Photo Courtesy: Image by Syed Ali Mehdi from Pixabay | For representational purpose only
Saanvi Singh
Was it a moment or a day or perhaps a bright morning once upon a time, or a fine evening in the past? How do we trace the origins of science and technology? It is an ongoing journey that started even before the beginning of our own species and is seen to be constantly developing and becoming more efficient over time.
Do we start with the prehistoric and early human era? Somewhat 2 million years ago, when people used stone tools for survival. The era when clothing was invented, and people could then live in cool climates. Then came the ancient civilizations, where humanity explored through the ideas of betterment in agriculture and medicine. The discovery of metallurgy led to stronger and more versatile tools and weapons. Post this came the classical period of history of science and technology.
Famous scientists like Archimedes proposed his principle of buoyancy. Europe and the Middle East saw watermills and windmills being used for power. The 13th century brought with it the Late Medieval Period, where mechanical clocks regulated time, and printing presses helped in mass communication. Modern science instruments like the microscope and barometer were invented in the 1600s – 1700s. Then in the 1750s, the world saw an industrial revolution.
The period before the Industrial Revolution was all about survival, discovery, and laid the base for the foundations of scientific thought. The transformation of the traditional approach and the adoption of more efficient solutions helped in several ways. The introduction of fire, somewhat 1.5 million years ago, led to the betterment of necessities of life like cooking, protection. The introduction of the concept of wheel revolutionized transportation, made it easier, helped in the easy flow of goods and people, and helped new industries such as pottery, spinning, and weaving flourish. The innovation of the printing press enhanced the ways knowledge was spread back then, prepared people and society for the large-scale exchange of knowledge.
In Greek mythology, the Titan Prometheus, God of fire, is often portrayed as a champion of humanity, considering fire a divine gift to mankind, which symbolized knowledge and progress. At the same time, another god, named Zeus in Greek Mythology, punished him, fearing that fire would make humans rebellious. Fire was seen as a double-edged sword; on one hand, it improved the way of living, but at the same time, it was capable of uncontrollable destruction. Martin Luther praised the printing press as “the latest and greatest gift, by which God intends the work of true religion to be known throughout the world and translated into every tongue". He called it God’s highest and most extreme act of grace. But, at the same time, a 20th-century thinker, Marshall McLuhan, thought that the press gave way to propaganda, censorship, and misinformation.
The early 18th and 19th centuries saw the rise of the Industrial Revolution with the introduction of machines and mass production that brought major changes in people’s lives. This period observed a shift from traditional economic practices and became more centered on mass production and the machine system. Mechanization, implying the invention of new machines like the steam engine and power looms, resulted in a faster pace at which work was being done than before. Industries like iron and steel and textiles saw major hikes in their production rates with the introduction of these machines into the market.
For instance, with the adoption of machinery in the iron and steel industry, coal production in the UK boosted from 100 million tons to 265 million tons during 1870 – 1910. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, some were sparked with happiness, while others had deep concerns about the situation.
People like Dadabhai Naoroji were in favor of the usage of modern machinery and technology; however, they had concerns about the ‘drain of wealth’ to Britain during the colonization period that affected India’s economic growth. Jawaharlal Nehru believed that industrialization was an essential factor that contributed to the building of an independent nation and a beneficial economy. However, people like Rabindranath Tagore laid his belief in the fact that true progress can be achieved with nature, culture, and rural life, not with modernization techniques. People like R.C Dutt and Bal Gangadhar Tilak believed that industrialization was exploitative for India as it impacted the Indian economy under colonial control and turned India into a raw material supplier.
Post this, the 20th and 21st centuries brought with them the scientific revolutions and a digital era.
The early 1900s saw Max Planck, a German Physicist, come up with his Quantum Theory, followed by Albert Einstein, the renowned scientist, bringing up the theory of relativity. The mid-1900s saw advances in medicine with the mass production of vaccines, and the invention of transistors, computers sparked the field of electronics and computing. The late 1900s brought with it the era of the internet. From 2000 onwards, the world saw a rapid rise in technological advancements across fields. People from diverse backgrounds, fell under the huge umbrella of science and technology.
The journey of mobile communication from 1G to 5G expanded global communication, enhancing speed and efficiency. With the introduction of platforms like Linkedin in 2003, Facebook in 2004, YouTube in 2005, and Twitter in 2006, the world was taken over by this hike in social media services and impacted people across the globe.
Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, sees social media as “an amazing business tool”. In his words, “I get feedback from 11 million people.” Famous actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas believes that social media is a way to connect and support. At the same time, Lily Allen, a Pop Star, despite building her career through the social networking site Myspace where her vocal recordings got published, confessed that the internet felt “damaging on mental health, actual health and our relationships.”
Followed by this, multiple developments were observed in fascinating areas like space and astronomy, physics and energy and then came the masters of all, “Computing and Artificial Intelligence”. It changed the way the world operated, it changed the way humans processed material. The concepts, for example, machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics, not only made the digital world turn into a reality but also made it smarter and more intelligent than humankind.
Among some people, it changed their lifestyles, brought comfort in daily lives, improved health, education, and business. However, among others, it turned into a nightmare and made people face challenges like loss of jobs in a flash, privacy issues, and other ethical concerns.
At a developer conference in Bengaluru, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella advocated for the utilization of AI tools to empower millions of Indian developers across the nation. Nicolas Cage, a renowned Hollywood actor, addressing his own field, asserted that AI could assist filmmakers in visual effects, cost reduction, and the better portrayal of ideas. However, he simultaneously expressed his concerns regarding the excessive dependency on AI in films that threatened the idea of emotional authenticity.
Kamal Haasan, a famous film star, in 2025 said, “I like AI, but not sure if AI will like me.” He drew attention to the plight of deceased musicians and emphasized his preference for authentic human expression over digital replicas of human art and creativity. Similarly, another celebrated actor, Tom Cruise, highlighted AI’s potential to undermine originality and emotional authenticity.
The evolution of science and technology reflects humanity’s constant search to survive, adapt, and progress—from stone tools and fire to telescopes and electricity. Each breakthrough reshaped societies, improved lifestyle, and expanded human imagination far beyond. Today, artificial intelligence is writing destinies much like past revolutions did, influencing jobs, education, health, and connections, while continuing to guide humans into an ever-unfolding future. This era of AI is never ending and will continue to bring inevitable changes and introduce even smarter and newer ideologies to the world.
Saanvi Singh is a first year student at Plaksha University
