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The planet is warming, from North Pole to South Pole. Since 1906, the global average surface temperature has increased by more than 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit (0.9 degrees Celsius)- even more in sensitive polar regions. And the impacts of rising temperatures aren't waiting for some far-flung future-the effects of global warming are appearing right now. The heat is melting glaciers and sea ice, shifting precipitation patterns, and setting animals on the move.

Many people think of global warming and climate change as synonyms, but scientists prefer to use "climate change" when describing the complex shifts now affecting our planet's weather and climate systems. Climate change encompasses not only rising average temperatures but also extreme weather events, shifting wildlife populations and habitats, rising seas, and a range of other impacts. All of these changes are emerging as humans continue to add heat-trapping greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

Scientists already have documented these impacts of climate change:

Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth's poles. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice. In Montana's Glacier National Park the number of glaciers has declined to fewer than 30 from more than 150 in 1910.

Much of this melting ice contributes to sea-level rise. Global sea levels are rising 0.13 inches (3.2 millimeters) a year. The rise is occurring at a faster rate in recent years and is predicted to accelerate in the coming decades.

Rising temperatures are affecting wildlife and their habitats. Vanishing ice has challenged species such as the Adélie penguin in Antarctica, where some populations on the western peninsula have collapsed by 90 percent or more.

As temperatures change, many species are on the move. Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have migrated farther north or to higher, cooler areas.

Precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe, on average. Yet some regions are experiencing more severe drought, increasing the risk of wildfires, lost crops, and drinking water shortages.

Some species-including mosquitoes, ticks, jellyfish, and crop pests-are thriving. Booming populations of bark beetles that feed on spruce and pine trees, for example, have devastated millions of forested acres in the U.S.

Other effects could take place later this century, if warming continues. These include:

Sea levels are expected to rise between 10 and 32 inches (26 and 82 centimeters) or higher by the end of the century.

Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger. Floods and droughts will become more common. Large parts of the U.S., for example, face a higher risk of decades-long "megadroughts" by 2100.

Less freshwater will be available, since glaciers store about three-quarters of the world's freshwater.

Some diseases will spread, such as mosquito-borne malaria (and the 2016 resurgence of the Zika virus).

Ecosystems will continue to change: Some species will move farther north or become more successful; others, such as polar bears, won't be able to adapt and could become extinct.

Read next: Is Global Warming Real?

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The planet is warming, from North Pole to South Pole, and everywhere in between.

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We often think about human-induced climate change as something that will happen in the future, but it is happening now. Ecosystems and people in the United States and around the world are affected by the ongoing process of climate change today.

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25 Technologies that have changed the world

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25 Technologies that have changed the world

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If seems a long time ago, that's because it was. The DVD player was the hot new entertainment device, mobile phones were bulky and did little besides place calls, and accessing the internet was a novel (and slow) experience confined to desktop computers. It also was the year CNET began publishing news and reviews .

Technology has changed immensely in . One could argue that it's continued to improve our lives, keeping us more connected to information, entertainment and each other. You also could argue just the opposite, but either way, there are a few gadgets and technologies that have changed our lives and the world forever. Here are 25 influential advancements from the past quarter century.

Apple iPhone

Though it wasn't the first smartphone, Apple really got the ball rolling with the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. Social media, messaging and the mobile internet wouldn't be nearly as powerful or universal if they hadn't been freed from the shackles of the desktop computer and optimized for the iPhone and its dozens of competitors.

Armed with powerful features and able to run thousands of apps, they squeezed more functionality into one device than we'd ever seen before. The mobile revolution also brought the death of point-and-shoot cameras, dashboard GPS units, camcorders, PDAs and MP3 players. Now we use smartphones to shop, as a flashlight and sometimes even to call people. It's tech's version of the Swiss Army knife.

Now, 13 years after the iPhone's introduction, more than 3.5 billion people around the world use a smartphone, nearly half the Earth's population. You may even be using one to read this article.

Wi-Fi

The smartphone and the internet we use today wouldn't have been possible without wireless communication technologies such as Wi-Fi. In 1995 if you wanted to "surf" the internet at home, you had to chain yourself to a network cable like it was an extension cord. In 1997, Wi-Fi was invented and released for consumer use. With a router and a dongle for our laptop, we could unplug from the network cable and roam the house or office and remain online.

Over the years, Wi-Fi's gotten progressively faster and found its way into computers, mobile devices and even cars. Wi-Fi is so essential to our personal and professional lives today that it's almost unheard of to be in a home or public place that doesn't have it.

Internet of things

Wi-Fi hasn't just allowed us to check email or escape boredom at the in-laws, it also made possible a ton of consumer devices that connect and share information without human interaction, creating a system called the internet of things. The term was coined in 1999, but the idea didn't start to take off with consumers until the past decade.

Today, there are tens of billions of internet-connected devices around the globe that allow us to perform smart home tasks such as turning on our lights, checking who's at our front door and getting an alert when we're out of milk. It also has industrial applications, such as in health care and management of municipal services.

Spending on internet of things technology is expected to hit $248 billion this year, more than twice the amount spent three years ago. In five years, the market is expected to top $1.5 trillion.

Voice assistants

For many consumers, the heart of the smart home is a voice assistant such as Amazon's Alexa, Google's Assistant and Apple's Siri. In addition to being a prerequisite for controlling devices in your home, their connected speakers will tell you the weather, read you the news and play music from various streaming services, among thousands of other "skills."

There were more than 3.25 billion voice assistant devices in use around the world in 2019, and that number is expected to more than double to 8 billion by 2023. But they also present a privacy headache, since the devices are essentially internet-connected microphones that transmit your conversations to servers at Amazon, Google or Apple. All three companies have admitted to using human contractors to listen to select conversations from the voice assistants in an effort to improve their software's accuracy.

Bluetooth

Another wireless communication technology that has proven indispensable is Bluetooth, a radio link that connects devices over short distances. Introduced to consumers in 1999, Bluetooth was built for connecting a mobile phone to a hands-free headset, allowing you to carry on conversations while keeping your hands available for other uses, such as driving a car.

Bluetooth has since expanded to link devices like earbuds, earphones, portable wireless speakers and hearing aids to audio sources like phones, PCs, stereo receivers and even cars. Fitness trackers use Bluetooth to stream data to mobile phones, and PCs can connect wirelessly to keyboards and mice.

Between 2012 and 2018, the number of Bluetooth-enabled devices in the world nearly tripped to 10 billion. Today, Bluetooth is being employed in the smart home for uses such as unlocking door locks and beaming audio to lightbulbs with built-in speakers.

VPN

The virtual private network, essentially an encrypted tunnel for transferring data on the internet, has proven invaluable for both businesses and individuals. Developed in 1996, the technology initially was used almost exclusively by businesses so their remote employees could securely access the company's intranet .

VPN use has grown in popularity since then, with about a quarter of internet users using a VPN in 2018. Today, other popular uses for VPNs include hiding online activity, bypassing internet censorship in countries without a free internet and avoiding geography-based restrictions on streaming services.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is the digital cryptocurrency that racked up headlines with its meteoric rise in value a few years back and then its equally breathtaking decline, and it's another technology made popular by anonymity. It cracked the $1,000 threshold for the first time on Jan. 1, 2017, topped $19,000 in December of that year and then lost about 50 percent of its value during the first part of 2018.

The decentralized currency incorporates technology, currency, math, economics and social dynamics. And it's anonymous; instead of using names, tax IDs or Social Security numbers, bitcoin connects buyers and sellers through encryption keys.

Computers running special software -- the "miners" -- inscribe transactions in a vast digital ledger. These blocks are known, collectively, as the "blockchain." But the computational process of mining for bitcoins can be arduous, with thousands of miners competing simultaneously.

Blockchain

Perhaps bigger than bitcoin is blockchain, the encryption technology behind the cryptocurrency. Because blockchains work as a secure digital ledger, a bumper crop of startups hope to bring it to voting, lotteries, ID cards and identity verification, graphics rendering, welfare payments, job hunting and insurance payments.

It's potentially a very big deal. Analyst firm Gartner estimates that blockchain will provide $176 billion in value to businesses by 2025 and a whopping $3.1 trillion by 2030.

MP3

Entertainment has become a whole lot more portable in the past quarter century, in large part due to the introduction of the MP3 and MP4 compression technologies. Research into high-quality, low-bit-rate coding began in the 1970s. The idea was to compress audio into a digital file with little or no loss of audio quality. The MP3 standard that we know today emerged in the mid-'90s, but the first mobile MP3 player wasn't available to consumers until 1998, when South Korea's , a flash-based player that could hold about 12 songs.

The format's popularity took off in 1999, when 19-year-old student Shawn Fanning created the software behind the pioneering file-sharing service Napster, allowing users to swap MP3 files with each other across the internet for free. That activity famously cut into the profits of the recording industry and artists, which filed lawsuits that eventually toppled Napster, but the format helped give rise to the market for streaming music services like Spotify, Apple Music and many others.

Facial recognition

Facial recognition is a blossoming field of technology that's playing an ever-growing role in our lives. It's a form of biometric authentication that uses the features of your face to verify your identity.

The tech helps us unlock devices and sort photos in digital albums, but surveillance and marketing may end up being its prime uses. Cameras linked to facial recognition databases containing millions of mugshots and driver's license photos are used to identify suspected criminals. They also could be used to recognize your face and make personalized shopping recommendations as you enter a store.

Both activities raise privacy concerns, which range from law enforcement overreach, to systems with hidden racial biases, to hackers gaining access to your secure information. And some systems aren't always very accurate.

Even so, the market isn't showing any signs of stalling. In the US alone, the facial recognition industry is expected to grow from $3.2 billion in 2019 to $7 billion by 2024.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence - simulating human intelligence in machines - used to be confined to science fiction. But in recent decades, it's broken into the real world, becoming one of the most important technologies of our time. In addition to being the brains behind facial recognition, AI is helping to solve critical problems in transportation, retail and health care ( spotting breast cancer missed by human eyes, for example). On the internet, it's used for everything from speech recognition to spam filtering. Warner Bros. even plans to use AI to analyze its potential movies and choose which ones to put into development.

But there's also fear that a dystopian future is looming with the creation of autonomous weapons, including drones, missile defense systems and sentry robots. Industry leaders have called for regulation of the technology to prevent the potential harm from tools like deepfakes, which are video forgeries that make people seem to say or do things they didn't.

Drones

Drones have really taken off in recent years. What started out as a hobbyist gadget has transformed industries, with the unmanned aircraft shooting movie sequences, delivering packages to hard-to-reach places, surveying construction sites and spraying pesticide over crops to protect farms.

Drones now range from noisy quadcopters to payload-carrying mini-planes. On the US-Mexico border, Customs and Border Protection uses $16 million military-style Predator drones that can fly as high as nine miles, equipped with radar strong enough to detect footprints in the sand.

In the not-too-distant future, drones are expected to crowd the skies, acting as personal air taxis and performing lifesaving duties such as delivering medicine, helping with search and rescue, and fighting fires.

DNA testing kits

With a simple swab of your cheek or a sample of your saliva, DNA testing kits have helped deepen our understanding of ancestry, introduced us to living relatives around the world, determined paternity and shed light on a predisposition to specific health issues and diseases.

Over the past few years, the kits have become quite affordable and popular. Law enforcement agencies in particular have grown fond of the kits. Using a technique called genetic genealogy, they've cracked dozens of murder, rape and assault cases , some from decades ago.

Then investigators use traditional genealogical research to identify possible suspects, who are then tested for a DNA match to the crime scene. But the practice relies on investigators having access to a large cache of DNA profiles, and it stirs worries among privacy watchdogs.

Quantum computing

Companies and countries are pouring billions of dollars into quantum computing research and development. They're betting it will pay off by opening up new abilities in chemistry, shipping, materials design, finance, artificial intelligence and more.

The technology is beginning to show some of the promise researchers have hyped for decades. Last year, a Google-designed quantum processor called Sycamore completed a task in 200 seconds that, by Google's estimate, would take 10,000 years on the world's fastest supercomputer.

Honeywell, which once sold massive mainframes, predicts the performance of its quantum computers will grow by a factor of 10 every year for each of the next five years -- meaning they'd be 100,000 times faster in 2025.

Social networking

The online world was a very different place two decades ago. Social networkers of a certain age may remember Friendster, the site that launched in 2002 and allowed people to fill out an online profile and connect with people they knew in real life. But two years later, Mark Zuckerberg changed everything when he launched a social-networking site for college students called Facebook. It opened to the general public in 2006 and quickly left Friendster and MySpace far behind.

Today Facebook helps people connect and stay connected, but its real business is advertising. Last year, it brought in $32 billion in ad revenue. It also helped pave the way for other social networks that help people chat, share photos and find jobs, among other activities. It now has 2.37 billion users - nearly a third of the world's population.

3D printing

3D printing -- the process of synthesizing a three-dimensional object -- is one of those technologies that edges ever closer to mainstream use every year. We've seen the concept play out on TV and in movies for years, and now with home 3D printers it's finally growing beyond a wildly exotic hobby for a small enthusiast audience.

3D printing got an early foothold as a way to design prototypes of just about anything. The technology allows manufacturers to build plastic components that are lighter than metal alternatives and with unusual shapes that can't be made by conventional injection molding methods.

The devices are used to create materials inside football helmets and Adidas running shoes, and Porsche plans to roll out a new 3D printing program that will allow customers to have their cars' seats partially 3D-printed.

Some call 3D printing the fourth industrial revolution. Spending in the field is growing at about 13% annually among large US companies, consulting firm Deloitte estimates, and will likely reach $2 billion in 2020.

Video streaming

Twenty-five years ago, a new media storage format was taking the entertainment world by storm. DVDs had superior picture and sound quality to the VHS tape, and they took up less room on your shelves. Movie rental stores abandoned VHS for DVDs, and online rental services like Netflix popped up, offering the convenience of mailing rented discs directly to you.

Then Netflix introduced its streaming service, allowing people to watch movies and TV shows across the internet. Consumers fell in love with the convenience of on-demand programming and began the phenomenon of "cutting the cord." As more streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and YouTube emerged, consumers started canceling cable and satellite subscriptions and rental services such as Blockbuster went belly up.

By next year, more than one-fifth of US households are expected to have cut the cord on cable and satellite services, according to eMarketer.

