Contemporary Technological Changes Unit 7 Section 13 TYWL: I can evaluate the importance of technology on today’s culture. I can recognize key figures of social change in the 20th century.

Question of the Day Twentieth-Century International Developments Berlin Blockade (1948) Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) Brezhnev Doctrine (1968) How did the developments above affect international politics? They inspired the creation of the United Nations. They intensified Cold War conflicts and tensions. They started cooperation between the United States and the former Soviet Union. They represented a global preference for democratic values, institutions, and governments.

The space race began during the Cold War as the United States and Soviet Union competed with each other to explore outer space. In 1957, the Soviets launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite. The U.S. Apollo program landed a man on the moon in 1969. Since the Cold War ended, the United States and Russia have cooperated in space.

Space science continued to develop after Apollo. Scientists and engineers have launched rockets to other planets and landed robotic vehicles on them. More than a dozen countries built the International Space Station for exploration and scientific research. The International Space Station in 2011

Communication: television, telephones, high-speed data transmission Observation: data for scientists, weather forecasters, the military Navigation: beam precise locations to ships and others Thousands of satellites have been launched to orbit the Earth, for three specific purposes.

The invention of the computer created an information revolution. Computers run businesses and power plants. They help scientists do their research and enable global communication. The creation of the Internet made e-commerce possible, which led to economic growth. Social networking links people around the world. Approximately one third of the world’s population is online.

The first computers were built in the 1940s. After the invention of the silicon chip, it was possible for manufacturers to make personal computers (PCs). PCs became available in the 1970s and replaced typewriters and account books. Over time, scientists, teachers, engineers, and urban planners used computers to perform a wide variety of tasks.

High-tech jobs 20 % of the workforce demanded that workers have special skills Computers made fortunes Ex. Bill Gates-He founded Microsoft Internet businesses called dotcoms created fortunes for their founders

The Communications Revolution Information Superhighway President Clinton wanted to create an information superhighway--this would be a computer network that would link people around the world. Clinton appointed VP Gore to oversee the government’s role in creating information superhighway.

Telecommunications Act Congress passed the Telecommunications Act--this law allowed telephone and cable companies to enter into each others companies —this led to an increase in mergers. Examples: Time Warner Cable

Scientific Advances Enrich Life Advancements Pathfinder and Sojourner transmitted pictures from the surface of Mars. The Hubble Space Telescope was used to discover new planets. The Human Genome Project announced in 2000 that it had mapped the genes of the human body. Developments in medicine and biotechnology have given people new tools to combat and prevent disease. Medicine was also transformed by surgical advances such as organ transplants and the use of lasers. Computers have made diagnosis easier. Computer images of the brain and other organs allow doctors to diagnose many diseases.

Genetic researchers Watson and Crick revealed the “double helix” structure of DNA. Research in genetics and genetic engineering has produced new drugs and new strains of fruits and vegetables. It has also made cloning possible. These breakthroughs have brought benefits and debate over the ethics of modified foods and the role of science in creating life.

Life expectancies have risen worldwide as a result of increased agricultural production and breakthroughs in treating disease. Though significant challenges remain, people will continue to work toward solving global problems in the decades to come. Overall, science and technology have improved the standard of living for many people.