze Age by smelting copper and mixing it with tin or arsenic to produce stronger tools and weapons like swords, axes, and plows.

Ferrous Metallurgy

The practice of working iron during the Iron Age to manufacture durable tools and weaponry, such as sickles and plough tips, which transformed agricultural efficiency and warfare.

Cuneiform

The earliest known writing system, created by the Sumerians, which used pictograms and drawings recorded on clay tablets.

Sexagesimal System

A counting system based on units of $60$ developed by the Sumerians, which served as the foundation for the $360^\text{o}$ circle and the $60$-minute hour.

Hieroglyphics

The ancient Egyptian writing system that used pictorial symbols written on papyrus reeds using ink and brushes.

Polyculture

An agricultural practice utilized by the Minoans involving the simultaneous planting of multiple crops to preserve soil fertility and safeguard against low crop yields.

Astrolabe

An astronomical instrument developed in Ancient Greece used for calculating positions and making astronomical measurements.

Greek Fire

A incendiary liquid weapon invented by the ancient Greeks, primarily used in naval engagements to destroy enemy fleets.

Black Death

A 14th-century pandemic during the Late Middle Ages that killed $25\text{--}50$% of Europe's population and halted scientific progress.

Quarantine Techniques

Disease containment measures, originally consisting of a $40$-day isolation period, established by the Republic of Ragusa and Venice to limit epidemic spread.

Renaissance

A period of cultural rebirth and intellectual creativity originating in Italy in the 1300s that transformed human understanding across art, science, mathematics, and engineering.

Gutenberg's Printing Press

A revolutionary Renaissance invention by Johann Gutenberg that enabled the translation and widespread printing of the Bible, driving up literacy rates and leading to newspapers.

Scientific Revolution

An early modern period in the 16th and 17th centuries marked by the emergence of modern science, systematic experimentation, and mathematical formulation of natural laws.

Heliocentric Theory

The astronomical model popularized during the Scientific Revolution by Nicolaus Copernicus asserting that the Sun is at the center of the universe.

Newton's Law of Inertia

The physical law stating that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion remains in motion with constant velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

Newton's Law of Acceleration

The physical principle stating that an object accelerates in proportion to the net force applied to it, expressed mathematically as $F = ma$.

Industrial Revolution

A era from 1750 to 1900 characterized by a transition to mechanized production, rapid advancements in power technology, and industrial growth across Europe and North America.

Internal Combustion Engine

An engine that generates mechanical power by burning fuel internally to produce high-temperature expanding gases that exert force on a piston.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A non-invasive medical imaging technique that utilizes strong magnetic fields, radio waves, and computer processing to display detailed internal anatomical structures.

Genetic Engineering

The deliberate modification of an organism's genetic makeup by inserting new genes using recombinant DNA technology and cloning techniques.

Artificial Embryos

Embryo-like structures created entirely from stem cells without the participation of egg or sperm cells.