1. Accelerating Global Change and Realignments: Science & the Environment
1900 to the Present

2. I. Rapid advances in science

3. New modes of communication and transportation
Jet engines
High speed rail
Satellite communications
Internet

4. New Scientific Paradigms
The theory of relativity
Quantum mechanics
The Big Bang theory
Psychology

5. The Green Revolution
chemically and genetically enhanced forms of agriculture
produced food for the earth’s growing population
High-yielding varieties of seeds
Use of fertilizers and irrigation
Reduced possibility of famine
Technology taken to other places

6. Medical Innovations
The polio vaccine
Antibiotics
The artificial heart

7. New Energy Technologies
Lead to raised productivity and increase in the production of material goods
Increased use of oil
Renewable energy sources
Nuclear power

8. II. Population Explosion & the Environment

9. Global warming
Temperature increase caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases
These result from human activities such as the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation

10. Pollution Chemical pollution of air, water, soil Noise pollution
10 top polluted sites are located in Azerbaijan, China, India, Peru, Russia, Ukraine, and Zambia
The Great Smog of 1952 in London, killed at least 4,000
Radioactive contamination, can remain lethally radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years.

11. Exhaustion of Resources
Over-consumption/excessive or unnecessary use of resources
Non-equitable distribution of resources
Overpopulation
Slash and burn agricultural practices, currently occurring in many developing countries
Technological and industrial development
Deforestation - Erosion
Mining for oil and minerals
Aquifer depletion

12. III. Demographic Shifts

13. A. Diseases associated with poverty persisted, while other diseases emerged as new epidemics and threats to human survival. Malaria, tuberculosis, cholera influenza pandemic, Ebola, HIV/AIDS In addition, changing lifestyles and increased longevity led to higher incidence of certain diseases. Diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease

14. B. More effective forms of birth control gave women greater control over fertility and transformed sexual practices.

15. C. Improved military technology and new tactics led to increased levels of wartime casualties.
• Tanks
• Airplanes
• The atomic bomb
• Trench warfare
• Firebombing
• Nanjing
• Dresden
• Hiroshima