Music streaming

Vinyl will always be popular among audiophiles, but streaming is still the future of music listening. Streaming music is cheap or even free (in the case of Pandora and Spotify) and outpaces any physical format when it comes to convenience.

Streaming now represents 85% of all music consumption in the US, a 7.6% increase over 2018, according to BuzzAngle Music. In 2019, on-demand audio stream consumption hit a record 705 billion streams, a 32% increase over the previous year.

In 2019, total music industry revenues rose 13% to $11.1 billion, with streaming accounting for nearly 80% of that total, according to the RIAA. But at the same time, album sales fell 23% in 2019 and song sales dropped 26%. And that's after declines of 18.2% and 28.8%, respectively, the previous year.

Apps

Mobile apps have changed the way we consume media and communicate, from news and streaming services to texting and social media apps. They have also changed the way we go about living our daily lives, helping us find on-demand rides, short- and long-term rentals, and have food delivered to our door, just to name a few of the countless benefits.

There are more than 2 million apps in the Apple App Store, generating about $50 billion in revenue.

Autonomous vehicles

The promise of autonomous vehicles has been touted for more than a decade: Without human drivers, proponents say, cars will be safer and more comfortable, especially on long trips. Technology companies have been working on making them a reality for a long time. The driverless vehicle fleet from Waymo, the autonomous car company owned by Google parent Alphabet, has driven more than 20 million miles on public roads since its founding in 2009.

Fully self-driving cars may not arrive in dealerships for another decade, but we're already benefiting from the technology being developed for autonomous vehicles, including adaptive cruise control, automatic forward-collision braking, automatic parking, autopilot and lane-keep assist.

Retailers fell in love with radio frequency identification tracking some 20 years ago, touting the little chips as a convenient way to control inventory and reduce theft, without people having to make contact with the tagged item. Today, they have a variety of applications, including tracking cars, computer equipment and books. They're implanted into animals to help identify the owners of lost pets, farmers use them to monitor crops and livestock, and they help food companies track the source of packaged goods.

Thanks to growing demand, especially in the medical and health care industries, where the tracking technology is used to monitor patients and label medications, spending in the RFID tag industry is projected to hit $17 billion, more than twice the $8.2 billion spent in 2018.

Virtual reality

Companies large and small have begun using virtual reality, which transports users to a computer-generated world. Once confined to the realm of science-fiction movies like Walt Disney's Tron, virtual reality has grown into a real-world industry worth an estimated $18 billion.

While the video game industry was expected to get an economic boost from virtual reality, the broader tech industry sees other applications for the nascent technology, including education, , architecture and .

Videoconferencing

As the coronavirus pandemic has changed the world we live in, forcing us to avoid contact with others and shelter in place, videoconferencing has exploded in popularity. A few months ago, this technology wouldn't have made our list, but now it's proving indispensable. Video telephony has been around in some form since the 1970s, but it wasn't until the web debuted that the technology took off.

Along with webcams, free internet services such as Skype and iChat popularized the tech in the 2000s, taking videoconferencing to all corners of the internet. The corporate world embraced the tool as a way to cut down on employee travel for meetings and as a marketing tool.

As companies and schools implemented policies on work and study from home, video chatting and conferencing apps grew in popularity as a way to get work done and communicate with friends and family, especially among people who had never used the tech before.

E-cigarettes

Battery-operated e-cigarettes hit the US market about a decade ago, touted as a safer alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes. However, they didn't really gain traction until 2015, when Juul Labs debuted its discreet USB-size vaporizer and quickly became the industry leader.

In 2019, an increasing number of people who vape were winding up in hospital with symptoms that include coughing, shortness of breath and other health problems after vaping -- and at least 54 people have died.

Juul is accused in a lawsuit of illegally targeting young people online in advertising campaigns. Vaping companies have been sued on similar grounds in other courts. San Francisco banned the sale of e-cigarettes in June.

Ransomware

The first ransomware attack can be traced to the late 1980s, but the malware has grown in prominence as one of the greatest cybersecurity threats since 2005. Ransomware locks down a victim's computer system until a ransom, usually in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency, is paid. Hackers often threaten to erase data. It spreads like other malware does, through email attachments or unsecured links.

Ransomware attacks skyrocketed in 2019, hitting nearly 1,000 government agencies, educational establishments and health care providers in the US, at an estimated cost of $7.5 billion.

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25 technologies that have changed the world

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For better or worse, these techs and gadgets changed our lives in the past quarter century.

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10 Tech inventions that have changed the world

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10 Tech inventions that have changed the world

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As you can imagine, It's pretty difficult to create a list of the top 10 technologies that have changed the world.

Why?

Because there have been so many over the past few thousand years, it's next to impossible to pick out just 10.

For example, when we think of technology, we think of the internet, computers, cellphones, nanotechnology, quantum physics, the internet of things, 3D printing, just to name a few.

But keep in mind how the world changed with the invention of the wheel, invented over 5,500 years ago.

Or compare the light bulb, invented in the 1800s, to the James J. Webb Space Telescope launched on Christmas day last year. This space telescope is now sitting one million miles from the Earth, positioned perfectly between the Earth and the sun, where objects sent there tend to say put.

It is hard to compare the wheel to the James Webb Telescope from a technology standpoint in this modern digital world. But when you look at how those two technologies changed the world, you have to give the wheel its proper respect.

So even though it is next to impossible to pick the top ten technologies, here is a list of the possible top ten.

Enjoy!

10 Technologies That Changed The World

1. The Wheel

It's pretty hard to argue that the wheel isn't one of the biggest engineering marvels the world has ever seen. This basic technology made it easier to travel and served as the base for many other innovations and technologies.

The oldest known wheel is from Mesopotamia around 3,500 B.C. And the real, impactful invention wasn't the wheel, but the fixed axle, allowing the wheel to be connected to a stable platform.

So it's hard to argue against the wheel being at number one!

2. Electricity (Battery)

Electricity has been with us forever, but the challenge was to turn it into something useful. And this happened when battery electricity was created.

We all are familiar with the term volts. It came from Alexandro Volta, who is credited with discovering the first practical battery in 1799. And then Michael Faraday discovered the principles of electric generation.

And it's kind of interesting that a prehistoric battery was around 2,000 years ago, when a clay jar was filled with a vinegar solution, and an iron rod covered in copper was inserted into the clay jar.

3. Automobile

No, Henry Ford did not event the automobile. However, he did create a mass-production technique that allowed the car to be mass-produced...changing the world.

The actual first automobile was built in 1769 by Nicolas-Joseph Cugno, who developed the first steam-powered automobiles. And that was followed by German inventor Karl Benz who patented the first Motorwagen.

4. Lightbulb

We all know that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, right? Wrong! Or at least, that is not totally accurate.

A gentleman from England named Joseph Swan created a carbonized paper filament and evacuated a glass bulb to make the first official light bulb. But without a proper vacuum tube, his invention didn't last long enough to have any commercial use.

That credit goes to yours-truly Thomas Edison, who created the first metal filament in 1878, and turned it into the first commercially viable light bulb. And the world was never the same!

5. Transistors

The transistor is an important component in almost every electronic device. And in 1926, Julius Lilienfeld patented the first field transistor, but unfortunately, it was not commercially viable.

That changed in 1947, when John Barden, Walter Brattain, and Willian Shockley developed the first commercial transistor in Bell Laboratories. And this earned all three a Nobel Prize in physics.

And transistors have become a fundamental piece of electronic devices that allows us to use cellphones, computers, and televisions. Arguably, the leading technology for this digital-first world.

6. The refrigerator

Even though many of you might think the refrigerator shouldn't be on the top ten list, think about how life would be without it.

It was invented over 150 years ago by James Harrison, who built the first practical vapor compression system. But the first widespread refrigerator was built by G.E. in 1927, which started the industrial use of refrigeration, changing the world.

And, from a personal standpoint, if it wasn't for the refrigerator, I couldn't keep my beer cold. So for me, it puts this technology in the top ten!

7. Television

There is no question that television has changed all of our lives and probably should be higher on the list.

But you can't keep beer cold on television.

The television was created by the work of many different people, but one of the first names to be associated with the television was a 23-year-old German student named Paul Nipkow. But the first transmission of images was by Georges Rignoux in Paris in 1909.

8. The Computer

The father of the computer is considered to be Charles Babbage, along with Ada Lovelace, who created the first programs. Babbage invented the first mechanical computer. Although there is no single real inventor of the modern computer, the original idea came from Alan Turing in 1936

And can you imagine if these early inventors could see where computers are now, they couldn't comprehend how their invention influenced an entire generation? Pretty cool!

9. World Wide Web

It might surprise you that the internet and the world wide web are not exactly the same thing.

The internet started with a prototype in the 1960s, called ARPANET, or the Advanced Research Project Agency Network. Although the first prototype adopted the TCP/IP protocols in 1983, the modern internet has a crown.

The World Wide Web is a way to access information using the internet, and the internet is the networking infrastructure the WWW uses.

It is a small distinction, but an important one for the gear-heads out there!

10. Telephone and mobile phones

In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell spoke the first words over a telephone. He said, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you."

The telephone made it possible for people to communicate quickly and efficiently. It also made it much more convenient for businesses to conduct their affairs.

Cellphones changed the world because three-quarters of the people on Earth now have a mobile phone, and most have access to the internet.

In closing

So there you have it, the Top 10 technologies (inventions) that changed the world. And of course, this is a very subjective list, and we could all argue many things are missing.

To help with that, I want to thank author Alekhya Sai Punnamaraju from the publication Interesting Engineering. He created an awesome article I used as a reference.

In this article, he listed 35 inventions that changed the world.

Here are his top 35 ... see if you think anything is missing.

If you would like to check out the full article, go here: 35 Inventions That Changed The World

And to be fair, our technology gurus at Imagine IT have a different idea of the top technologies than the average Joe. They are a little bit more technologically advanced than the most of us.

Our Techs Top Ten Technologies

1. Artificial Intelligence

2. Cloud Computing

3. Machine Learning

4. Data Analytics

5. Cyber Security

6. Blockchain

7. Networking

8. Virtual Reality

9. IoT (Internet of Things

10. AoT (The Array of Things) AoT is a network of sensors that collects data and solves problems.

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Ten Technologies (Inventions) That Have Changed The World

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As you can imagine, It's pretty difficult to create a list of the top 10 technologies that have changed the world. Why? Because there have been so many over the past few thousand years, it's next to impossible to pick out just 10. For example, when we think of technology, we think of the internet,...

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For 20 years, the astronauts aboard the International Space Station have conducted science in a way that cannot be done anywhere else. Orbiting about 250 miles above our planet, the space station is the only laboratory available for long-duration microgravity research.

During the past two decades, the space station has supported numerous discoveries, scientific publications, unique opportunities, and historic breakthroughs. This research not only helps us explore farther into space, it also benefits us back on Earth.

To mark 20 years of science, take a look at 20 scientific and technological breakthroughs we have achieved as a result of space station science.
Click on each breakthrough in the list below to learn more about it, why we conducted the research in microgravity, and why it matters.
20 Breakthroughs from 20 Years

Fundamental disease research: Alzheimer's Disease. Parkinson's Disease. Cancer. Asthma. Heart Disease. If any of these conditions has affected your life, so has space station research.

Discovery of steadily burning cool flames: When scientists burned fuel droplets in the Flame Extinguishing Experiment (FLEX) study, something unexpected occurred. A heptane fuel droplet appeared to extinguish, but actually continued to burn without a visible flame at temperatures two-and-a-half times cooler than a typical candle.

New water purification systems: Water is vital for human survival. Unfortunately, many people around the world lack access to clean water. At-risk areas can gain access to advanced filtration and purification systems through technology that was developed for the space station, enabling the astronauts living aboard to recycle 93% of their water.

Drug development using protein crystals: Protein crystal growth experiments conducted aboard the space station have provided insights into numerous disease treatments, from cancer to gum disease to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Methods to combat muscle atrophy and bone loss: Space studies have contributed greatly to our knowledge of bone and muscle loss in astronauts - and how to mitigate those effects. The knowledge gained also applies to people on Earth dealing with diseases such as osteoporosis.

Exploring the fifth state of matter: 25 years ago, scientists first produced a fifth state of matter, called a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), on Earth. In 2018, NASA's Cold Atom Lab became the first facility to produce that state of matter in space. This achievement may provide insight into fundamental laws of quantum mechanics.

Understanding how our bodies change in microgravity: When humans head to Mars, we need to know what challenges we face. Long-term stays aboard the space station have uncovered unexpected ways that the human body changes in microgravity.

Testing tissue chips in space: Tissue chips are roughly thumb-drive-sized devices that contain human cells in a 3D matrix, representing functions of an organ. Chips have been sent to station, seeking to better understand the impact of microgravity on human health and to translate that understanding to improved health on Earth.

Stimulating the low-Earth orbit economy: From satellite deployment to in-space research, a vibrant commercial space economy has developed, with a value that now exceeds $345 billion. The space station has been a key part of supporting that growth.

Growing food in microgravity: The ability to grow supplemental food can help humans explore farther from Earth. Many techniques for growing plants have been explored aboard the space station to prepare for these missions. On August 10, 2015, astronauts sampled their first space-grown salad, and astronauts now are growing radishes in space.

Deployment of CubeSats from station: CubeSats are one of the smallest types of satellites and provide a cheaper way to perform science and technology demonstrations in space. More than 250 CubeSats have now been deployed from the space station, jumpstarting research and satellite companies.

Monitoring our planet from a unique perspective: The capacity to host varying complements of instruments, both internal and external, has evolved the station into a robust platform for researchers studying Earth's water, air, land masses, vegetation, and more while providing them additional views beyond those of NASA's typical Earth remote-sensing satellites.

Collecting data on more than 100 billion cosmic particles: The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer - 02 has provided researchers around the globe with data that can help determine what the universe is made of and how it began.

A better understanding of pulsars and black holes: Two tools installed on the outside of the space station, NICER and MAXI, have worked in tandem to advance our knowledge of pulsars and black holes.

Student access to an orbiting laboratory: Companies and professors are not the only ones using the space station for microgravity research. Station has given elementary- to college-aged students access to science in space and the opportunity to study microgravity's effects.

Capability to identify unknown microbes in space: Having the ability to identify microbes in real time in space without the need to send them back to Earth for identification would be revolutionary for the world of microbiology and space exploration. The Genes in Space-3 team turned that possibility into reality in 2017.

