Q. How has science and technology affected our life and society? Discuss the impact of Internet and related tools on communication and related areas.
Ans:
Although science and technology had always been part of human live, in contemporary world, the impact of science and technology has come to shape almost all dimensions of our lives like never before. Our lives seem incomplete without energy needs, information communication technologies, agriculture offerings, healthcare developments, transportation system, automobile preferences, digital technologies, communication services, education advancements and above all physical comforts, which the world of science redefines and confers new dimensions to them.
Effect of science and technology on our life and society:
- Health: From diagnostics to treatments, health services widely relies on the science and technology. e.g. recent RT-PCR test for covid-19, use of gene sequencing for vaccine development, Arogya setu app for contact tracing to manage covid-19.
- Political: e-governance for service delivery, EVM during voting, Official meetings using video conferencing during pandemic, use of social media and digital mediums for election campaign etc.
- Economical: e-auctioning of resource to ensure transparency, Resource mapping using space technology, digital payments simplified transactions, industrialisation is backed by the technological developments, work from home using internet during lockdown etc.
- Energy: Nuclear technology, bio-technology, Solar power, wind power, waste to energy etc.
- Social: Interactions via email, social media, etc.
- Education: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), recent boom in the edu tech market, education in the various subjects within science and technology etc.
- Transport: Road, rail, water, air, all the transport mediums are driven by science and technology. New emerging technologies like- driverless cars, Delivery Drones, Hyperloop, Flying Taxis etc.
- Communication: satellite technology, ICT, Internet of things etc.
- Culture: usage of green crackers, online painting exhibition, Virtual museum etc.
- Social media platform for sharing information, images, videos, ideas etc. It has become a new tool of entertainment, interaction, acquainting with someone, even propagating political ideologies etc.
- Science and technology have facilitated human life and made us feel comfortable and enabled us to live in a modern way of life.
- Entertainment: OTT platform, video games, e-tourism, space tourism etc.
- Disaster management: ICT, Super computers, Srtificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, robotics and drone technology are used in disaster risk reduction and management.
- Technology has also speed up the process of globalisation which in turn has led to rising individualism, nuclear family, changes in education system etc.
- Security: State of art weapon technologies, Smart fencing for border management, Integrated Border Management system using integrated networked sensors and Command and Control centres to ensure surveillance etc.
Apart from above positive outcomes there has been some negative effects as well like incessant materialism, exploitation of natural resources, rising inequality, climate change, pollution, spread of fake news and hate speeches on social media, issues related to cyber crime etc.
The impact of Internet and related tools on communication and related areas:
- The internet has had a significant impact on the ability of people to connect and communicate globally. It has ability to facilitate instant communication across vast distances. With tools like email, instant messaging, and social media, people can communicate with one another in real-time, no matter where they are in the world.
- Before spread of internet there were impediments in communication like unable to call because of lack of network, problems with sending or receiving a large document, write letter which took many days to reach the concerned person.
- But, nowadays, the internet has revolutionized global mass communication. It allows for data and information exchange around the world. We can easily do video chat, write email, share our ideas, information and views to anyone over social media.
- The internet has made it easier than ever before to access information on any topic. With search engines like Google, people can quickly find answers to their questions, learn about new topics.
- The recent trends like ‘work from home’, ‘virtual meeting’ etc. has also emerged because of ease of communication facilitated by the use of internet.
- Even traditional medium of communication has also came to use the internet technologies to smoothen their task. E.g. India post using internet for data sharing.
Almost everything we see around us is the gift of science and technology, whether it is smartphones, fans, electricity, microwave, radio, television, laptops, wheel, vehicles, cloth, paper, toothbrushes, etc. We need science and technology in every area of our life. And internet now a days is playing a pivotal role in almost every dimension of the life especially as a medium of communication.
