Unit 4: Impact of Industrialization Ch. 8: Life in the Industrial Age 1800-1900 Sec. 2 Scientific and Medical Achievements
New Ideas in Science Darwin’s Theory of Evolution Published On the Origin of the Species Concept of natural selection Creatures that can adapt to environment better, more apt to survive These creature’s offspring inherit the features that allowed their parents to survive Theory of evolution Over time, all creatures change (evolve) to help them better adapt to environment and survive
Darwin Under Fire Many attacked Darwin’s theory on basis that it hinted that Man also evolved from earlier, more primitive life-form Went against traditional Christian beliefs in Genesis
Chemistry & Physics 1803: John Dalton develops modern atomic theory All elements consist of tiny particles – atoms Atoms of different elements are different sizes/mass 1871: Dmitri Mendeleyev organizes the Periodic Table to include all known chemical elements 1898: Marie & Pierre Curie discover polonium and radium Went on to discover radioactivity (energy released when certain elements break down)
Albert Einstein Early 1900s, Einstein develops his theory of relativity: Matter cannot move faster than speed of light Motion can only be measured from viewpoint of particular observer; thus, there is no absolute motion, space, or time In addition, Einstein’s idea of e=mc2 was instrumental in idea that a small amount of mass, could create an enormous amount of energy
Medical Breakthroughs Disease Prevention 1870s: Louis Pasteur demonstrated link between microbes and disease Disproved theory of spontaneous generation (life can form from non-living matter) Developed process of pasteurization (killing bacteria in liquids/foods in order to prevent bacterial growth that leads to disease Finally, Pasteur created vaccines for anthrax and rabies
Improving Medical Care Surgery & Anesthetics Crawford Long (surgeon) used the gas known as ether to perform the first anesthetized operation in 1842 1860s: Joseph Lister used carbolic acid to sterilize his surgical equipment & reduce deaths due to infection Medical care also improved as result of the construction of new hospitals, equipment, & more rigorous academic standards required of future physicians
New Ideas in Social Sciences Psychology 1890s: Psychology (study of human mind & behavior) is created Ivan Pavlov Studied human behavior through experimentation with animals Pavlov conditioned behavior of dogs by ringing a bell each time they were fed; eventually dogs would salivate & become excited at just the sound of the bell – conditioned reflex Pavlov suggested that humans also are/can be influenced by conditioned reflexes
Pavlov’s Conditioned Reflex
Sigmund Freud Freud believed that much of human behavior could be understood only through analyzing the sub-conscious (that part of the mind of which the individual is unaware) Developed technique of psychoanalysis to help his patients get their repressed thoughts out in open before they caused problems or mental illness
Other Social Sciences Sociology – study of the behavior of groups or societies Archaeology – study of ancient cultures/ civilizations before written record through scientific examination of artifacts Anthropology – study of human ancestors (Physical) and human culture (Cultural)