Opening up the field of colloid research: Toothpaste, 3D printing, pharmaceuticals, and detecting shifting sands on Mars may not seem related to each other at all, yet each stands to benefit from improvements made thanks to research on colloids aboard the space station.

The evolution of fluid physics research: Fluids cover our planet, but sending them to space can help us better understand how they flow. The study of fluids in space has progressed from fundamental research into the testing of technology applications ranging from advanced medical devices to heat transfer systems.

3D printing in microgravity: The first item was 3D printed on the space station in 2014. Since then, we have explored 3D printing using recycled materials and even printing human tissue.

Responding to natural disasters: With crew handheld camera imagery as a core component, the station has become an active participant in orbital data collection to support disaster response activities both within the U.S. and abroad.
Explore all of these breakthroughs in more detail below
Fundamental disease research

Alzheimer's Disease. Parkinson's Disease. Cancer. Asthma. Heart Disease. If any of these conditions have impacted your life, space station research has also affected you. Microgravity research has provided new insights to scientists studying these diseases. Without the interference of Earth's gravity, Alzheimer's researchers have studied protein clusters that can cause neurodegenerative diseases. Cancer researchers studied the growth of endothelial cells on the space station. Endothelial cells help supply blood in the body, and tumors need that blood to form. Space station-grown cells grow better than those on Earth and can help test new cancer treatments.

Why do this in space? Studying cells, organoids, and protein clusters without the influence of gravity - or even the forces of container walls - can help researchers get a clearer understanding of their properties, behaviors, and responses to treatments.

Why does it matter? The space station is a tool that provides new perspectives to the fight against diseases affecting millions of people that we have been working to combat for generations.
Learn more: Space Station Cell Study Seeks Causes of Major Diseases NASA, Industry Partner for Space-based Study of Potential Alzheimer's Key Understanding Asthma from Space Vascular Studies in Space: Good for Everyone's Heart
Discovery of steadily burning cool flames

When we think about fire, we typically think about heat, but special flames created aboard the space station keep things a bit cooler.

When scientists burned fuel droplets in the Flame Extinguishing Experiment (FLEX) study, something unexpected occurred. A fuel droplet appeared to extinguish but actually continued to burn without a visible flame. The fire went out twice-once with and once without a visible flame. This is the first time scientists observed large droplets of heptane fuel that had dual modes of combustion and extinction. The second stage was sustained by what is known as cool flame chemical heat release.

Why do this in space? Removing gravity from studies of combustion allows for exploration of the basic principles of flames. Cool flames have been produced on Earth, but they quickly flicker out. On station, cool flames can burn for minutes, giving scientists a better opportunity to study them.

Why does it matter? Typical flames produce soot, carbon dioxide, and water. Cool flames produce carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Learning more about the behavior of these chemically different flames could lead to the development of more efficient, less-polluting vehicles.
Learn more: ScienceCasts: Strange Flames on the International Space Station An Old Theory Goes up in Cool Flames Cool flame research aboard space station may lead to a cleaner environment on Earth
New water purification systems

The space station's life support system was developed to provide the crew with clean air and water. The Water Recovery System purifies and filters the station's water, recovering and recycling 93% of the water astronauts use in space. This technology has been licensed to adapt it into an Earth-based water treatment system. The first of many ground-based water filtration systems using NASA technology was installed in Iraq in 2006. Station research studies like AquaMembrane have also tested out other innovative water systems.

Why do this in space? Efficiently recycling wastewater aboard the space station reduces the need to provide water through resupply missions. As we travel deeper into space, resupply would be unachievable, making these systems a necessity. The restrictions imposed by the requirements of space prompted innovation that was applied to Earth.

Why does it matter? Water is vital for human survival. Unfortunately, many people around the world lack access to clean water. At-risk areas can gain access to advanced filtration and purification systems through technology developed for the space station, making a lifesaving difference in these communities.
Learn more: NASA Marshall Engineers Refine Hardware, Apply Innovative Solutions to More Reliably Recycle Space Station Wastewater Life Support Upgrades Arrive at Station, Improve Reliability for Moon, Mars Missions ECLSS More Efficient, Lightweight Water Filtration Technologies in Space and on Earth Advanced NASA Technology Supports Water Purification Efforts Worldwide
Drug development using protein crystals

Humans contain more than 100,000 types of proteins. Each protein provides information related to our health. Studying these proteins by crystallizing them helps us learn more about our bodies and potential disease treatments. Protein crystal growth experiments conducted aboard the space station have provided insights into numerous diseases, from cancer to gum disease.

One of the most promising results of these station experiments has come from the study of a protein associated with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), an incurable genetic disorder. A treatment for DMD based on this research is in clinical trials.

Another investigation, PCG-5, sought to grow the therapeutic antibody Keytruda® in a more uniform crystalline form. The goal was to improve the drug such that it can be delivered by injection as opposed to IV treatment.

Why do this in space? Protein crystals grown on Earth are affected by gravity, which may alter the way the molecules align on the crystal. Researchers have discovered that growing crystals aboard the space station allows for slower growth and higher quality crystals. This high-quality crystallization allows us to identify the structures of disease-causing proteins to develop a new medications and effective treatments.

Why does it matter? The space station is a tool that could be key in the fight against diseases the medical community has been working to combat for generations. DMD alone affects 1 in 3,600 young boys.
Learn more: ISS Benefits for Humanity: Hope Crystalizes Getting to the Bottom of Humans' Greatest Infection: Periodontal Disease Improving Treatments with Tiny Crystals Finding the Keys in Space to Treat Diseases on Earth
Methods to combat muscle atrophy and bone loss

The effect of microgravity on bones and muscles provides unique opportunities for research. Space studies have contributed greatly to our understanding of bone and muscle loss in astronauts, and in people on Earth. Scientists have developed an exercise routine and diet regimen that significantly reduce the bone and muscle loss astronauts otherwise would experience during their stays on station. These findings inform the physical activity and nutrition required on deep space missions.

Why do this in space? Our bodies evolved within the constant pull of Earth's gravity. In microgravity, bones and muscles do not have to support the body's mass. This can cause bone and muscle loss without proper exercise. This response to microgravity provides an opportunity for better understanding these changes.

Why does it matter? Understanding how to mitigate the effects of microgravity on bones and muscles is important for future exploration in the partial gravity environments of the Moon and Mars. On Earth, bone and muscle atrophy occurs from normal aging, sedentary lifestyles, and illnesses. This condition may cause serious health issues from injuries due to falls or osteoporosis. Studying these losses in microgravity can help us better understand them and potentially create treatments for people back on Earth.
Learn more: Rodents and a rocket carried these researchers' dreams to space Implantable Device That Helped Grow Muscles of Mice in Space Could Change Lives on Earth Bone and Muscle Loss in Microgravity Fishing For Answers on Bone Loss in Space Preventing Bone Loss in Spaceflight with Prophylactic use of Bisphosphonate
Exploring the 5th-state of matter

25 years ago, scientists on Earth first produced a fifth state of matter with properties totally unlike solids, liquids, gases, and plasmas. The achievement garnered a Nobel Prize for those scientists and changed the field of physics.

In 2018, NASA's Cold Atom Lab became the first facility to produce that fifth state of matter, called a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), in Earth's orbit. The Cold Atom Lab lowers atoms to ultracold temperatures in order to study their properties in ways not possible on Earth.

Why do this in space? Chilling atoms is the only way to produce a BEC. Ultracold atom facilities in space should be able to reach colder temperatures than labs on Earth. Additionally, scientists produce BECs in a vacuum, so on Earth the atoms are pulled down by gravity and fall quickly toward the floor. This movement typically limits observation times to less than a second without the help of magnetic or optical fields that influence the atoms' behaviors. In microgravity, BEC's can float, providing longer observation times.

Why does it matter? BECs serve as a valuable tool for scientists studying quantum physics. BECs collectively exhibit properties typically displayed only by individual atoms, making those microscopic characteristics visible at a much larger scale. This study can provide insight into fundamental laws of quantum mechanics and could support the development of quantum technologies such as ultraprecise sensing and timekeeping.

Example experiments: Cold Atom Lab - Bose-Einstein Condensate Bubble Dynamics, Cold Atom Lab - Few-Body Physics
Learn more: Cold Atom Lab: The Coolest Spot in the Universe NASA's Cold Atom Lab Takes One Giant Leap for Quantum Science The Space Station's Coolest Experiment Gets Astronaut-Assisted Upgrade
Understanding how our bodies change in microgravity

Before humans head to Mars, we want to know what challenges we will face. Long-term stays aboard the space station have allowed us to uncover and begin solving challenges that could be presented by the human body's response to space. For example, some space station astronauts unexpectedly developed vision changes, now known as Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS). Findings include swelling at the optic disc and flattening at the back of the eyeball. After helping discover the issue, space station research has served as a platform to better understand SANS.

NASA's Twins Study compared astronaut Scott Kelly during his year in space with his Earth-bound twin brother Mark Kelly. It provided insights into the many ways long-term spaceflight affects a human body. showed that Scott's gene expression changed and his body reacted appropriately to vaccines while in space.

Why do this in space? The space station currently is the only place for performing research in long-duration microgravity. There is no substitute for actually sending humans into orbit where they can serve as test subjects for the science.

Why does it matter? Traveling deep into space means spending long periods of time in microgravity. To figure out how to make those trips safer and more comfortable, it is important to study humans closer to Earth in a controlled environment.
Links International Space Station Research Keeps an Eye on Vision Changes in Space NASA's Twins Study Results Published in Science Journal Andrew Morgan: Last Man in Fluid Shifts NASA Investigates How Dormant Viruses Behave during Spaceflight
Testing tissue chips in space

Tissue chips are roughly thumb-drive-sized devices that contain human cells in a 3D matrix, representing functions of an organ. They represent a big step in the ability of scientists to test how those cells respond to stresses, drugs, and genetic changes.

The Tissue Chips in Space initiative seeks to use these devices in microgravity to better understand and improve human health and disease treatment on Earth. Chips simulating lung, kidney, brain, and intestine behavior all have been sent to the space station by a branch of the National Institutes of Health and the ISS U.S. National Lab.

Why do this in space? Many of the changes in the human body caused by microgravity resemble the effects of diseases associated with aging on Earth, such as bone and muscle loss. In space, these changes occur much faster than they do on Earth. That means scientists may be able to use tissue chips in space to model changes that might take months or years to happen on Earth.

Why does it matter? These studies can provide insights into diseases that affect organs on Earth and in space, and potentially help inform the creation of treatments for them.
Learn more: Small Tissue Chips in Space a Big Leap Forward for Research Houston We Have a Podcast: Organs on Chips in Space Tissue Chips In Space
Stimulating the low-Earth orbit economy

From satellite deployment to in-space research, a vibrant commercial space economy has developed. Through the ISS U.S. National Lab, many companies are able to access the space station and conduct research and technology development investigations in microgravity. They include well-known corporations like Procter & Gamble, which has used the station to study colloids with a goal of improving products such as shampoo and fabric softener. Smaller companies like LambdaVision have leveraged the microgravity environment on the space station to improve the processes used to create retinal implants.

Supporting research activities on station is becoming a significant business too. Companies like Nanoracks and TechShot operate commercial research facilities housed on the station. A cadre of 40 companies help researchers translate their experiments into hardware small and light enough to be housed on station.

Commercial resupply contracts to bring science and supplies to the space station also have helped support the development of launch services for companies such as Northrop Grumman and SpaceX.

Why do this in space? Expanding use of the space station to commercial companies provides a new market, sparks economic development, and allows more groups to take advantage of this platform.

Why does it matter? All of these commercial activities validate business models and expand the numbers of entities with experience in conducting business in space. Commercialization of low-Earth orbit frees up resources NASA needs to continue its exploration of space. By having companies join forces with government agencies, space exploration can continue, while providing access to a platform that helps create jobs, build revenues, and create new products and services for people on Earth.

Example experiments: Advanced Colloids Experiments, Optical Fiber Production in Microgravity, Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Protein-Based Artificial Retinas in Microgravity
Learn more: A Growing Market at Gravity's Edge International Space Station Research on Tiny Colloid Particles Yields Big Results Enabling Commercial Launch Providers NASA Moving Forward to Enable a Low-Earth Orbit Economy NASA Report Details How Agency Significantly Benefits US Economy
Growing food in microgravity

As humans explore farther from Earth, the ability to grow food is a solution to several challenges of long-duration missions. Fresh produce provides nutritious meals over multiple years and reduces cargo requirements for the trip. Many techniques for growing plants have been explored on station to prepare for these missions. On August 10, 2015, astronauts sampled their first space-grown salad. Eight types of leafy greens have been grown in the Veggie facility for astronauts to eat, fine tuning the best techniques.

Why do this in space? New solutions for watering, lighting, and growing plants have to be tested to create a food crop in microgravity. The space station has served as a platform for performing these tests, and for verifying what conditions allow the plants to grow most effectively.

Why does it matter? The packaged diet used by crews in low-Earth orbit works well, but relies on frequent resupply missions. During a mission to Mars, the vitamins and quality of packaged food would degrade over time, and couldn't easily be restocked. Supplementation with fresh crops provides necessary nutrients while giving astronauts more variety in their diet.
Learn more: Veggie Plant Growth System Activated on International Space Station Historic Veggie Moment on the Space Station Growing Plants in Space Veggie Fact Sheet Plant Growth on the International Space Station has Global Impacts on Earth
Deployment of CubeSats from station

CubeSats are one of the smallest types of satellites; they provide an inexpensive way to perform science and technology demonstrations in space. One way these compact cubes can reach Earth orbit is hitching a ride to the space station, where they are deployed from an airlock. Sharing the cost of a rocket launch with the other groups launching payloads to the space station can make deploying a CubeSat more affordable.

Some of the first CubeSats released from the station were thrown by Russian cosmonauts while they performed a spacewalk. In 2012, crew members began using the Japanese Kibo module airlock to deploy CubeSats. Soon after, American company NanoRacks started operating a more robust deployer. One of NanoRacks' first customers, Planet, deployed CubeSats to take high resolution photos of the entire Earth each day. Planet deployed several generations of CubeSats, demonstrating the viability of their technology and business model. NASA's CubeSat Launch initiative provides a pathway to conduct research in space for CubeSats developed by educational institutions, non-profit organizations as well as NASA Centers and programs.

