Ch. 3: Technology and Inventions Vocabulary: technology, invent, invention, telescope, microscope

Technology Long Ago and Today Humans are natural inventors. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, early humans invented simple stone tools, like knives, hammers and axes. Tools were the first forms of technology. Another tool that is an example of technology is the wheel. The wheel was invented 5,500 years ago, in one of the first countries on Earth, Mesopotamia. Today, most tools are still forms of these early tools in different shapes.

Technology Long Ago and Today

Technology and Science When someone discovers something new, using Science, it often leads to a new technology. Originally, people looked at the stars using only their eyes. When people learned about the science of lenses, a man named Galileo used them to build the first telescope. With the telescope he was able to see objects in space better than anyone else could with their naked eyes.

Technology and Science Another important tool that uses lenses is the microscope. Microscopes and telescopes were invented at about the same time, but while the telescope makes big things look closer, the microscope makes little things look bigger. The person who invented the microscope was a man named Anthon van Leeuwenhoek (he was Dutch). Using his invention he discovered there were hundreds of tiny animals and plants living in a single drop of pond water.

Technology and Science Scientists today still use microscopes and telescopes for science. The Galileo spacecraft, that was sent to Jupiter to take pictures, was outfitted with both microscopes and telescopes, so that scientists could get the best picture of the biggest planet in our solar system.

Technology and Health The next time you go to a doctor’s or dentist’s office, take a look around. You will be surrounded by technology used to keep you healthy. Everything from the stethoscopes that they use to listen to your heart, to the X-ray and MRI machines that they use to take pictures of the inside of your body are technologies that doctors use to keep you healthy. MRI Machine

Technology in Everyday Life Everyone on Earth uses technology every day. We use it to help us eat. We use it to entertain ourselves. We use it to access information. You’re using a type of technology right now. All the technologies that we have developed help us to solve problems that we have encountered at some time in the past.

Questions about Chapter 3 1.What are two of the earliest technologies invented by humans? 2.What two inventions were built by people using the lens technology? 3.Why do humans invent new technologies? 4.Write down 5 different technologies that you use every day. Make sure you tell what you use each technology for. For example: I use wheels every day to get to and from school.