The Information Age and Biodiversity Study Notes

Defining the Information Age

  • Modern Society Characteristics: Highly modernized, automated, data-driven, and technologically advanced.

  • Information Definition (Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary): Knowledge communicated or obtained concerning a specific fact or circumstance.

  • Information Age Definition (Vocabulary.com): A period starting in the last quarter of the 20th20^{th} century when information became effortlessly accessible through publications and through the management of information by computers and computer networks.

  • Synonyms: Also known as the Digital Age and the New Media Age.

  • The Father of the Information Age: James Robert Messenger, who proposed the "Theory of Information Age" in 1982.

  • Theory of Information Age (1982): Based upon the interconnection of computers via telecommunications, with these information systems operating on both a real-time and as-needed basis.

  • Primary Drivers: Convenience and user-friendliness, which in turn create user dependence.

History and Emergence of the Information Age

  • 3000 BC - Sumerian Writing System: Used pictographs to represent words. Sumerian cuneiform is the earliest known writing system, developing from symbols representing trade goods and livestock on clay tablets.

  • 2900 BC - Egyptian Hieroglyphic Writing: Pictorial writing systems Greeks referred to as "holy writing" due to their pictorial elegance.

  • 1300 BC - Tortoise Shell and Oracle Bone Writing: An early form of Chinese characters used on oracle bones.

  • 500 BC - Papyrus Roll: Derived from the Cyperus papyrus plant found in fresh waters and the Delta mud. Buds opened from horizontal roots.

  • 220 BC - Chinese Small Seal Writing: Also known as Seal Script or Qin Script; an archaic form of Chinese calligraphy.

  • 100 AD - Book (Parchment Codex): From the Latin caudex ("trunk of a tree"). A book constructed of sheets of paper, vellum, or papyrus. Examples include Treasure Binding.

  • 105 AD - Woodblock Printing and Paper: Invented by the Chinese; a technique for printing text or patterns on textiles and cloth using woodcut blocks.

  • 1455 - Printing Press: Invented by Johannes Gutenberg using movable metal type. It applied pressure to an inked surface resting on paper or cloth.

  • 1755 - Samuel Johnson's Dictionary: A Dictionary of the English Language standardized English spelling and included grammars and word histories.

  • 1802 - Library of Congress & Arc Lamp: The Library officially serves the US Congress. The Arc Lamp (voltaic arc) produces light via an electric arc.

  • 1824 - Persistence of Vision: Published by Peter Mark Roget; the optical illusion where visual perception of an object continues for a short time after images are removed, forming the basis for film movement.

  • 1830s - Digital Computer Design: First viable design for a device capable of solving problems by processing information in discrete binary form (00 and 11).

  • 1837 - Telegraph: Invented in Great Britain and the United States. Samuel Morse transmitted the famous message "What hath God wrought?" in 1844.

  • 1861 - Motion Pictures: Invention of the Kinematoscope by Coleman Sellers, using a rotating paddle machine to view stereoscopic still pictures on glass.

  • 1876 - Dewey Decimal System: Introduced concepts of relative location and index to allow books to be organized by subject rather than acquisition order.

  • 1877 - High-speed Photography: Demonstrated by Eadweard Muybridge to determine if all four feet of a horse were off the ground while trotting.

  • 1899 - Magnetic Recordings: Released by Danish engineer Valdemar Poulsen, using steel wire as a medium.

  • 1902 - Special Effects in Motion Pictures: Prototype of stop-motion animation seen in Georges Méliès' Le Voyage Dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon).

  • 1906 - Electronic Amplifying Tube: The Audion (the first triode) was invented by Lee De Forest, containing three electrodes.

  • 1923 - Television Camera Tube: The Iconoscope was invented by Vladimir Zworykin as an electronic camera tube for scanning images.

  • 1926 - Sound Movie: Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system used for feature films.

  • 1939 - Scheduled TV Broadcasting: Began in the US, pioneered by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA).

  • 1940s - Information Science: Emerged as a discipline concerning the collection, classification, storage, and protection of information in organizations.

  • 1945 - Hypertext Foresight: Vannevar Bush foresaw hypertext, which became a foundation for the World Wide Web via HTML.

  • 1946 - ENIAC Computer: Developed for computing artillery range tables; lacked some general-use features.

  • 1948 - Information Theory: Birth of the field necessary to understand nonlinearity and website structures.

  • 1957 - Planar Transistor: Developed by Jean Hoerni using etching and diffusion to keep junctions in one plane, resulting in low leakage current.

  • 1958 - Integrated Circuit: A chip made of semiconductor material (silicon) integrating large numbers of tiny transistors.

  • 1960s - MARC (Machine-Readable Cataloging): Developed by the Library of Congress to standardize library collections.