Why do this in space? Putting these satellites into low-Earth orbit gives researchers and companies a unique perspective on our planet. More than 250 CubeSats have been deployed from station, performing numerous technology demonstrations, providing internet services, and more.

Why it matters? Deploying CubeSats from the space station provides a more accessible way to get new technologies to space.
Learn more: JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer Jumpstarting the CubeSat Revolution with Reliable Launch From the ISS Largest Flock of Earth-Imaging Satellites Launch into Orbit From Space Station Small to Big: Enabling a Growing SmallSat Marketplace
Monitoring our planet from a unique perspective

The view of Earth from the space station is life-changing for the few who get to see and photograph it in person. But this vantage point does more than create beautiful images: photos taken by astronauts can help track the evolution of our planet alongside the suite of tools inside and outside the space station. The orbiting lab has evolved into a robust platform for researchers studying Earth's water, air, land masses, vegetation, and more. analyzes water stress in plants, while looks at the same areas of Earth, analyzing carbon stored in forests. Though the many experiments collect data individually, together they provide a set of measurements that pushes the leading edge of environmental research.

Why do this in space? At about 250 miles above Earth on a 90-minute orbit and an orbital path over 90 percent of Earth's population, the station affords a unique perspective that cannot be obtained on the ground, and it can provide improved spatial resolution and variable lighting conditions compared to the sun-synchronous orbits of typical Earth remote-sensing satellites.

Why it matters: When scientists can better comprehend and monitor water and energy cycles, ecosystem changes, geological hazards, and population migrations, they can offer useful information regarding climate changes, as well as assist with natural disaster response.
Learn more: Earth Observation From the Space Station The Combined Power of Remote Earth Observations aboard the International Space Station A Researcher's Guide to: Earth Observations Houston We Have a Podcast: The View from Above
Collecting data on more than 100 billion cosmic particles

Many scientists theorize that stars, planets, and the molecules that comprise them are less than five percent of the mass-energy content of the universe. The rest is dark matter, invisible matter that cannot be detected directly but can be inferred. The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer - 02 (AMS-02) has been looking for evidence of this substance from the space station since 2011, collecting data on more than 100 billion cosmic particles.

AMS-02 has provided researchers around the globe with data that can help determine what the universe is made of and how it began. It also has collected data on cosmic rays, how these rays travel through space, and what produces them.

Why do this in space? AMS-02's core is a massive magnet that bends incoming charged particles. The direction they bend reveals their charge, which helps identify the type of particle. Earth's atmosphere has a significant effect on these particles, so a space-based observatory is essential to get accurate information.

Why it matters: In addition to helping unravel scientific mysteries of the universe, AMS-02 may also allow scientists to get a more complete picture of radiation in space. It is collecting data over a complete solar cycle, which provides more information about the potential radiation exposure for astronauts headed to Mars.
Learn more: NASA ScienceCasts: Finding the Invisible Studying Dark Matter In Space: It Matters! A Series of Spacewalks Four Years in the Making Will Attempt to Revive a Scientific Experiment
A better understanding of pulsars and black holes

Two tools installed on the outside of the space station have worked in tandem to advance our knowledge of pulsars and black holes: NASA's Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer () and the Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image () from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

In 2018, MAXI detected a new X-ray source in the sky and named it "MAXI J1820+070". Shortly after, NICER began monitoring the source and determined it to be a black hole binary system containing a black hole with a mass several times that of our Sun.

Within days, MAXI J1820+070 became one of the brightest X-ray sources in the sky. NICER tracked the evolution of this system. Its measurements helped us understand how the inner edge of a black hole's accretion disk (and the corona above it) change in size and shape as a black hole consumes material from a star.

Why do this in space? From above Earth, we can get a better look at the rest of the universe. Mounting multiple tools like NICER and MAXI on the same orbiting platform gives us more data on a large swath of the space around us.

Why it matters: NICER and MAXI enable new studies of neutron stars and other astrophysical sources of X-rays, advancing scientific understanding and technical development for the benefit of people on Earth.
Learn more: NASA's NICER Catches Record-setting X-ray Burst NASA's NICER Mission Finds an X-ray Pulsar in a Record-fast Orbit NASA's NICER Mission Maps 'Light Echoes' of New Black Hole Unlocking Secrets of Neutron Stars with NICER
Student access to an orbiting laboratory

Numerous programs have given elementary- to college-aged students access to space and the chance to take advantage of the microgravity environment aboard the space station. More than 950,000 students have participated in the program, taking pictures of Earth using a station camera. has partnered with schools around the country to send more than 1,300 student-made items to station. The Genes in Space and Guardians of the Galaxy Space Station Challenge competitions have given high school students the opportunity to design experiments flown into orbit. Millions of children have also participated in Tomatosphere™, which provides students with tomato seeds exposed to space or space-simulated environments and seeds that have not, allowing classrooms to compare how the seeds grow. In addition, students have the opportunity to talk with astronauts in space through NASA's STEM on Station and amateur radio on the International Space Station.

Why do this in space? Increasing access to space gives students the opportunity to develop new skills, gives them space research experience, and instills an appreciation of exploration. Students also create meaningful datasets and results.

Why this matters: Providing students with access to an orbiting laboratory inspires the next generation of space researchers and explorers and creates an appreciation for science.
Learn more: A Generation Researching in Space: Twenty Years aboard the Space Station High School Students Build Lockers for Trip to the International Space Station Tomatosphere™: Sowing the Seeds of Discovery through Student Science HUNCH about Student Success in Engineering? Genes in Space-3 Successfully Identifies Unknown Microbes in Space Students Photograph Earth from Space
Capability to identify unknown microbes in space

Why do this in space? Technology and scientific tools can behave differently in microgravity than on Earth. Designing DNA and microbial sequencers for use in space and testing these devices aboard the space station is crucial to ensuring their reliability on long-duration missions.

Why it matters: A space-based DNA sequencer is an important tool to help protect astronaut health during long duration missions on the journey to Mars, aiding in the ability to diagnose and treat astronaut ailments in real time. Future explorers also could use the technology to identify DNA-based life forms beyond Earth.
Learn more: Sequencing the Station: Investigation Aims to Identify Unknown Microbes in Space Genes in Space-3 Successfully Identifies Unknown Microbes in Space First DNA Sequencing in Space a Game Changer Sequencing DNA in the Palm of Your Hand
Opening up the field of colloid research

Toothpaste, 3D printing, pharmaceuticals, and detecting shifting sands on Mars may not seem related to each other at all, yet each stands to benefit from improvements made thanks to years of research on colloids aboard the space station.

Mixtures of tiny particles suspended in a liquid, colloids occur in many forms. These forms include natural mixtures such as milk and muddy water as well as a range of manufactured products from shampoo to medicine to salad dressing. Space station research has explored subjects such as stabilizing these mixtures and colloid behaviors that can be applied to products on Earth.

Why do this in space? Studying colloids on Earth is complicated by gravity, which causes some particles to rise and others to sink. Microgravity removes that complication and makes possible research that can help companies design better products.

Why it matters: This colloid research can help to improve products used in our everyday lives and create entirely new products, including some that could enable exploration farther into space. Companies such as Procter & Gamble have used station research to study how to keep a product liquid enough to dispense easily and yet prevent ingredients, or particles, from clumping together and settling.
Learn more: International Space Station Research on Tiny Colloid Particles Yields Big Results Of Strawberry Jelly and Earthquakes: Space Station Investigation Studies Colloids in Microgravity Advanced Colloids Experiments (ACE)
The evolution of fluid physics research

Fluid covers our planet, but sending fluids to space can help us better understand them. Space station fluid research began with the fundamental analysis of how fluids behave in microgravity. That research has evolved into the testing of advanced medical devices and heat transfer systems.

Why do this in space? On Earth, gravity is one of the main factors that affects how fluid flows. However, there are additional smaller forces acting on fluids. Studying fluids in space, where gravity is not a factor, helps us to better understand these small forces and use them to our advantage.

Why does it matter? An understanding of fluid physics in microgravity can influence everything from medical technologies and heat transfer systems on Earth to life support systems in space.
Learn more: Fruit Punch and Foam Could Help Us Learn to Manage Liquids in Space Implantable Device That Helped Grow Muscles of Mice in Space Could Change Lives on Earth Keeping Our Cool in Space Space-tested Fluid Flow Concept Advances Infectious Disease Diagnoses
3D printing in microgravity

The first 3D printer flew to the space station in 2014. Developed by Made in Space, the printer produced dozens of parts that researchers analyzed and compared with those made on the ground. Analysis revealed that microgravity had no significant effects on the process, demonstrating that a 3D printer works normally in space.

Later experiments tested using recycled plastic to print objects and using a specialized bioprinter to print human tissue. The BioFabrication Facility (BFF) took small steps toward printing human organs and tissues in microgravity, using ultra-fine layers of bioink.

Why do this in space? Testing printers on the station paves the way for future space missions to be more independent of Earth. Needed items could be 3D printed rather than sent from Earth and carried for the entire journey.

Why does it matter? Using recycled material for printing could make use of material that otherwise would take up limited stowage space on long-duration missions and allow it to be used for creating needed parts.

Printing human tissue is a part of a long-term plan to manufacture entire human organs in space using refined biological 3D printing techniques. This effort could help provide increased access to organs for transplants on Earth.
Learn more: Solving the Challenges of Long Duration Space Flight with 3D Printing NASA ScienceCasts: Cutting-edge Biomanufacturing Aboard the International Space Station 3-D Printer Could Turn Space Station into 'Machine Shop' Space Station 3-D Printer Builds Ratchet Wrench To Complete First Phase Of Operations
Responding to natural disasters

With crew handheld camera imagery as a core component, the station has become an active participant in orbital data collection to support disaster response activities both within the U.S. and abroad. Astronauts snap images of disasters such as storms and fires throughout their progression, documenting cloud cover, flooding, and changes to the land. Pictures also are taken using mounted station cameras like the and . SS-HDTV, developed to take night images of Earth, can be used to check if power has been restored to cities after a disaster.

The Lightning Imaging Sensor () mounted on station also detects the distribution and variability of lightning in order to improve severe weather forecasting. The ISS SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualization System () has helped developing countries enhance their environmental decision-making processes.

Why do this in space? The space station has an inclined, low-Earth orbit that provides variable views and lighting over more than 90 percent of the inhabited surface of the Earth. This is a useful complement to sensor systems in higher-altitude polar orbits for collecting imagery. These pictures are referenced by teams on the ground.

Why does it matter? These data allow for more informed responses to disasters from a perspective you cannot get on Earth, and assists with forecasting for future storms.
Learn more Clear High-definition Images Aid Disaster Response Space station camera captures Earthly disaster scenes Investigation of Earth Catastrophes From the International Space Station: Uragan Program NASA Tracking Florence From Every Angle and Wavelength Benefits for Humanity: After the Storm International Space Station Imagery for Disaster Response International Space Station Program Research Office

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20 Breakthroughs from 20 Years of Science aboard the International Space Station - NASA

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For 20 years, the astronauts aboard the International Space Station have conducted science in a way that cannot be done anywhere else. Orbiting about 250

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History of Social Media and Impact on Society

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History of Social Media and Impact on Society

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Social media has become an integral part of all of our lives. We use it to connect with friends and family, to catch up on current events, and, perhaps most importantly, to entertain ourselves. This is why just under 70 percent of Americans, and more than 2.6 billion active users globally, use social networking sites. However, this wasn't always the case.

Back in just 2005, social media penetration in the U.S. was just 5 percent, and most of the rest of the internet didn't even know what it was. All of this means that the history of social media is a brief yet tumultuous one, and studying it can help us better understand just how much, and how quickly, the world around us is changing.

We'll answer the question of when did social media start in a second, but before we do, we need to define what is social media?

Recommended Reading

What is Social Media?

Before going too far into the history of social media, it's important we first discuss exactly what we mean by social media. For most of us, we can spot social media when we see it, but we should work to be a bit more specific. A quick Google search for "social media definition" will reveal countless results, but they will all reflect the following definition in one way or another:

Social media is understood as the different forms of online communication used by people to create networks, communities, and collectives to share information, ideas, messages, and other content, such as videos.

Two things stand out from this definition:

1. Social media must include online communication, meaning the history of social media cannot begin before the invention and widespread adoption of the internet; and

2. Social media depends on user-generated content. This is why typical websites and blogs do not get included in the world of social media. Only certain people can post to these sites, and there are significant restrictions on the types of content that get uploaded.

Using this definition, we can understand social media platforms to be a wide range of things, such as messaging apps like WhatsApp and Viber, profile-based platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn, video portals such as YouTube, and also email clients such as G-mail. However, there are many other social networking sites out there, especially once you start looking at how people use social media platforms around the world.

History of Social Media

Many people like to link the history of social media to the growth in communications technology that has been occurring since the end of the 19th century. A common starting point is Samuel Morse's first telegraph, which he sent in 1844 between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

However, going off our definition from before, this type of communication does not qualify as social media. First, it did not take place "online," and second, telegrams do not contribute to any larger community or collective. Instead, they are used to send individual messages between two people. So, while it's interesting to think of social media history as being part of a much larger continuum, the real history of social media starts in the 1970s with the emergence of the internet.

The Rapid Growth of the Internet

The internet has its roots in the 1960s and 1970s when various private and public organizations were working to try and find ways to get computers to communicate with one another. In a sense, this can be considered as the beginning of social media. However, it wasn't until the 1980s, and really the 1990s, that personal computers became more normal, which set the stage for the emergence of social media.

Additionally, the emergence of blogging and the bulletin board system in the 1990s helped usher in the age of online social networking sites. The idea that an average person could log on to the internet and write about what they were thinking, feeling, and doing, and that these posts could be read by anyone at any time, and responded to, helped people begin to understand the full significance of the internet.

Social Media History

Many people like to link the history of social media to the growth in communications technology that has been occurring since the end of the 19th century. A common starting point is Samuel Morse's first telegraph, which he sent in 1844 between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

However, going off our definition from before, this type of communication does not qualify as social media history. First, it did not take place "online," and second, telegrams do not contribute to any larger community or collective. Instead, they are used to send individual messages between two people. So, while it's interesting to think of social media as being part of a much larger continuum, the real history of social media starts in the 1970s with the emergence of the internet.

The Rapid Growth of the Internet

The internet has its roots in the 1960s and 1970s when various private and public organizations were working to try and find ways to get computers to communicate with one another. In a sense, this can be considered as the beginning of online social media. However, it wasn't until the 1980s, and really the 1990s, that personal computers became more normal, which set the stage for the emergence of social media.

