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Background
The end of the 19th century and both World Wars were
times of incredible scientific and technological
advancements. Pre
World War I
Medicine: Prior to World War I, advancements in medicine
greatly improved health  and increased overall life expectancy.
In 1870, French scientist
Louis Pasteur
discovered the link between germs and disease.
He also showed that killing germs, often prevented
the spread of certain diseases. In the 1880s,
German physician
Robert Koch discovered
that bacteria caused tuberculosis. After
such discoveries, people became more conscious of their hygiene
habits and washed more frequently. Following in Pasteur's
footsteps,
Joseph Lister, and English surgeon, decided
that germs cause post operative infections. He
then insisted doctors use
antiseptics, substances that
kill germs, on their hands and instruments before
surgery. This process greatly reduced the number
of deaths caused by infection after surgery. In 1928,
English scientist
Alexander Fleming observed that a mold
called Penicillium killed germs.
This discovery resulted in the development of
antibiotics,
which attack or weaken bacteria that cause many
diseases. Antibiotics were not widely used until
the 1940s. New
Inventions
As a result of
industrialization around the
world, many new inventions began to appear
at the end of the 19th century. One of the most
important innovations of this time, was the beginning
use of electricity. As the 19th century was powered by
steam, the 20th would be powered by electricity.
Thomas Edison developed the first practical light
bulb and soon American streets were using
electric lights. In homes, electricity was used to
run appliances and make life easier and more
comfortable.
Other inventions include the telephone, the radio,
and the automobile, devices that would define the 20th
century.
New Scientific
Theories
Radioactivity: French scientists
Marie and
Pierre
Curie experimented with a form of  energy
given off by certain substances. They discovered two new
radioactive substances, Radium, and Polonium.
This work resulted in advances in military technology,
medicine, and energy production.
Relativity:
Albert Einstein
developed his
Theory of Relativity
around the turn of the 20th century. His theory
changed the way many thought about how the universe
worked, and expanded scientific inquiry in physics.
World War I
World War I was a very costly war in both human life and
materials. Industrialization allowed people to
build more efficient killing machines. Most of the
scientific and technological advances during this time
deal with weaponry.
|
Technological
Advances in Warfare |
| Invention |
Description |
Use in Warfare |
| Automatic Machine
Gun |
Mounted rifle that fires
continuous stream of bullets |
Few gunners can mow down more
enemy |
| Tank |
Armored tracked vehicle with large
gun |
Protect troops as they advance
through enemy lines |
| Submarine |
Underwater ship armed with
torpedoes |
Used by Germany to destroy Allied
ships. |
| Airplane |
One or two seat propeller planes
with machine guns or bombs |
Air combat and observation |
| Poison Gas; Gas
Mask |
Gases that cause choking,
blinding, severe skin blisters; gas masks
protect against these attacks |
Used against enemy trenches, mass
killing and wounding; gas masks lessen
importance of chemical weapons |
World War II
Again, most technological and scientific advances deal
with military technology. Improvements in
weaponry, airplanes, ships and submarines all appeared.
Some of these improvements, such as air travel,
have civilian uses after the war. The biggest
innovation during
World War II was the use of nuclear
power. The United States developed two
atomic bombs which they used on Japan,
dropping them on
Hiroshima and
Nagasaki.
The development of these weapons resulted in the use of nuclear
energy in American and elsewhere, and is a prime
cause of the
Cold War.
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