  • 1969 - UNIX Operating System: Developed at AT&T; a multi-user, multitasking operating system suitable for various computer sizes.

  • 1971 - Microprocessor Chip: Multipurpose clock-driven digital-integrated circuit that accepts binary data as input and provides output results.

  • 1972 - Optical Laserdisc: Developed by Philips and MCA; the first commercial optical disc storage medium.

  • 1974 - Standard Videodisc: Agreement between MCA and Philips on encoding formats for laser-readable discs.

  • 1975 - Altair Microcomputer Kit: Released by MITS (based on Intel 8080 CPU) as the first personal computer for the public.

  • 1977 - RadioShack PC: Introduction of the first complete personal computer.

  • 1984 - Apple Macintosh: Released in January 1984 with 128K128K RAM; followed by the "Fat Mac" with 512K512K RAM eight months later.

  • Mid-1980s - Artificial Intelligence: AI was separated from Information Science as a distinct field.

  • 1987 - HyperCard: Developed by Bill Atkinson for Apple, using a "recipe box" metaphor; one of the first successful hypermedia systems.

  • 1991 - CD-ROM Literature: 450450 complete works of literature were released on a single CD-ROM.

  • 1997 - RSA Security Code: The 4848-bit number security code was cracked.

Evolution of Information Perspective

  • 1960s - 1970s: Information was difficult to collect and manage.

  • 1980s: Richard Wurman coined the term "Information Anxiety."

  • 1990s: Information became a currency in the business world.

  • Present: Information has turned into a commodity.

Truths of the Information Age (Robert Harris)

  1. Information must compete: Info needs to stand out in the increasing clutter.

  2. Newer is equated with truer: People tend to forget that facts and values can endure over time.

  3. Selection is a Viewpoint: Choosing multiple sources is necessary for a balanced view of reality.

  4. The media sells what the culture buys: Information is driven by cultural priorities.

  5. The early word gets the perm: The first media channel to expose an issue defines the context and attitudes.

  6. You are what you eat (for the brain): Do not draw conclusions until all information is presented.

  7. Anything in great demand is counterfeited: Scandals and secrets are often fabricated by publicists/tabloids.

  8. Ideas are seen as controversial: It is impossible to make an assertion that finds no detractors.

  9. Undead information walks ever on: Rumors, lies, and gossip circulate indefinitely.

  10. Media presence creates the story: People behave differently when they know they are being filmed or interviewed.

  11. The medium selects the message: Television emphasizes visual stories like fires and chases because it is primarily pictorial.

  12. The whole truth is a pursuit: Information is often filtered and slanted; what is neglected is often as important as what is included.

Computers: Types and Roles

  • Definition: A machine that runs on programs containing step-by-step directions to solve problems.

  • Uses: Speed, reliability, consistency, storage, communication, and entertainment.

  • Charles Babbage: English polymath and "Father of the Computer" who originated the concept of a digital programmable computer in 1822.

  • Evolutionary Role: Improved efficiency in industrial, business, medical (diagnosis), and educational sectors.

  • Types of Computers:

    • Personal Computer (PC): Multi-purpose, feasible for individual use; originally known as microcomputers.

    • Desktop Computer: Not designed for portability; placed on/near a desk.

    • Laptops: Portable, battery-powered "notebooks."

    • Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs): Integrated computers with no keyboards, relying on touch screens.

    • Server: Improved to provide network services to other computers.

    • Mainframes: Huge systems filling entire rooms; used by large firms for millions of transactions.

    • Wearable Computers: Integrated into cellphones, watches, and small objects.

The World Wide Web and Internet

  • World Wide Web (WWW): An information space where resources are identified by URLs and interlinked by hypertext.

  • Internet: A worldwide system of interconnected networks for data transmission.

  • Claude E. Shannon: "Father of Information Theory"; proposed measuring information as sequences of 11s and 00s.

  • Chronology:

    • 1970s: Developed by the US Department of Defense to allow computer operation from different terminals in case of attack.

    • 1984: Government control ended.

    • 1989: Tim Berners-Lee invented the WWW to share information between scientists.

    • 1990: First web browser written at CERN.

    • 1998: Larry Page and Sergey Brin launched Google after raising 11 million dollars.

  • Internet Usage (approx. stats): Facebook (29.4%29.4\%), Email (13.8%13.8\%), Twitter (11.1%11.1\%), Yahoo Bookmarks (4.4%4.4\%), MySpace (4.3%4.3\%).

  • Technological Divide: Critics argue the internet increased the gap between high and low social classes.

Bioinformatics

  • Definition: The application of information technology to store, organize, and analyze vast amounts of biological data.

  • Goal: Understanding biological processes using software, statistics, algorithms, and pattern recognition.

  • Applications:

    • Managing DNA sequences.