Additionally, the emergence of blogging in the 1990s helped usher in the age of social media. The idea that an average person could log on to the internet and write about what they were thinking, feeling, doing, and their personal news, and that these posts could be read by anyone at any time, and responded to, helped people begin to understand the full significance of the internet.

Old Social Media Sites

Using our definition of social media above, the first two social media platforms were Six Degrees and Friendster, both of which are no longer around, despite playing an influential role in starting what has become a social media revolution.

Six Degrees

The website credited as being the "first online social media" site is Six Degrees. It's named after the "six degrees of separation" theory, which states that everyone in the world is connected to everyone else by no more than six degrees of separation. This is often called the "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" theory, although Kevin Bacon himself is irrelevant to the phenomenon.

The reason Six Degrees is considered to be the first of the social networks is because it allowed people to sign up with their email address, make individual profiles, and add friends to their personal network. It was officially launched in 1997, and it lasted until about 2001. It's number of users peaked at around 3.5 million. It was bought out by YouthStream Media Networks in 1999 for $125 million, but it shut down just one year later.

Friendster

A few years later, in 2002, the site Friendster emerged to compete with Six Degrees. Like Six Degrees, it allowed users to sign up with their email address, make friends, and save them as part of a personal network. People could also share videos, photos, and messages with other users, and they were also able to leave comments on other people's profiles, so long as they were part of each other's personal network.

A few months after its launch, Friendster had over 3 million users, and this number continued to grow, eventually reaching over one hundred million.

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In 2011, Friendster was rebranded as a social gaming site that was focused mainly on the gaming community. This helped it stay relevant alongside competiting sites like Google, Yahoo!, and Facebook, but in the end, Friendster was doomed to fail. In 2015, it suspended all of its services, and on Jan. 1, 2019, it ceased all operations and officially closed its doors.

When Did LinkedIn Start?

LinkedIn was one of the first social media sites in history. It was founded on December 28, 2002 by Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, and Jean-Luc Valliant. Initially, it was a site focused on professional networking, allowing people to connect with business and school contacts, as well as companies. Today, this is still the primary purpose of LinkedIn. It has stayed true to that purpose to this day. Currently, LinkedIn has more than 575 million registered users, and it's ranked number 285 on the Alexa Ranking for most-visited sites.

When Was MySpace Created?

Of the original batch of social networking sites, MySpace was perhaps the most popular and influential. Launched on August 1, 2003, MySpace quickly became the largest social media site in the world, connecting millions of active users all over the world. It started as a file storage platform, but it quickly transitioned to an online social network, which contributed to its meteoric rise in popularity.

By 2005, it was clear to the world that MySpace was here to stay, so some larger companies began to show interest in acquiring it. This resulted in the sale of MySpace to News Corp., the U.K-based media conglomerate run by Rupert Murdoch, for $580 million. Shortly thereafter, in 2006, MySpace surpassed Google as the top visited website in world.

The Decline of MySpace

After the sale, MySpace continued to grow, and by 2009 it was generating around $800 million in revenue, making it one of the more profitable social networking sites out there. However, as Facebook began to expand beyond its initial audience of just college students, MySpace began to decline, and Facebook replaced it as the top visited site in 2008.

Another reason MySpace began to decline was its use of on-site ads to generate revenue. Many argue that its deal with Google 2010, which consisted of a $900 million, three-year advertising agreement, overloaded the site with ads and made it difficult to use. It's popularity was soon eclipsed by other sites like YouTube and Facebook that offered a more ad-free environment.

However, MySpace, despite its decline, continues to operate to this day. In 2016, it was bought out by Time Inc., and in 2018 it was bought again by the Meredith Corporation. Currently, it's still ranked 4,153 on the Alexa ranking of most visited sites in the world.

When Was Facebook Founded?

Facebook was founded on February 4, 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, as well as Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollom, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. Facebook started as a social media site exclusive to Harvard students, although it quickly spread to the rest of the Ivy League, as well as Stanford and MIT. However, after 2006, Facebook was available to anyone claiming to be above the age of 13, regardless of whether or not they had an affiliation with a university.

After its launch and subsequent expansion, Facebook grew quickly, surpassing MySpace in 2008 as the most visited site in the world. Today, it ranks #3 on the Alexa traffic rankings, behind only Google and YouTube.

Facebook went public in 2012 and it received a valuation of $104 billion, making it one of the highest IPO valuation's of all time. It currently generates over $40 billion a year in revenue, and it is considered as one of the most important tech companies in the entire world. Facebook has also acquired other sites like Giphy, instagram and Whatsapp in a bid to propagate its reach.

Currently, Facebook has just over 2.6 billion active users, a number that has grown consistently since its launch. This amounts to just under 30 percent of the entire global population. Facebook is the most popular social media platform in the world.

When Did Twitter Start?

Twitter was created on March 21, 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams. It distinguished itself by limiting users to only 140 characters, a policy it held onto until 2017, when it doubled the character limits in all languages except Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Twitter went public in 2013 and was valued at $14.2 billion. Today, it has around 335 million monthly active users.

In 2009 China launched a social media platform called Weibo. A Facebook and Twitter hybrid that has grown to be one of the largest social media sites with over 400 million active users.

When Did Instagram Start?

Instagram was launched on October 6, 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. It separated itself from the becoming a smartphone-only app focusing exclusively on photos and video sharing, and by only allowing photos to be framed in a square (a restriction which was lifted in 2015). '

Instagram grew quickly after its launch, surpassing one million registered users in just two months. Currently, it has 1 billion active users, which makes it the sixth most popular social media platform in the world. In 2012, Facebook bought Instagram for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock.

When did Snapchat Start?

Snapchat was launched by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown in September 2011. Its distinguishing feature was that it allowed users to send photos to one another that would disappear shortly after being opened.

Today, in addition to this service, Snapchat also allows people to chat with one another as well as share a "24-hour story," which gives users the chance to post photos and videos and save them for one full day. Currently, it has around 186 million active users, although it is particularly popular among young people, leading many people to believe Snapchat's influence will grow in the coming years.

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Today, in addition to this service, Snapchat also allows people to chat with one another as well as share a "24-hour story," which gives users the chance to post photos and videos and save them for one full day. Currently, it has around 186 million active users, although it is particularly popular among young people, leading many people to believe Snapchat's influence will grow in the coming years.

Social Media Today

Social media history is relatively short in terms of time, and while there's no doubt about it's positives and negatives (just ask Dean McCrae), this doesn't make it any less exciting or influential. Today, social media is an integral part of how people connect with friends and family. Overall, there are some 2.62 billion social media users around the world, and this number is expected to grow to over 4 billion by 2025.

In general, today's market is dominated by a handful of companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagam, but their pursuit of new users in an increasingly competitive market has ensured they continue to innovate their offerings. When you combine these innovations with the emergence of professional-quality online social media tools such as Instasize, the type and professionalism of posts on social media have changed dramatically since Facebook first entered the market.

If we can learn anything from the history of social media, it's that this will continue to change. New companies will emerge, and, as people's preferences change, old ones will die or merge into something else, rewriting the history of social media as they do.

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The History of Marketing

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History of Social Media: The Invention of Online Networking

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The invention of social media spawned the invention of hundreds of new industries and changed the world. Read the complete social media history here.

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Gaming has come a long way from its humble beginnings, and today it's hard to imagine a world without it. To explore its cultural significance, we should first look at how it has evolved over the years.

The roots of gaming

Gaming has been around for centuries, with ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and Romans playing various games. However, modern gaming as we know it today can be traced back to the 1940s, when the first electronic computer was invented. It wasn't until the 1950s that the first game was created, a simple game of tic-tac-toe. But it was the 1970s when gaming really took off, with the release of the first home console, the Magnavox Odyssey.

The first stage: arcade games

In the 1970s and 1980s, arcade games were all the rage. Games like Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong dominated the gaming industry. These games were simple, with basic graphics and sound, but they were addictive and fun to play. People would spend hours at the arcade trying to get a high score or beat their friends.

Arcade games also had a significant impact on popular culture. They appeared in movies like Tron and TV shows like Knight Rider, cementing their place in popular culture. They also had an impact on music, with songs like Pac-Man Fever and Space Invaders becoming hits.

The second stage: home consoles

The home console market really took off in the 1980s, with the release of consoles like the Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and Sega Master System. These consoles allowed people to play games in the comfort of their own homes and paved the way for modern gaming.

The home console market also saw the rise of iconic game franchises like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Sonic the Hedgehog. These games became cultural touchstones, with fans of all ages and backgrounds enjoying them.

The third stage: PC gaming

The rise of personal computers in the 1990s brought with it a new era of gaming. PC gaming allowed for more complex games with better graphics and more advanced gameplay. Games like Doom, Quake, and Half-Life pushed the limits of what was possible in gaming and were hugely popular.

PC gaming also allowed for online multiplayer, which revolutionized the gaming industry. People could now play games with others from all over the world, and it paved the way for esports.

Landing.Jobs had the pleasure of hosting the creator of Doom and Quake, John Romero, at Future.Works 2021. His talk about " A Lifetime in Games: The Past, Present and Future of the Industry " was full-house and inspired a whole generation of developers, gamers and tech enthusiasts.

The fourth stage: mobile gaming

In recent years, mobile gaming has exploded in popularity. Games like Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, and Pokemon Go have become household names, and they have introduced a new generation to the world of gaming.

Mobile gaming has also allowed for a new type of gamer, the casual gamer. These gamers don't necessarily identify as gamers, but they enjoy playing games on their phones or tablets. Mobile gaming has become a part of everyday life for many people, with games providing a welcome distraction during commutes or lunch breaks.

According to data.ai, " consumers spent an average of 5 hours per day on their mobile devices - one-third of all waking hours and a YoY increase of 3% - and spent $110B on mobile games ".

Statista predicts that by the year 2025 ad spend in the mobile game market will reach $130.8B. - ironSource

The cultural significance of gaming

Gaming has come a long way since its early days, and it has significantly impacted our culture. Gaming has become more than just a hobby; it has become a lifestyle. It has influenced music, fashion, and even the way we communicate with each other. Gaming has become a language of its own, with its own terms and slang.

One of the most significant impacts that gaming has had on our culture is its ability to bring people together. Gaming has allowed people from all over the world to connect and interact with each other, and it has provided a platform for people to form communities and share their experiences with others. Online gaming has allowed players to meet and play with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and countries, breaking down barriers and promoting understanding between people who might never have met otherwise.

Gaming has also had an impact on the entertainment industry. Video games have become a major source of entertainment, rivalling movies and TV shows in terms of popularity and revenue. The gaming industry has become a multi-billion dollar industry, with games like Grand Theft Auto V and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 grossing over a billion dollars each in sales. Gaming has also become a major form of a spectator sport, with esports tournaments attracting millions of viewers around the world.

But perhaps the most significant impact that gaming has had on our culture is its ability to inspire creativity and innovation. Gaming has given rise to some of the world's most innovative and creative minds. Many game developers have gone on to become entrepreneurs, creating their own startups and companies that have revolutionized industries. Gaming has also inspired new technologies and inventions, from virtual reality headsets to motion-sensing controllers.

All in all, gaming has been a significant part of our culture for thousands of years, and it has played a major role in shaping the way we interact with each other and the world around us.

From Senet to World of Warcraft, gaming has evolved and adapted to new technologies and generations, becoming a language and a lifestyle of its own. Gaming has brought people together, inspired creativity and innovation, and become a major source of entertainment and revenue.

As developers, we have the power to continue pushing the boundaries of gaming and to make it an even more significant and positive force in our culture. So let's keep creating, innovating, and gaming!

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The cultural significance of gaming and its evolution over the years

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It's hard to imagine a world without gaming nowadays. How has it evolved over the years and how does it impact culture as it is?

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American History: Declaration of Independence

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American History: Declaration of Independence

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Table of Contents

1. America Before the Declaration of Independence

2. Thomas Jefferson Writes the Declaration of Independence

3. The Continental Congress Votes for Independence

The Declaration of Independence was the first formal statement by a nation's people asserting their right to choose their own government.

When armed conflict between bands of American colonists and British soldiers began in April 1775, the Americans were ostensibly fighting only for their rights as subjects of the British crown. By the following summer, with the Revolutionary War in full swing, the movement for independence from Britain had grown, and delegates of the Continental Congress were faced with a vote on the issue. In mid-June 1776, a five-man committee including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin was tasked with drafting a formal statement of the colonies' intentions. The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence-written largely by Jefferson-in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence.

America Before the Declaration of Independence

Even after the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did-like John Adams- were considered radical. Things changed over the course of the next year, however, as Britain attempted to crush the rebels with all the force of its great army. In his message to Parliament in October 1775, King George III railed against the rebellious colonies and ordered the enlargement of the royal army and navy. News of his words reached America in January 1776, strengthening the radicals' cause and leading many conservatives to abandon their hopes of reconciliation. That same month, the recent British immigrant Thomas Paine published "Common Sense," in which he argued that independence was a "natural right" and the only possible course for the colonies; the pamphlet sold more than 150,000 copies in its first few weeks in publication.

Did you know? Most Americans did not know Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence until the 1790s; before that, the document was seen as a collective effort by the entire Continental Congress.

In March 1776, North Carolina's revolutionary convention became the first to vote in favor of independence; seven other colonies had followed suit by mid-May. On June 7, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies' independence before the Continental Congress when it met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee's resolution and called a recess for several weeks. Before departing, however, the delegates also appointed a five-man committee-including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York-to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain. That document would become known as the Declaration of Independence.

Thomas Jefferson Writes the Declaration of Independence

Jefferson had earned a reputation as an eloquent voice for the patriotic cause after his 1774 publication of "A Summary View of the Rights of British America," and he was given the task of producing a draft of what would become the Declaration of Independence. As he wrote in 1823, the other members of the committee "unanimously pressed on myself alone to undertake the draught [sic]. I consented; I drew it; but before I reported it to the committee I communicated it separately to Dr. Franklin and Mr. Adams requesting their corrections....I then wrote a fair copy, reported it to the committee, and from them, unaltered to the Congress."

