GREEK CIVILIZATION

Greece is an archipelago in the southeastern part of Europe. Known as the birthplace of western
philosophy, some of the major achievements of the Greeks include in-depth works on philosophy and
mathematics. More than coliseums and the Olympics, the Greek civilization has contributed much to the
world especially in the fields of science and technology.

Alarm Clock

One of the most utilized gadgets today that was invented by the ancient Greeks is the alarm clock.
Although the alarm clock during that time did not resemble the present-day alarm clock, the purpose
was just the same—to tell an individual when to stop or when to start. The ancient Greek’s alarm clocks
used large complicated mechanisms to time the alarm. They made use of water (or sometimes small
stones or sand) that dropped into drums which sounded the alarm. Plato was believed to have utilized
an alarm clock to signal the start of his lecture. His version used four water vessels lined up vertically.

COCK Water Mill

- Watermills were also considered as one of the most important contributions of the Greek civilization to
the world. They were commonly used in agricultural processes like milling of grains which was a
necessary form of food processing during that time. Because milling was made possible by the use of
watermills, the mass production of rice, cereals, flours, and the like became common.
- Watermills were considered better than mills powered by farm animals because they required less
effort and time to operate since the farmer did not have to raise animals. They only required access to
rivers or flowing water where a mechanism of a large wheel with small “buckets” of water attached to it
could be installed.

ROMAN CIVILIZATION

The Roman Empire was perceived to be the strongest political and social entity in the west. It was
considered to be the cradle of politics and governance during that period. Because the Roman Empire
was so large, other civilizations looked up to it as their model in terms of legislation and codified laws.
Aside from their contributions in politics, a lot of discoveries and inventions still relevant today can be
attributed to the Roman Empire.

- One of the major contributions of the Romans is the newspaper. The first newspapers, known as
gazettes, contained announcements of the Roman Empire to the people. Made before the invention of
paper, these gazettes were engraved in metal or stone tablets and then publicly displayed.

Bound Books or Codex

-With the invention of paper, it became easier for civilizations to write down everything that happened
in their time. Record-keeping was much easier since paper did not easily break, was lightweight, and did
not occupy much space.

-With the papyrus pages bound together and covered by animal skin, the ancient Roman Empire was
able to produce the first books or codex.
Roman Architecture

This development in the field of engineering and architecture was fully supported and funded by the
Roman government so they were able to implement major projects such as large churches (cathedrals
and basilicas), aqueducts, coliseums, amphitheaters, and even residential houses. However, Roman
architecture was still regarded as pioneering since the Romans were able to adapt new building and
engineering technology on architectural designs established in the past. The Romans were also able to
creatively redesign old architectural patterns to adapt to the new trends at that time. In this manner,
they were able to preserve great and elaborate architectural designs because they could produce
sturdier and stronger infrastructures.

Roman Numerals

Although other number systems had already been established before the Roman numeral, these old
systems could not keep up with high calculation requirements due to the increasing rate of
communication and trade among nations. Although the Roman numeral is no longer widely used today
due to its inherent limitations, quite a number of enthusiasts would still use it over other more popular
number systems, like the Hindu-Arabic system, due to its aesthetic and historical value.

CHINESE CIVILIZATION

The Chinese civilization is considered to be the oldest civilization in Asia, if not the world. Also known as
the middle kingdom, China is located on the far east of Asia. It was famous among other ancient
civilizations because of its silk trade. Not a great amount was written about ancient China partly due to
its distance from the other civilizations. Despite its less popular status among the early civilizations, one
cannot discredit the significant contributions of Chinese civilization to the world.

Silk

One of the things that connected Far East China to the world is silk. Although silk is naturally produced
by silk worms, the Chinese were the ones who developed the technology to harvest the silk and process
it to produce paper and clothing Silk production resulted in the creation of a product for trade. The silk
trade opened China to the outside world, making way for cultural, economic, and scientific exchanges. It
bridged the gap between the western world and the middle kingdom.

Tea Production

Tea production was developed when an unknown Chinese inventor created a machine that was able to
shred tea leaves into strips. Tea is a beverage produced by pouring hot or boiling water over crushed or
shredded dried tea leaves. Tea production developed by the ancient Chinese may have resulted in
making tea as one of the most popular beverages in the world today.

Great Wall of China

Once considered the only man-made structure that could be seen from outer space, the Great Wall of
China is said to be the largest and most extensive infrastructure that the nation built. The structure was
so massive and strong that it was said to have literally divided China from the rest of the world. Made
with stone, brick, wood, earth, and other materials, it showcased the extent of Chinese engineering
technology at that time.
Gunpowder

They mixed charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate, but instead of creating an elixir of life, they
accidentally invented a black powder that could actually generate large amounts of heat and gas in an
instant. They mixed charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate, but instead of creating an elixir of life, they
accidentally invented a black powder that could actually generate large amounts of heat and gas in an
instant. Ironically, instead of prolonging life, gunpowder is widely used to propel bullets from guns and
cannons which cause countless deaths. In fact, gunpowder-propelled weapons are preferred by raiders
who plan to attack at a distance. Gunpowder The gunpowder is one of the most interesting inventions in
China. The gunpowder is one of the most interesting inventions in China.

