Are we advancing in science???

Question

We invented the steam engine, automobiles and even the space shuttle wayyyy back in the 1950s What have we done as of then till now, there is no big invention for the past decades. Is this all that there is to our capacity?

Let me rephrase my idea more througly to get rid of some cynical people who think that i am some guy from stone age. Advancement in science here refers to leap in science and technology. Not improvements made on exsiting technologies. An example would be we invented photon drives to propel our spacecrafts into outer space with minimal energy required to fuel it. As compared to rocketry combustion. Minimizing stuff like cellphones and computers are not classified as an advancement in science but an improvement.

Lets talk about flight. From biplanes powered by automobile engines, we slowly changed the way the plane look and got to the worldwar 2 spitfire prototype then slowly we designed the modern jet plane. That is an advancement.
But we are not advancing in the sense that why do we stop at jet planes when we already have faster methods of propulsion? Hybrid cars are welcoming sight but isnt the time gap a little too long for coming up with them?

Answer 1

I think science seems to take two paths.. improving on existing technology, such as making computers faster, making batteries last longer, making cell phones smaller, etc.

the other science is the acedemic abstract stuff that professors debate about and publish boring papers on, with no practical implications at all. For example, the "best and brightest" physicists have been debating string theory for 30 years and have nothing to show for it. If they were in the corporate world, they would have been fired by now.

by the way, the question was were there any big inventions recently developed. Computers were invented in the 1940s, insulin was developed before then, lazer eye surgery does not prevent blindness, hybrid and electric cars have been around since the early 1900s (over 100 years ago), color TV has been around since the 50s, microwave ovens in the 50s, there have been rovers on mercury and mars sending back pictures since the 1970s, so that's not new either. The russians had a space station before the end of 1970. Any more ideas, Greg?

Answer 2

We are advancing all of the time. While some of the inventions may not be as large in concept as before, we are continuing to push the envelope of most every device, material, process, etc.

What about computers? Just because they too were invented in the 40's and 50's look at the advances. I remember many times when people would think, we can't make them faster, smaller, etc, just to find out that a new material or method would allow just that. Remember, research and development dollars don't flow until a need is reached.

The limitations of yesterday are the goals for today and that hasn't changed for a long time.

Answer 3

those systems you mention are engineering accomplishments. the 1900s were a big century for science however with the discovery and explanation of the quantum nature of matter. that being said the consequences of these principles are still being uncovered. check out the journals science or nature if you have at least a basic training in science...

science, if you look at the pace of advancement, is going faster than ever...we know a good deal of stuff about the universe...how it behaves at the very small and at the very large, the next major advancement could very well the merging of the two....then at least we think we will have discovered all the basic physics of the universe. this is far from saying that science would be complete, just more of a grounding to explain the stuff we see

if you have a moderate background in science, which given your question may not be the case, take a look at the journals "science" or "nature" to give you an understanding of the rapid pace of science...."scientific american" is also a pretty good magazine format

no one could ever explicitly answer this question only because of a lack of space

Answer 4

Is the computer not science? Is rDNA synthesized insulin not science? Is lazer eye surgery to prevent blindness not science? Are hybrid cars not science? I could go on like this for days. Did you know that we now have color tv's and these things called microwave ovens used for cooking? Did you know we have not one, but two robotic roving devices on Mars? And they send back pictures? Gee whiz! Did you know we are building an International Space Station where people can live for months at a time? All I can say is, where have you been? Maybe you should put down the cell phones, turn-off the ipods/MP3's/PS3's and any other electronic gadget you find important and take a look at the world around you.

Answer 5

You don't think that being able to walk down the street and talk to someone clear across the globe is an advancement in science?

People are living longer due to advances in medicine and pharmacy.

The computing power of a gameboy is millions of times better than a room full of vacuum tubes that went as a supercomputer just a few decades ago.

You can fit the contents of hundreds of vinyl records onto a tiny mp3 player the size of your thumb.

You need to pay more attention to what's going on around you. I think I could list a hundred advancements just in the last decade.

Answer 6

The greatest invention in recent times is the Internet! It is so revolutionary that historians are now referring to this era as the information age. We have moved beyond an industrial society where products were king to a time when knowledge is the most valued commodity. The Internet facilitates the free and open exchange of knowledge on a global level. It allows research and discovery made in one little corner of the world to be nearly instantly propogated across the Earth. My proof: you're learning about my opinion as you read this.

Answer 7

It never has been a steady thing. Science makes leaps and stalls. They other issue is every scientific advance doesn't necessary reach the consumer and some long after they are developed.

The theory behind lasers goes back to the 1930's but its only been recently that a person could by a laser pointer or range finder.

Answer 8

How about chomosome work, counting the genes that make life.

One thing you need to understand is that to build technology requires that you build the tools to build the technology. Steam engines required wrenches and metal work. When you get to more complex technolgy sometimes you need to build the tools to build the tools to build teh tools that make just one part. Try building a computer chip and learn how many stages it went thru.
Now do the math to count genes in a person. They figured at first it would take 20 to 30 years to explore the helix coil. They are way ahead of the esitmate.

Answer 9

Advances in science are not always obviuos to everyone until they are actually brought to consumers. They are plenty of big inventions everyday that you might not ever notice.

Especially right now in the field of nanotechnology...how do you think those Nintendo Wii controllers work? The internet is a very practical invention, and you are using it right now.

Answer 10

I believe that the U.S. (as of right now) is in a "dark ages" mentality. It is all about the money, without regard to who gets hurt! The bush/corporate agenda is only concerned about the profit margin!
If this were not true, You would not be seeing companies patenting "genes", corporate greed on unprecedented levels (such as Enron), and the U.S.'s most profitable company able to get away with ridiculous health care levels, or auto companies such as GM killing new technologies in order to bleed the consumer dry on antiquated methods.
I hope that we as a nation can wake up SOON and figure out, that the profit margin of the corporations are NOT in our best interest, nor the best interest of unborn generations!