As Jefferson drafted it, the Declaration of Independence was divided into five sections, including an introduction, a preamble, a body (divided into two sections) and a conclusion. In general terms, the introduction effectively stated that seeking independence from Britain had become "necessary" for the colonies. While the body of the document outlined a list of grievances against the British crown, the preamble includes its most famous passage: "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

The Continental Congress Votes for Independence

The Continental Congress reconvened on July 1, and the following day 12 of the 13 colonies adopted Lee's resolution for independence. The process of consideration and revision of Jefferson's declaration (including Adams' and Franklin's corrections) continued on July 3 and into the late morning of July 4, during which Congress deleted and revised some one-fifth of its text. The delegates made no changes to that key preamble, however, and the basic document remained Jefferson's words. Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence later on the Fourth of July (though most historians now accept that the document was not signed until August 2).

The Declaration of Independence became a significant landmark in the history of democracy. In addition to its importance in the fate of the fledgling American nation, it also exerted a tremendous influence outside the United States, most memorably in France during the French Revolution. Together with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence can be counted as one of the three essential founding documents of the United States government.

HISTORY Vault

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America Before the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson Writes the Declaration of Independence The Continental Congress Votes for Independence The Declaration of Independence was the first formal statement by a nation's people asserting their right to choose their own government.

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World War II: Summary, Combatants & Facts

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World War II was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. Rising to power in an unstable Germany, Adolf Hitler and his National Socialist (Nazi Party) rearmed the nation and signed treaties with Italy and Japan to further his ambitions of world domination. Hitler’s invasion of Poland drove Great Britain and France to declare war on Germany, and World War II had begun. The majority of the world’s countries eventually formed two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Axis.

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Rise of TikTok and its impact on society

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Rise of TikTok and its impact on society

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SINGAPORE - Driven to "insanity and boredom" while being stuck at home during the partial Covid-19 lockdown in April 2020, Ms Nicole Liel turned to a social media app that was fast gaining popularity among her friends - and around the world - as a way to pass time and be entertained.

The mobile application, TikTok, allowed her to watch and create her own short-form videos.

"I thought I'd (have fun) and post some videos. I woke up the next day, and my phone was just blowing up with notifications...Every time I refreshed my TikTok profile, I would just see the viewer numbers increasing in the thousands per minute," the 24-year-old recounted to TODAY.

Two years on, Ms Liel, a self-professed full-time "TikToker", boasts more than 125,000 followers and has amassed over 10 million "likes" for her videos, which range from skits reimagining Stamford Raffles in modern Singapore, to product reviews and vignettes of her daily life.

For someone who had toyed with the idea of being an entertainer when she was younger, the app has opened the door for Ms Liel to earn a living as one, as she began getting requests to do sponsored posts for brands earlier this year.

She estimates that she earns, on average, "higher than a fresh graduate's salary" of S$3,000 a month.

Her TikTok journey echoes that of many others who have shot to fame - both in Singapore and overseas - from posting short, quirky videos on the app.

Social media experts told TODAY that while TikTok was already gaining traction when it launched internationally in 2017, it was boredom and isolation at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic that boosted the take-up rate of the Chinese mobile app around the world.

According to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, global downloads of the app surged from 200 million in the last quarter of 2019 to more than 300 million in the first three months of 2020, when the pandemic saw consumers "drawn to their mobile devices more than ever".

TikTok's rapid rise has also forced its competitors, particularly Facebook, to play catch-up and introduce features that mimic those of the former.

In late July, Facebook tweaked its algorithm so that people scrolling through its home page can discover content that is "uniquely personalised to them", said Meta, its parent company, in a blog post.

This means that users will not only see posts from accounts that they follow, but also content from accounts that they do not.

This is similar to how TikTok's algorithm recommends content based on users' interests, rather than which accounts they follow.

How Covid-19 turbocharged TikTok's global rise

TikTok, which allows users to edit and share short-form videos, is the brainchild of Chinese tech company ByteDance.

It was first launched in China in 2016 as the Douyin app, before it was launched internationally a year later as TikTok.

But it was the US$1 billion acquisition in 2017 of another Chinese application, Musical.ly, that shot TikTok to global prominence. Musical.ly allowed users to lip-synch to popular songs and dance.

The deal gave TikTok access to the Musical.ly's 80 million users who were mostly based in the United States.

Following the acquisition, TikTok's rise was meteoric: By 2020, it had knocked Facebook messenger off top spot as the most downloaded application globally, according to market tracker data.ai.

Data from the market analysis company Business of Apps also showed that TikTok generated US$4.6 billion in revenue last year, which translated to a 142-per-cent increase in revenue year-on-year.

While Facebook's revenue last year was US$118 billion, its year-on-year growth was 37 per cent.

Likewise, the number of users on Facebook has been stagnating, stalling for the first time at 2.9 billion monthly active users in the fourth quarter of last year.

Meanwhile, TikTok's number of monthly active users grew from 7.6 million to 1.2 billion during the same period. A majority of its users are under the age of 30, and come from China, the US, Indonesia and Brazil.

Experts attributed TikTok's rise globally to its unique algorithm, which unlike other social media apps, takes "centrestage" in the mobile application.

"(The app) successfully reads user preferences and suggests 'perfect' content. It also provides a wider reach for content generators because the algorithms prioritise content over the number of followers a user may have," said Assistant Professor Saifuddin Ahmed from the Nanyang Technological University's Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.

It was also a matter of timing, said Professor Lim Sun Sun, who heads the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

While TikTok already had its fans pre-Covid-19, it was only during the pandemic that the app "took off", she said.

The app encouraged participatory engagement, such as dance challenges, more so than Facebook or Instagram and brought families and groups of friends together via such activities.

At a time when people were often isolated due to on-off lockdowns, TikTok had the edge over other social media platforms because it gave people the ability to bond with fun elements, Prof Lim said.

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TIKTOK'S GROWTH IN SINGAPORE

In Singapore, a survey found that TikTok made "significant gains" in the number of users in the last two years as the pandemic raged.

The survey was conducted by the Centre for Information Integrity and the Internet at the Nanyang Technological University's Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI).

Some 13.6 per cent of the survey participants said they used TikTok in December 2020, compared with 25.3 per cent saying they did so a year later.

The survey, which is conducted nation-wide every half yearly, involved more than 400 respondents who participated in three surveys in December 2020, July 2021 and December 2021.

In response to TODAY's queries, a TikTok spokesperson from Singapore said that "it was only natural" for online platforms such as TikTok to see an increase in user activity during the pandemic when more people stayed at home.

"We've also seen this increase in TikTok user activity continue even as restrictions eased in Singapore - leading to the platform surpassing 1 billion active global users monthly in September 2021," added the spokesperson.

LIVING OFF THE TIKTOK DREAM AND THE PRESSURE TO STAY RELEVANT

As TikTok's popularity grows globally, so has its efforts to move beyond being a platform for trendy dance sequences - to one which promotes commerce.

To allow TikTokers to monetise their fame, the app has launched several features, including TikTok Creator Marketplace and TikTok Live in 2019.

In May this year, TikTok also introduced a subscription service for its TikTok Live where content creators can generate recurring revenue from fans through additional perks such as subscriber-only chats.

All seven TikTokers whom TODAY interviewed said that they have made money from participating in brand sponsorships or publicising services on the platform.

Ms Liel said that the rates for branded TikTok videos are usually in the range of thousands of dollars. Her highest-paid project on TikTok was a "five-figure number" while her least lucrative projects are usually in exchange for the products that she is promoting.

While her monthly earnings are sometimes higher than that of a fresh graduate, Ms Liel acknowledged that what she does on TikTok cannot provide a stable income source.

"I can be rolling in dough when big projects (involving large sums of money) come in one month, and then become a pauper the next month," she quipped.

To this end, Ms Liel said she has set up her own business - she runs several eyelash studio outlets - to ensure that she has something to fall back on if she becomes irrelevant and unable to make money on TikTok.

Another TikToker, dentist Tristan Peh, also started off by doing videos during the early part of the pandemic in March 2020 to bond with his young daughters, who were aged 6 and 9 then.

Dr Peh, 43, who has gained more than two million followers through his videos on dental hygiene, said that he constantly gets emails from brands looking to do sponsored posts for toothbrushes or water flossers.

He began receiving requests for sponsored posts about four to five months after he started posting videos on TikTok.

He charges around US$5,000 (S$6,856) to US$10,000 for each post, based on his study of the market rates for such collaborations.

However, Dr Peh said that he is "not really into sales" and is mostly on TikTok to "just have some fun, spread awareness (on dental hygiene) and get everyone to smile".

For some of these content creators, there is the fear of losing their relevance in a space where the audience's taste is fickle and constantly evolving.

Ms Liel said: "My worry is about whether I can start a family with a job that can be taken away (just) like that. It's (like) the whole world could collectively decide that they don't need you and I know that's imminent, because unless you create drama every day (on social media), you'll become irrelevant."

It's (like) the whole world could collectively decide that they don't need you... because unless you create drama every day (on social media), you'll become irrelevant.

TikToker Nicole Liel, 24, who has more than 125,000 followers and has amassed over 10 million "likes" for her videos

Nevertheless, other TikTokers said they do not see the need to chase "likes" or boost follower count because they feel financially secure with their day job.

One of them, Mr Hafidz Rahman, a 33-year-old arts educator, said: "I do content when I want it and I'm quite comfortable doing it at my own pace. In terms of finding followers, I think they will come at their own time."

Mr Hafidz, who has been producing content on social media platforms since 2014, has 103,000 followers on TikTok and is known for playing the role of a Malay lady in comedy skits.

THE GOOD AND BAD OF TIKTOK

The TikTokers interviewed cited the ease of the app's video editing features and diverse reach as major draws for them.

Mr Cavin Chua Kar Shin, a 22-year-old university student who has been making videos on YouTube since primary school, said that TikTok allows anyone to build a following without needing to look good or have a following on other social media platforms first.

"For YouTube, for instance, it takes very long to build a following, but you can do it really quickly on TikTok. Anyone can make a video and have it appear on the 'For You Page' at any time," he said.

The third-year communications and new media student at the National University of Singapore has more than 180,000 followers on his TikTok account cayydences. His posts range from comedy skits, to anecdotes about his daily life.

Other upsides of the platform cited by the TikTokers include the sense of community it provides, and the opportunities to produce educational content or present minority views.

Still, there are also drawbacks from being a TikTok personality, said those interviewed, with some lamenting the loss of their privacy.

Recalling how someone had interrupted his date for a photo request recently, Mr Chua said that he tries not to leave his house as far as possible and sticks to areas with fewer people to avoid being approached or recognised on the streets.

The TikTokers also cited hate comments as another hazard they have to face. As it is fairly easy to sign up for a TikTok account and remain anonymous on the platform, the problem is exacerbated on TikTok compared with other social media platforms, they said.

The TikTok spokesperson said that the company "does not tolerate bullying on its platform" and have developed several safeguards against it.

These include the removal of comments that go against TikTok's community guidelines, such as those which involve harassment or bullying, and hate speech.

TikTok has also partnered with digital safety organisations in Singapore such as the Media Literacy Council to launch campaigns that prompt users to think before they post or comment on videos.

EXPERTS ON THE DOUBLE-EDGED IMPACT OF TIKTOK'S RISE

As with all other social media platforms, TikTok comes with the good, bad and ugly, said experts.

On the plus side, Professor Lim Sun Sun from the Singapore University of Technology and Design highlighted how TikTok - with its ability to let anyone broadcast themselves - allows smaller, less visible communities, such as those with medical conditions, to band together.

It has also given regular folks with seemingly mundane lives an avenue to become famous, unlike influencers on other platforms such as Instagram, which is usually associated with glitz and glamour, said Prof Lim. She cited the example of how Mr Raymond Lim, better known as Uncle Raymond, had risen to fame by broadcasting his dances outside MRT stations on TikTok.

Despite its upsides, TikTok has also received its fair share of criticism.

WKWSCI Assistant Professor Saifuddin Ahmed noted that there have been more widespread discussions surrounding censorship, privacy, and surveillance on TikTok compared with other social media platforms, although these issues are not necessarily specific to TikTok.

This is due to allegations of data mishandling and TikTok bowing to pressures from the Chinese government on how the data is used, he said.

Prof Lim also raised concerns about how TikTok's algorithm has been designed to keep users on the platform longer, generating the fear that its algorithm could draw users into harmful content such as reckless and risky acts, eating disorders or substance abuse.

TikTok said that its recommendation system, the For You feed, is central to the TikTok experience. Recommendations are based on several factors including user interactions, video information and device and account settings.

Its spokesperson added that TikTok is aware that one of the "inherent challenges" of recommendation engines is that they can "inadvertently limit (a user's) experience" sometimes referred to as a filter bubble.

"We recognise these concerns, and continue to strike a balance with optimising our For You feed for personalisation and relevance, while also helping users find fresh content and uncover new creators," said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson added that while safety is at the heart of the recommendation system, that did not mean that serious or controversial content did not have a place on the platform, which is ultimately built to support users' diverse thoughts, experiences and interests.

'THE MOST ADDICTIVE' SOCIAL MEDIA APP

The success of TikTok's algorithm has led to it being dubbed the "most addictive" social media app. But its very strength is what could cause the most harm to users.

Mr John Shepherd Lim, chief well-being officer of Singapore Counselling Centre, said that the excessive use of TikTok is "undoubtedly a common contributing factor" to the mental health concerns that its young clients face today.

TikTok's continuous supply of entertaining content and the "rapid-fire nature" of its videos train viewers' minds to quickly assess how pleasurable content is during the first few seconds. This may lead to a shortened attention span and a judgmental attitude that users can bring into other aspects of their lives, such as school or work, he noted.

If we seem to be performing other tasks at our normal capacity, our TikTok usage should not be a concern. Otherwise, users could consider setting a daily limit on TikTok screen time through the app's settings.

Mr John Shepherd Lim, chief well-being officer of Singapore Counselling Centre

"A litmus test for how affected our attention spans are, is to measure the length of time it takes for us to get impatient with less-pleasurable activities, such as homework," said Mr Lim.

"If we seem to be performing other tasks at our normal capacity, our TikTok usage should not be a concern. Otherwise, users could consider setting a daily limit on TikTok screen time through the app's settings."

The TikTok spokesperson said it has options for users to manage the time spent on TikTok, including the daily limit feature which Mr Lim referred to.

The spokesperson reiterated that it is committed to protecting the safety of young users and has designed tools and strategies to prioritise age-appropriate experiences. These include community guidelines that prohibit nudity, pornography or sexually explicit content on TikTok.