MEDIEVAL/MIDDLE AGES

The start of the middle ages was marred by massive invasions and migrations. Wars were prevalent
during this time. As such, great technology was needed in the fields of weaponry, navigation, mass food
and farm production, and health. The wars have resulted in population decline, but during the latter part
of the period, there was a significant rise in population. Trade and commerce among nations increased,
which resulted in greater demands for transportation technology. Some of the most innovative minds
came from this period.

PRINTING PRESS

After the Chinese developed woodblock printing, Johann Gutenberg was able to invent the printing
press, a more reliable way of printing using a cast type. He utilized wooden machines that extracted
juices from fruits, attached to them a metal impression of the letters, and pressed firmly the cast metal
into a piece of paper, which then made an exact impression on paper.

MICROSCOPE

More and more people transferred to polluted and populated urban areas which resulted in more
people getting sick and needing medical attention. With this device, people were able to observe
organisms that were normally unseen by the naked eye. Guided by the principles used for the invention
of eyeglasses in carlier years, Zacharias Janssen was able to develop the first compound microscope.

TELESCOPE

Considering the vast and empty oceans that separated lands, ship captains needed to see far and wide
for them to navigate or to avoid dangers at sea. The invention of the telescope, an optical instrument
that helps in the observation of remote objects, was a great help for navigators during this time.

WAR WEAPONS

For open-area battles, people developed cross bows and long bows so that they could attack the
enemies at long ranges, keeping themselves safe with the protection of walls and fortresses.
Additionally, in close range hand-to-hand combat, soldiers should wear something to protect
themselves, a need addressed by the creation of iron body armors. Since wars were widespread during
the Middle Ages, great development in the weaponry technology also occurred.
MODERN TIMES

The booming world population during the nineteenth century onwards demanded that more goods be
produced at a faster rate. People needed efficient means of transportation to trade more goods and
cover a larger distance. Machines that required animals to operate must thus be upgraded. Faster and
easier means to communicate and compute should be developed to establish connections between and
among nations. All these needs resulted in the development of industries. However, due to massive
industrialization, the modern times again faced more complicated problems. Food processing and
medicine posed some of the bigger challenges since health was of great concern.

PASTEURIZATION

As people were able to develop better means of production to meet the needs of the population, food
preservation and food safety became an issue. The challenge to keep manufactured food from
deteriorating was greater for dairy products, especially milk, since they usually spoiled faster.

PETROLEUM REFINERY

Kerosene was later on referred to as the “illuminating oil” because it was used at first to provide lighting
to homes. The modern times demanded better means of powering homes and transportation. At
present, petroleum is widely used in powering automobiles, factories, and power plants, among others.
At first, people used animal oils for generating light to illuminate their homes.

TELEPHONE

The more people got connected by trade and exploration, the more they needed a way to easily
maintain these connections and communicate with each other in real time. Important day-to-day
decisions must be discussed and addressed at the fastest time possible.

CALCULATOR

Although an earlier version of the calculator had already been developed, circumstances in the modern
times required a faster way to compute more complicated equations. The creation of modern
calculators did not only pave the way for easier arithmetic calculations, but also resulted in the
development of more complex processing machines like the computer.

PHILIPPINE INVENTIONS

Despite being considered a developing country, the Philippines also contributes to the global
advancement of science and technology. Many of the discoveries and inventions made by the Filipinos
were therefore built from indigenous materials or created to adapt to the harsh tropical environment.

Aside from people who live in coastal areas, it may also benefit those from far-flung barrios because
they can make their own saltwater by mixing two tablespoons of salt and a glass of tap water. She
invented the Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt) lamp, an environment-friendly light source that runs
on saltwater.
SALt Lamp

The SALt lamp is safer as it poses no risk of fire and emits no toxic gases. Solar power is also a welcome
development but like rechargeable batteries, solar panels are too expensive for ordinary Filipinos.

MEDICAL INCUBATOR

One reason for this problem in the 20th century was the lack of available incubators especially in far
flung rural areas due to lack of resources and electricity. Dr. Fe del Mundo, a Filipino pediatrician and
the first Asian woman admitted into Harvard Medical School, devised a medical incubator made from
indigenous and cheap materials which did not run on electricity. Other breakthroughs in Philippine
medicine attributed to Dr. del Mundo include her works on the immunization and treatment of jaundice
and the BRAT diet for curing diarrhea.

MOSQUITO OVICIDAL/LARVICIDAL TRAP SYSTEM

Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral illness, is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas, including the
Philippines. This trap system is made of natural ingredients that are lethal to mosquitos but safe for
humans and the environment. In 2010, the Department of Science and Technology-Industrial
Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) was able to introduce the Mosquito Ovicidal/ Larvicidal
Trap System, also known as OL Trap.

EJEEPNEY

However, the diesel powered jeepney produces large quantities of black smoke, and is usually a major
contributor of noise pollution due to its primitive exhaust system. A major innovation that changed the
transportation industry in the Philippines was the development of the jeepney. Because of its
usefulness, the jeepney dominated Philippine streets and is considered as the primary mode of
transportation of most Filipinos. This modern type of transportation utilizes electricity instead of the
more expensive diesel.