    • Drug discovery and crop improvement (genomics).

    • Molecular models for protein structure (proteomics).

  • Handy Software Tools:

    • BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool): Developed by Altschul et al. (1990) for comparing sequences and finding high similarity regions.

    • Annotator: Interactive genome analysis tool.

    • Gene Finder: Identifies coding regions and splice sites.

    • PHYLIP / ClustalW: For multiple sequence alignment and trees.

    • RasMol / Cn3d: For visualizing protein structure.

Reliability of Web Sources

  • Author Verification: Check credentials, expertise, education, and affiliations with educational institutions.

  • Publisher/Domain Suffixes:

    • .edu.edu: Educational

    • .com.com: Commercial

    • .mil.mil: Military

    • .gov.gov: Government

    • .org.org: Non-profit

  • Purpose & Quality: Determine why the site exists and identify potential biases.

  • WHOIS: A protocol for querying databases that store domain registration info.

  • Reliable Examples: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Newsletter, Library of Congress (American Memory), Bartleby.com, Chronicling America, Drugs.com, MedlinePlus, Google Scholar, Avalon Project.

Plagiarism and Citations

  • Citations Types: APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Oxford, ASA, AAA, Turabian, CSE, CBE.

  • Plagiarism Definition: To steal and pass off ideas/words as one's own; literary theft.

  • Acts of Plagiarism:

    • Turning in someone else's work.

    • Failing to use quotation marks.

    • Giving incorrect source information.

    • Copying so many ideas that it makes up the majority of the work, even if credited.

Biodiversity: Definitions and Components

  • Etymology: Bio (Life) + Diversity (Variety).

  • Definition: The presence of diverse biological life forms and ecosystems; the richness of species.

  • Three Components:

    1. Genetic Diversity: Variation in genes within a species (e.g., Chihuahuas vs. Beagles vs. Rottweilers).

    2. Species Diversity: Variety of distinct species (e.g., Saki Monkey, Golden Skimmer dragonfly, Gumamela).

    3. Ecosystem Diversity: Variety of habitats/communities (e.g., Freshwater systems like lakes vs. Marine systems like coral reefs).

Ecological Terminology

  • Ecosystem: A self-contained community of microorganisms, animals, and plants interacting with each other and their physical environment.

  • Habitat: The physical and chemical description of where a creature lives (e.g., the Arctic is the habitat of the polar bear Ursa maritima).

  • Species: A group of morphologically similar creatures that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring and are reproductively isolated.

Importance and Threats to Biodiversity

  • Importance:

    • Ecological: Atmosphere composition maintenance, climate regulation, soil maintenance, nutrient recycling.

    • Economic: Food, clothing, shelter, medicines, livelihoods (tourism).

    • Aesthetic: Satisfaction in rare flora/fauna, recreation (bird watching, scuba diving).

    • Cultural/Spiritual: Intrinsic value for human heritage and indigenous ties.

  • Threats:

    • Habitat loss/destruction and encroachment.

    • Over-exploitation/Over-harvesting.

    • Pollution and contamination.

    • Invasive species.

    • Global climate change.

Philippine Biodiversity: Endemics and Endangered Species

  • Conservation Methods:

    • In Situ: Protecting species in their natural habitat (protected areas).

    • Ex Situ: Protecting species outside their natural habitat (removing them from threat).

    • Bioprospecting: Searching biological resources for genetic materials.

  • Key Definitions:

    • Endemic: Organism exclusively native to a place.

    • Endangered: Species at risk of extinction due to small numbers.

  • Philippine Fauna Highlights:

    • Birds: Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), Red-vented Cockatoo, Palawan Peacock Pheasant, Cebu Black Shama, Sulu Hornbill. (Cebu Flowerpecker is presumed extinct).

    • Mammals: Philippine Spotted Deer (Cervus alfredi), Calamian Hog Deer, Tamaraw (pygmy water buffalo - population fell from 10,00010,000 to approx. 2020 in wild), Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta), Palawan Bearcat, Dugong (protected since 1991), Golden-capped Fruit Bat, Philippine Bamboo Bat (world's smallest bat at 1.5 g1.5\,g), Kagwang (flying lemur).

    • Reptiles/Amphibians: Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), Mindoro freshwater crocodile, Sea Turtles (Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Leatherback, Green).

    • Fish: Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) known as "Butanding" in Donsol (largest fish); Dwarf Goby (Pandaka pygmaea) at 1.2 cm1.2\,cm (smallest freshwater fish); Sinarapan (smallest commercial fish).

    • Invertebrates: Tridacna gigas (Giant clam - 1 m1\,m length, 600 lbs600\,lbs); Pisidum (world's tiniest shell, < 1\,mm); Glory of the Sea shell (Connus gloriamaris).