The spokesperson said that TikTok also recognises that some content may contain mature or complex themes intended for older audiences. It is building a new system that will allocate maturity level to videos which will be rolled out in the coming months.

"Our users' well-being remains our top priority and there is no end to our work on this front. As such, we are committed to actively developing and reinforcing our safety features to continue cultivating healthy digital practices and positive online experiences," said the spokesperson.

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The Big Read in short: The rise of TikTok and its profound impact on society

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SINGAPORE - Driven to "insanity and boredom" while being stuck at home during the partial lockdown in 2020, Ms Nicole Liel turned to a new social media app that her social circle has been using to pass her time.

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My niece didn't go on hers [school trip] and she was one of only two children in the whole class of 32 that didn't go and she cried when I picked her up from school because all her friends had been but she hadn't been.
Parent of primary school child

The place where she was happy and thrived was in dance classes and I now can't pay for them and that was the thing she looked forward to every week, she made friends there; she doesn't have friends at school as such but at dance she had friends, yeah, and we've had, we've had to stop all that.
Jessica - single parent, York

I skip meals to share with my mum...for example, I skip my meal to wait for her to come back and at least we can have the same amount of food...[We] starve together through the whole day, so at least we will have had something to eat.
Amara - aged 15, London

Agree that this isn't right?

We asked children in low-income families what they missed

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Poverty can mean children going without basics, and it can also mean missing out on everyday fun and activities that other kids take for granted. Poverty harms children’s health, social and emotional wellbeing, and education. It harms their childhoods and their futures.

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Effects of Poverty on Health, Children, & Society

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Effects of Poverty on Health, Children, & Society

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Home is the absolute foundation through which we can tackle the effects of poverty on society and its vicious cycle. Home is the key to living a life of dignity and opportunity, free from exclusion, fear or neglect.

With your help, we have been able to demonstrate time and time again that the home is vital in helping families break the cycle of poverty for good. It gives families a stable foundation with a sense of dignity and pride. A home leads to improved:

Health - the lack of windows or proper ventilation cause respiratory diseases, while the lack of proper toilets help the spread of diseases such as cholera or typhoid

Safety - from the rain, storms, earthquakes

Security - imagine not having a door in your home (tent or shelter); anything you own is at risk of theft.

Education opportunities - children who live in unsafe shelters have much lower school attendance and completion rates. Their homes often leak in various places, ruining school material and increasing their chance of becoming ill.

Employment opportunities - having a registered address is often essential to find work. A safe, decent home is also key to guarantee good health, which is key to keep a job and perform properly.

Let's dig deeper into the main impact of poverty on health, children, education as well as communities - and how safe, decent homes can become the essential foundation for people to build happy, prosperous lives.

1. Effects of poverty on health

Over 10,000 children die every day because they live in poor housing.

Without effective sanitation in their home, children are especially vulnerable to life-threatening diarrhoea and intestinal infections. And in houses where there's insufficient ventilation, people are especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases.

Clean, warm homes provide protection from the elements and help improve a family's health by preventing illness and diseases such as tuberculosis, diarrhoea, and malaria.

Families who live in a properly constructed home are less likely to fall prey to such diseases and are better equipped to recover from any illnesses they may contract. It goes without saying that the mental health of individuals and families is greatly improved when physical health concerns are taken away.

Seventy-year-old Girma Mihiretu and his wife Yeshi Ali, can testify to this. The couple live with their three-year-old grandson, Zehirun Asefa, in Dessie, Ethiopia, but for a long time they and their six children had just a single plastic sheet to call home.

With no sanitation or proper protection from the weather, the family were at the mercy of the elements.

As Mihiretu recalls,

"I lived in a small and dirty house. We didn't have a toilet. We couldn't help our children with money. Our children's health suffered every day."

To make matters even worse the couple used to suffer with leprosy, and even today bear the scars of this debilitating disease. Life was desperate, until just two years ago when the couple became our homepartners and began to hope for a healthier future.

The couple's only money used to come from begging, but now they have a garden to cultivate crops that they sell to supplement their income.

"Today, we see our new house and know it's good for our children. It has a toilet and a garden. I feel blessed."(Mihiretu)

2. Effects of poverty on education and schooling

Home gives children opportunity for the future by providing a stable foundation where they can study and do as well as they can at school.

Children are also able to develop into responsible adults as they experience security and see their own parents taking care of the home. For adults, home is key to maintaining employment and provides opportunities for income generation by the creation of home-based small businesses.

Yonah Njobvu and his wife Loina have experienced first hand how a good home can help a small business burst into life. The couple live in Lusaka, Zambia with their seven children. They were staying in a neighbour's hut after flooding destroyed their own home and the cramped conditions were far from adequate.

Since moving in February 2008 to a Habitat home, every aspect of the family's life has gone from strength to strength. The additional space has allowed Yonah to start his own business making waterproof underpants for children.

Through this business Yonah can now support his family much better. In his previous home, there simply wasn't the space or security to start a business. Now business is thriving, life is good and the family can get a good night's sleep.

3. Effects of poverty on children and families

Home is indeed where the heart is and a stable, well constructed home is at the centre of family life.

When families have a home where they feel safe and secure they will draw together as a family unit to love and support one another. There is also an added sense of pride and dignity that comes with a decent home which translates to a hopefulness for the future well being and success of the family.

There is plenty enough research showing that growing up in an unsafe environment not only affects children's health seriously but also as a result of this their attendance at school (and ability to get a degree or diploma).

Reducing child mortality, improving school attendance

Ana Maria and Rodrel live with their three small children, Shanely, Marlon and Alan in a neighbourhood nestled in the centre of Chichicastenango, Guatemala. The couple were married seven years ago and have moved home almost every year since. As a nursery nurse and a truck driver, their income doesn't stretch very far.

For the past year their rented house was so cold and damp that their youngest son, just nine months old, suffered with bronchitis. The family also had to share a bathroom and outdoor kitchen leading to restricted use of the facilities and conflict with other families.

Some years ago the couple had purchased a small piece of land but never dreamt they would be able to secure a loan to build a house on it.

When Rodrel's brother introduced them to Habitat for Humanity for the first time the family began to hope that they would have a place of their own. After visiting our office the couple soon had an interest-free loan approved and began constructing their home.

In just a month their brand new home, consisting of four rooms, was completed. It was twice the size of their rented accommodation, and with loan repayments less than their rental payments, the family can even start saving for the future.

"The children have plenty of room to play," says Ana Maria surveying her beautiful home with pride. They now also perform much better at school, having room to do their homework and not falling sick nearly as often as before.

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Effects of Poverty on Health, Children & Society: How We Break the Cycle

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The impact of a safe, decent Home is living a life free from poverty, fear or neglect. That's why homes are key tackle most causes and effects of poverty.

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A variety of important medical discoveries have revolutionized healthcare throughout history, radically transforming the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. In today's Osmosis blog, we're sharing our top picks for medical advancements that have contributed to the overall health and wellness of humanity.
We invite you to take a look at our top ten picks for medical advances that have had the most profound impact on humanity and our long-term health.

1. Antibiotics: Revolutionizing the treatment of infections

The discovery of antibiotics stands as one of the most critical advances in medical history. They were discovered in 1928 when Alexander Fleming returned home from vacation to find a petri dish on his workbenchfilled with a strain of mold that was not only thriving but also limiting the growth of bacteria.

The true significance of Fleming's discovery became apparent more than a decade later when penicillin, the active substance in the mold, was isolated in 1940. The effectiveness of the antibiotic was immediately evident during World War II in the treatment of battle wounds, saving the lives of an estimated 200,000 soldiers. Penicillin remains a primary treatment for bacterial infections and has paved the way for developing numerous other antibiotics.

In addition to the treatment of infectious diseases, the existence of antibiotics meant that procedures like open-heart surgery, organ transplants, and chemotherapy could become a reality. Many view the years between 1940 and 1960 as the "golden era" for antibiotics, with a good portion of them developed over that period and still in use today.

2. Vaccines: Preventing deadly diseases

Despite significant advances, the modern vaccine wasn't developed until 1950, when a rampant outbreak caused parents to isolate their children to prevent them from catching polio. Governments spent millions researching a vaccine, and, in 1952, Jonas Salk and his team at the University of Pittsburgh delivered. Perhaps even more extraordinarily, Salk did not file a patent, saying "[the vaccine] belonged to the people." Due to his kindness, polio has just about been eradicated globally, with a handful (six) cases in 2021 and two as of May 2023.

3. Anesthesia: Transforming surgical procedures

Prior to the mid-1800s, surgical procedures were limited due to the excruciating pain patients experienced. This changed in 1846 when William TG Morton used ether to anesthetize a patient for surgery. The drugs used to anesthetize patients for surgery have come a long way since these early days. Techniques have also been refined and, when used in combination with new technologies, have resulted in significant gains in patient safety .

Global standards have been established for monitoring hemodynamics, vital signs, and respiration, among others. Technology helps assess the depth of anesthesia, while algorithms help assess patient comfort levels. As a result, many surgical procedures that would not have been possible without these developments have become relatively routine.

4. X-rays and Medical Imaging: Advancements in non-invasive diagnostics

Before the advent of medical imaging, physicians relied on their sense of touch, observations, and the patient's account of their symptoms to diagnose them. The discovery of X-rays by William Conrad Roentgen in 1896 revolutionized diagnostic medicine based on his experimentation with electric currents and glass cathode-ray tubes. The potential of his discovery in the diagnostic process was immediately recognized, with Glasgow Hospital opening its first radiology department just a year later.

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image. In 1956, its usefulness in the medical field was recognized and found particularly useful in prenatal monitoring and detecting pelvic and abdominal conditions. This discovery was followed by computed tomography (CT) in 1967 and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 1973.

As technology has advanced, so have the images these tools produce. Medical professionals can now obtain detailed images of what's happening inside a body, allowing them to confidently diagnose conditions, such as cysts, tumors, and other abnormalities non-invasively. The ability to visualize the internal structures and organs is vital to the early diagnosis and treatment of many brain, heart, lung, liver, and kidney conditions.

5. Germ Theory: Small changes make a big impact

Pasteur's work proved that infections resulted from microorganisms or pathogens entering the body. Joseph Lister (see #9 in our list) applied Pasteur's theory to surgical infections (despite being labeled "mad" by many of his colleagues). As infection rates improved, his peers had to acknowledge the value of his approach.

In the century and a half since Lister's application of Pasteur's work, a variety of diseases that had previously killed thousands, such as the plague, dysentery, and typhoid fever, have all been brought under control through understanding and applying germ theory.

6. Organ Transplantation: Saving lives through organ replacement

As of September 2022, US doctors have completed transplants and performed more than transplants annually, extending lives and improving the quality of life for numerous patients.

7. Genetic Engineering: Unlocking the secrets of life

The discovery of the double helix structure of DNA by James Watson, Francis Crick, and Rosalind Franklin revolutionized molecular biology. The development of a map of the human genome has been vital in predicting and understanding the incidence of many diseases. While this information is already used to screen and create interventions for at-risk groups for conditions for which they may have a predisposition, the potential is even greater, with the possibility of personalized medicine and gene therapies close to becoming an everyday reality.

As researchers have learned more about the human genome, they've developed techniques to manipulate it, which has given rise to gene therapy and genetic engineering. Although it's still very much in its infancy, the potential for medicine is huge, with scientists able to insert recombinant DNA into organisms to replace "faulty" sections and thereby reduce or remove genetic predispositions.

8. Heart Surgery: Pioneering cardiovascular interventions

Patients who have undergone a CABG and made it through the first month following the surgery have a life expectancy similar to that of the general population. In the US, cardiovascular interventions have contributed to the death rate from heart attacks falling from 87 per 100,000 in 1999 to 38 per 100,000 in 2020, illustrating the importance of this still-evolving field.

9. Antiseptics: Enhancing Sterilization and infection control

Joseph Lister's development of antiseptics significantly improved infection control in surgery and beyond. Concerned with the high mortality rate following surgery, Lister began experimenting with different techniques to prevent infection, developing the antisepsis system in a home laboratory while working with his wife and assistant, Agnes.

10. Insulin: Saving millions of lives daily

James Collip joined the team to help purify the insulin. Fourteen-year-old Leonard Thompson , who was dying from Type I diabetes, was the first patient to receive this lifesaving treatment. After his second dose, his blood glucose levels normalized, with no side effects observed.

The discovery of insulin is especially pertinent today, with the significant global increase in cases of type II diabetes. Insulin helps control blood glucose levels in those with diabetes and delays the onset of its debilitating symptoms, increasing the life expectancy of diabetes patients and saving health systems billions.

Honorable Mentions

Several other medical advances came close to making our top ten and definitely deserve some recognition!

Epidemiology

Hippocrates considered the connection between the environment, host factors, and disease development around 400 BC, and Joaquín de Villalba first used the term epidemiology to explain these connections in the late 1700s. However, it was John Snow who meticulously mapped the incidence of cholera in London in 1854, tracing the source of the infectious disease to specific water pumps while illustrating the importance of applying statistical analysis to the outbreak of disease, outcomes, and behaviors.

3D Printing

When Chuck Hall first developed 3D printing in 1983, few could have imagined its medical applications. Thirty years later, the technology enables scientists to print the scaffolds for organs, prosthetic limbs, and medications. With the technology still very much in the early stages, the future applications of 3D printing in healthcare have incredible potential.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence is already making its mark in many aspects of medicine. It's assisting medical professionals in diagnosing and treating illness, with its potential seemingly limitless to the extent that it's likely to be a permanent fixture on future top 10 lists. The current challenges involve overcoming the ethical issues around how much control machines have over the diagnostic and treatment process and ensuring accuracy.

Conclusion

It takes many pieces of a puzzle to see the bigger picture. While every little piece of knowledge improves our ability to diagnose and treat illness, these top ten medical advances have more than left their mark by drastically improving the life expectancy and health outcomes of millions of people. With so many rapid technological advancements, scientists can better understand, investigate, and develop treatments, building on these discoveries to improve health outcomes globally.

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The Top 10 Medical Advances in History - Osmosis - A Better Way To Learn

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A variety of important medical discoveries have revolutionized healthcare throughout history, radically transforming the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. In today?s Osmosis blog, we?re sharing our top picks for medical advancements that have contributed to the overall health and wellness of humanity.

