Science is the study of how the universe works using the scientific method as a framework for asking questions. Throughout history, humans have built up a body of scientific knowledge and have used this knowledge to develop technologies to make life easier, or to broaden their knowledge. Scientific discovery drives technological advances and sometimes, as new technologies are developed, they enable scientists to answer questions that were unanswerable before. For example, researchers had to understand the physics of visible light and how it changes when going through different substances before they could use this knowledge to design microscopes. Once microscope technology was developed, it allowed scientists to ask questions about things that were not visible to the human eye. For this assignment you will look at this interdependence between science and technology by learning more about one biotechnology that is crucial to the modern world such as feeding a growing world population, fighting disease, developing new fuels, or cleaning up the environment.
Example: If you were thinking about cell phones (not a biotechnology), you could look at the scientific discoveries that had to happen before cell phones could exist. The discovery of electricity, electromagnetic waves, and the electrochemistry of batteries all had to happen before cell phones could be invented. You could also look at the technological advances that had to happen before we could have cell phones. Batteries, electric circuit boards, receivers, speakers, and satellites all had to exist before someone could invent the cell phone.
Select one specific biotechnology that you are interested in learning more about. For your selected biotechnology address the following questions in the table.
What biotechnology did you select?
Explain what it is and how it is used.
- Identify two scientific discoveries that had to take place before your selected biotechnology could be developed.
- Describe the two scientific discoveries that had to take place before your selected biotechnology could be developed. When and how did the discoveries that you described take place?
- Identify two technologies that had to exist before your selected biotechnology could be developed.
- Describe the two technologies that had to exist before your selected biotechnology could be developed. How long have the technologies that you described existed?
- Identify and discuss two positives and two negatives of biotechnological advances. Are there any biotechnologies that you think should not be pursued? Why or why not? Explain your answer.
