Technology, Society, and Ethics: Science & Research
Contents
Biotechnology
- Biotechnology: Topic PageThe Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines biotechnology as “The application of Science and Technology to living organisms as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or nonliving materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services.”
- Biosensor: Topic PageDevice based on microelectronic circuits that can directly measure medically significant variables for the purpose of diagnosis or monitoring treatment.
- Cloning: Topic Page
The process of asexual reproduction observed, for example, in bacteria and other unicellular micro-organisms which divide by simple fission, so that the daughter cells are genetically identical to each other and to the parent (except when mutation occurs). In higher organisms, genetically identical individuals may be produced by cloning. - DNA Fingerprinting: Topic PageAny of several similar techniques for analyzing and comparing DNA from separate sources, used especially in law enforcement to identify suspects.
- Genetic Engineering: Topic Page
All-inclusive term that describes the deliberate manipulation of genetic material by biochemical techniques. It is often achieved by the introduction of new DNA, usually by means of a virus or plasmid. This can be for pure research, gene therapy, or to breed functionally specific plants, animals, or bacteria. - Gene Therapy: Topic PageThe application of genetic engineering techniques to alter or replace a defective gene or genes. The procedures are still at the experimental stage, but it is hoped that they could lead to the prevention of hereditary diseases such as haemophilia.
Aerospace
- Space Exploration: Topic Page
The investigation of physical conditions in space and on stars, planets, and other celestial bodies through the use of artificial satellites, space probes, and spacecraft with human crews. - Hubble Space Telescope: Topic Page
An optical telescope launched into orbit around the Earth in 1990 in the space shuttle Discovery, allowing observation of a volume of the universe 350 times as large as that observable from Earth. - Space Shuttle: Topic Page
A reusable manned vehicle that takes off like a rocket but lands on a runway like an aircraft and which is designed to travel into space. - Space Station: Topic PageA large orbiting artificial satellite, where crews of astronauts can live and carry out scientific and technological research in space over periods of weeks or months.
- Space Probe: Topic PageSpace vehicle carrying sophisticated instrumentation but no crew, designed to explore various aspects of the solar system
Food Technology
- Agriculture & Food Science: LibGuideCredo's LibGuide on Agriculture and Food Science.
- Food Technology: Topic PageThe application of science to the commercial processing of foodstuffs.
- Genetically modified foods: Topic PageGenetically modified (GM) foods are increasingly controversial as they become more widespread. They have met a barrage of criticism and protest, and public confidence in them is low. New legislation on labelling has been introduced, partly in response to the controversy.
- Pharming: Topic PageThe use of genetically altered livestock, such as cows, goats, pigs, and chickens, to produce medically useful products.
Research Organizations
- NASA: Topic PageUS government agency for space flight and aeronautical research.
- CERN: Topic PageConseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (French), European Organization for Nuclear Research, now known as the European Laboratory for Particle Physics.
- European Space Agency (ESA): Topic PageMultinational agency dedicated to the promotion, for exclusively peaceful purposes, of cooperation among European states in space research and technology.
- U.S. Atomic Energy CommissionFormer U.S. government commission created by the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 and charged with the development and control of the U.S. atomic energy program following World War II.
Other Applications
- Artificial Intelligence: Topic PageArtificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of devices or mechanisms and machinery to perform functions usually associated with human intelligence, including scientific systems, reasoning, optimization through experience, and automated motor systems.
- Nanotechnology: Topic PageResearch on manufacturing objects on the scale of 100 nanometers or less is called nanoscience or nanotechnology.
- Robotics: Topic PageScience and technology of general purpose, programmable machine systems.