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10 Benefits Showing Why Education is Important to Our Society

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10 Benefits Showing Why Education is Important to Our Society

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Do you think attending school and doing projects for your college is a waste of time? If you do, you might want to reconsider that claim as education is a key part of a society's growth and progress. When people are educated, they can significantly contribute to their families and society in various aspects and fields, thus creating a stable and stimulating community. Why is education important to society? Let's take into account some reasons.

1. Creating More Employment Opportunities

Finding a job is not easy, especially in times of economic turmoil. You often need to compete with hundreds of other candidates for a vacant position. In addition, the lower the education level, the greater the number of people applying for the same low-paying entry-level post. However, with the right qualifications and educational background, you will increase your chances of landing a fulfilling job. Would you like to find a way to stand out from a pool of applicants? Learn, educate yourself, graduate and get as many qualifications, skills, knowledge, and experience as possible.

2. Securing a Higher Income

People with higher education and varied experience are more likely to get high-paying, expert jobs. Study hard, dedicate your time and effort to acquire knowledge and reach a high level of competence if you would like to lead a comfortable lifestyle. Your credentials are what will motivate a potential employer to choose you instead of another candidate. Studying hard throughout your school and studies shows you are not afraid of hard work and are able to fulfill your goals. Employers see this as a huge advantage as they all prefer a responsible and knowledgeable workforce. Once you graduate, you can start searching for jobs that will give you the opportunity to practice what you have learned and, at the same time, secure sufficient pay for your needs.

3. Developing Problem-solving Skills

One of the benefits of education is that the educational system teaches us how to obtain and develop critical and logical thinking and make independent decisions. When children become adults, they are faced with a lot of challenging issues - pay off your student loans, get a job, buy a car and a house, provide for your family, etc. However, if one has spent years educating themselves, they should be able to make sound decisions on these various quandaries. Not only are people able to form their own opinions, but they are also good at finding solid and reliable arguments and evidence to back up and confirm their decisions.

4. Improving the Economy

People with good academic and educational backgrounds tend to get well-paid jobs. The higher their education and accomplishments, the better employment options they get. People who grew up poor but educated themselves have high chances to transform their lives, thus contributing to a decrease in society's poverty rates. Education helps countries grow economically since it is about getting knowledge and being able to apply it wisely to our lives and, at the same time, improving other people's lives.

5. Providing a Prosperous and Happy Life

Education has always secured respect from society. In order to ensure a comfortable lifestyle, people should educate themselves and obtain a well-paid job to be successful and satisfied. It helps gain a better reputation and increases the chances of climbing the career ladder more easily and faster. In turn, it provides financial resources for stable lives - people can afford to buy their own house or apartment and thus secure their children's happiness and success. Furthermore, being able to own your own home provides stability and increases self-confidence. It leads to creating a positive environment for families and communities. "Children of homeowners are 116% more likely to graduate from college than children of renters of the same age, race, and income. They are also 25% more likely to graduate from high school and have higher math and reading scores, with fewer behavioral problems," according to research at the University of Tennessee.

6. Giving Back to the Community

How does education benefit society? Educated people understand how valuable it is to live in a stable and secure community. They are more prone to taking part in projects that help improve not only their neighborhood but society, as well. In addition, when people are able to afford their own home, they are more likely to take part not only in improving their homes but in solving local problems, as well. After all, it is quite important to get involved and give a hand to the less fortunate ones in order to build a better place for all of us to live in.

7. Creating Modern Society

Education is of key essence for modern society. One needs to learn about culture, history and other important aspects so that they would be able to contribute to modern society. Education molds people into leaders not only with knowledge about (college) subjects, but it also shows them how to lead with emotions and true values. Educated people can easily differentiate between right and wrong, thus education helps reduce the crime rate. Bad events are happening around the world - only competent leaders can help guide us down a good and right path.

8. Bridging the Borders

Digital education helps connect with people and organizations around the world. Borders are no longer there. Being able to communicate and share opinions with people from other countries and cultures, widens horizons and helps us understand and appreciate each other.

9. Creating equal opportunities

The importance of education in society has always been great as it is irrespective of caste, race, gender, religion. Educated people are treated as equals on the basis of their knowledge and competence. In addition to this, educated people are open-minded and are able to listen and accept other people's views regardless of the fact of how different they are. Education offers a possibility to live independently and thus be free. It is our shelter against financial storms and wrong decisions.

10. Introducing Empowerment

Education is the key to turn a weakness into a strength. It offers different tools and ways to understand problems that lay ahead of us and helps resolve them. More importantly, education provides us with considerable mental agility to make the right decisions and spring into action when needed. Many types of research show that educated women can more easily stand up against gender bias and marital violence as they have improved their decision-making capabilities.

Whether it is about respect, a higher position in society and a professional environment, financial security, family stability, education provides all of these and much more. Home stability provided by owning your own home helps children who grew up in their own houses or apartments become more successful. They are more likely to graduate high school (25%) and finish college (116%). "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," as Nelson Mandela said. It helps people become better citizens, get a better-paid job, shows the difference between good and bad. Education shows us the importance of hard work and, at the same time, helps us grow and develop. Thus, we are able to shape a better society to live in by knowing and respecting rights, laws, and regulations. Learning languages through educational processes helps interact with different people in order to exchange ideas, knowledge, good practices. It teaches us to live in harmony.

Are you ready to give back? Help the families from your community that need it the most. Get involved , today.

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10 Benefits Showing Why Education Is Important to Our Society | Habitat for Humanity

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Do you think attending school and doing projects for your college is a waste of time? If you do, you might want to reconsider that claim as education is a key part of a society's growth and progress.

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21 Years Later, 9/11's Impact On Americans Endures

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Coal, Steam, and The Industrial Revolution: Crash Course World History #32

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Great Depression - Stock Market Crash, Unemployment, Poverty

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Great Depression - Stock Market Crash, Unemployment, Poverty: A decline in spending and other factors influenced the downturn in various countries

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Knowledge is power, as the saying goes, and the invention of the mechanical movable type printing press helped disseminate knowledge wider and faster than ever before.

German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg is credited with inventing the printing press around 1436, although he was far from the first to automate the book-printing process. Woodblock printing in China dates back to the 9th century and Korean bookmakers were printing with moveable metal type a century before Gutenberg.

But most historians believe Gutenberg's adaptation, which employed a screw-type wine press to squeeze down evenly on the inked metal type, was the key to unlocking the modern age. With the newfound ability to inexpensively mass-produce books on every imaginable topic, revolutionary ideas and priceless ancient knowledge were placed in the hands of every literate European, whose numbers doubled every century.

Here are just some of the ways the printing press helped pull Europe out of the Middle Ages and accelerate human progress.

1. A Global News Network Was Launched

Gutenberg didn't live to see the immense impact of his invention. His greatest accomplishment was the first print run of the Bible in Latin, which took three years to print around 200 copies, a miraculously speedy achievement in the day of hand-copied manuscripts.

But as historian Ada Palmer explains, Gutenberg's invention wasn't profitable until there was a distribution network for books. Palmer, a professor of early modern European history at the University of Chicago, compares early printed books like the Gutenberg Bible to how e-books struggled to find a market before Amazon introduced the Kindle.

"Congratulations, you've printed 200 copies of the Bible; there are about three people in your town who can read the Bible in Latin," says Palmer. "What are you going to do with the other 197 copies?"

Gutenberg died penniless, his presses impounded by his creditors. Other German printers fled for greener pastures, eventually arriving in Venice, which was the central shipping hub of the Mediterranean in the late 15th century.

"If you printed 200 copies of a book in Venice, you could sell five to the captain of each ship leaving port," says Palmer, which created the first mass-distribution mechanism for printed books.

The ships left Venice carrying religious texts and literature, but also breaking news from across the known world. Printers in Venice sold four-page news pamphlets to sailors, and when their ships arrived in distant ports, local printers would copy the pamphlets and hand them off to riders who would race them off to dozens of towns.

Since literacy rates were still very low in the 1490s, locals would gather at the pub to hear a paid reader recite the latest news, which was everything from bawdy scandals to war reports.

"This radically changed the consumption of news," says Palmer. "It made it normal to go check the news every day."

2. The Renaissance Kicked Into High Gear

The Italian Renaissance began nearly a century before Gutenberg invented his printing press when 14th-century political leaders in Italian city-states like Rome and Florence set out to revive the Ancient Roman educational system that had produced giants like Caesar, Cicero and Seneca.

One of the chief projects of the early Renaissance was to find long-lost works by figures like Plato and Aristotle and republish them. Wealthy patrons funded expensive expeditions across the Alps in search of isolated monasteries. Italian emissaries spent years in the Ottoman Empire learning enough Ancient Greek and Arabic to translate and copy rare texts into Latin.

The operation to retrieve classic texts was in action long before the printing press, but publishing the texts had been arduously slow and prohibitively expensive for anyone other than the richest of the rich. Palmer says that one hand-copied book in the 14th century cost as much as a house and libraries cost a small fortune. The largest European library in 1300 was the university library of Paris, which had 300 total manuscripts.

By the 1490s, when Venice was the book-printing capital of Europe, a printed copy of a great work by Cicero only cost a month's salary for a school teacher. The printing press didn't launch the Renaissance, but it vastly accelerated the rediscovery and sharing of knowledge.

"Suddenly, what had been a project to educate only the few wealthiest elite in this society could now become a project to put a library in every medium-sized town, and a library in the house of every reasonably wealthy merchant family," says Palmer.

3. Martin Luther Becomes the First Best-Selling Author

There's a famous quote attributed to German religious reformer Martin Luther that sums up the role of the printing press in the Protestant Reformation: "Printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one."

Luther wasn't the first theologian to question the Church, but he was the first to widely publish his message. Other "heretics" saw their movements quickly quashed by Church authorities and the few copies of their writings easily destroyed. But the timing of Luther's crusade against the selling of indulgences coincided with an explosion of printing presses across Europe.

As the legend goes, Luther nailed his "95 Theses" to the church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517. Palmer says that broadsheet copies of Luther's document were being printed in London as quickly as 17 days later.

Thanks to the printing press and the timely power of his message, Luther became the world's first best-selling author. Luther's translation of the New Testament into German sold 5,000 copies in just two weeks. From 1518 to 1525, Luther's writings accounted for a third of all books sold in Germany and his German Bible went through more than 430 editions.

4. Printing Powers the Scientific Revolution

The English philosopher Francis Bacon, who's credited with developing the scientific method, wrote in 1620 that the three inventions that forever changed the world were gunpowder, the nautical compass and the printing press.

For millennia, science was a largely solitary pursuit. Great mathematicians and natural philosophers were separated by geography, language and the sloth-like pace of hand-written publishing. Not only were handwritten copies of scientific data expensive and hard to come by, they were also prone to human error.

With the newfound ability to publish and share scientific findings and experimental data with a wide audience, science took great leaps forward in the 16th and 17th centuries. When developing his sun-centric model of the galaxy in the early 1500s, for example, Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus relied not only on his own heavenly observations, but on printed astronomical tables of planetary movements.

When historian Elizabeth Eisenstein wrote her 1980 book about the impact of the printing press, she said that its biggest gift to science wasn't necessarily the speed at which ideas could spread with printed books, but the accuracy with which the original data were copied. With printed formulas and mathematical tables in hand, scientists could trust the fidelity of existing data and devote more energy to breaking new ground.

5. Fringe Voices Get a Platform

"Whenever a new information technology comes along, and this includes the printing press, among the very first groups to be 'loud' in it are the people who were silenced in the earlier system, which means radical voices," says Palmer.

It takes effort to adopt a new information technology, whether it's the ham radio, an internet bulletin board, or Instagram. The people most willing to take risks and make the effort to be early adopters are those who had no voice before that technology existed.

"In the print revolution, that meant radical heresies, radical Christian splinter groups, radical egalitarian groups, critics of the government," says Palmer. "The Protestant Reformation is only one of many symptoms of print enabling these voices to be heard."

As critical and alternative opinions entered the public discourse, those in power tried to censor it. Before the printing press, censorship was easy. All it required was killing the "heretic" and burning his or her handful of notebooks.

But after the printing press, Palmer says it became nearly impossible to destroy all copies of a dangerous idea. And the more dangerous a book was claimed to be, the more the people wanted to read it. Every time the Church published a list of banned books, the booksellers knew exactly what they should print next.

6. From Public Opinion to Popular Revolution

During the Enlightenment era, philosophers like John Locke, Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were widely read among an increasingly literate populace. Their elevation of critical reasoning above custom and tradition encouraged people to question religious authority and prize personal liberty.

Increasing democratization of knowledge in the Enlightenment era led to the development of public opinion and its power to topple the ruling elite. Writing in pre-Revolution France, Louis-Sebástien Mercier declared:

"A great and momentous revolution in our ideas has taken place within the last thirty years. Public opinion has now become a preponderant power in Europe, one that cannot be resisted... one may hope that enlightened ideas will bring about the greatest good on Earth and that tyrants of all kinds will tremble before the universal cry that echoes everywhere, awakening Europe from its slumbers."

"[Printing] is the most beautiful gift from heaven," continues Mercier. "It soon will change the countenance of the universe... Printing was only born a short while ago, and already everything is heading toward perfection... Tremble, therefore, tyrants of the world! Tremble before the virtuous writer!"

Even the illiterate couldn't resist the attraction of revolutionary Enlightenment authors, Palmer says. When Thomas Paine published "Common Sense" in 1776, the literacy rate in the American colonies was around 15 percent, yet there were more copies printed and sold of the revolutionary tract than the entire population of the colonies.

7. Machines 'Steal Jobs' From Workers

The Industrial Revolution didn't get into full swing in Europe until the mid-18th century, but you can make the argument that the printing press introduced the world to the idea of machines "stealing jobs" from workers.

Before Gutenberg's paradigm-shifting invention, scribes were in high demand. Bookmakers would employ dozens of trained artisans to painstakingly hand-copy and illuminate manuscripts. But by the late 15th century, the printing press had rendered their unique skillset all but obsolete.

On the flip side, the huge demand for printed material spawned the creation of an entirely new industry of printers, brick-and-mortar booksellers and enterprising street peddlers. Among those who got his start as a printer's apprentice was future Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin.

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7 Ways the Printing Press Changed the World | HISTORY

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In the 15th century, an innovation enabled the mass production of books. The ability to share knowledge more widely changed the world forever.