The Technology Portal
Technology ("science of craft", from Greek τέχνη, techne, "art, skill, cunning of hand"; and -λογία, -logia) is the sum of techniques, skills, methods, and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation. Technology can be the knowledge of techniques, processes, and the like, or it can be embedded in machines to allow for operation without detailed knowledge of their workings. Systems (e.g. machines) applying technology by taking an input, changing it according to the system's use, and then producing an outcome are referred to as technology systems or technological systems.
The simplest form of technology is the development and use of basic tools. The prehistoric discovery of how to control fire and the later Neolithic Revolution increased the available sources of food, and the invention of the wheel helped humans to travel in and control their environment. Developments in historic times, 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.
Technology has many effects. It 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 Earth's environment. Innovations have always influenced the values of a society and raised new questions in the ethics of technology. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, and the challenges of bioethics. (Full article...)
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Did you know...
- ... that Scott G. Borg is credited with helping develop the drilling technology that retrieved the first pure water samples from half a mile (0.8 km) below the surface of an ice-covered Antarctic lake?
- ... that while raising two young children, Li Minhua became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at MIT?
- ... that Jill S. Tietjen tries to supply more role models for women in engineering and technology by regularly nominating candidates for awards and halls of fame?
- ... that Andrew Niikondo, acting vice-chancellor of the Namibia University of Science and Technology, completed his secondary school education only at age 30?
- ... that XTC's Oranges & Lemons, released 30 years ago today, reinterpreted 1960s psychedelic music styles using 1980s instrumentation and technology?
- ... that the Society for the History of Technology gave Canadian historian Joy Parr a medal for lifetime achievement in technology history and awarded her book Sensing Changes the Edelstein Prize?
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- March 3, 2021 – COVID-19 pandemic
- Polish biotechnology company Mabion S.A. signs an agreement with Novavax to begin commercial-scale production trials for Novavax's future vaccine. (Bloomberg)
- February 18, 2021 –
- A coalition of technology companies including Facebook, Google, and Amazon, as well as the United States Chamber of Commerce, file a federal lawsuit against the U.S. state of Maryland for passing a gross revenue tax on digital ads by non-media companies. It is the first tax of its kind in the nation. (The Verge)
- February 4, 2021 – 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, Censorship in Myanmar, Censorship of Facebook
- American technology company Facebook, Inc. reports that multiple Internet service providers in Myanmar have restricted access to its social networking services, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The company has urged authorities to restore connectivity. (AFP via Deccan Herald)
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