Modern technology is the use of scientific knowledge to make machines or tools, usually in factories. We all use modern technology somehow –whenever we speak on a phone, or watch a TV program.

Communications technology

Now we can find out what is happening in our country and the rest of the world through newspapers, radio, television, internet, films and video. Satellites in space bring pictures from the other side of the world so we can watch a cricket match live program in the other country as it happens. We also get ideas from other countries. We can telephone almost anywhere in the world- and with a cellular phone; we can even talk from a place without a telephone line. Some people say that the world is `Shrinking’ or getting smaller, because it is so easy to find out about other countries-and travel to them.

Computer technology

We can now use computer which think much faster than we can. Almost every office, bank and factory has computers. Computers do the work that people used to do; so many office workers have lost their jobs. Computers help us to find out things in the rest of the world through the internet and the world wide websites. They help us send message by e-mail so we don’t have to send letters by post. Every year, we learn how to do more things on computers. Many children who can afford them have computer games. But most people cannot afford to use computers. They are shut out from this new technology.

Gene technology

Every living thing has gene. Genes are `the building blocks of life’. If you have the same smile as your mother or the same eyebrows as your father, it is because you have inherited their genes. Now scientists can change the genes of plants and animals. For example, they can change the genes of wheat plans so that they are not harmed by weed killers.

Some people think that we can make wonderful new crops by changing their genes. They say that now there will be enough food for everyone. Other people are worried that the new crops may be dangerous. The old crops may die out and then they are good for us or not.

Nuclear technology

Nuclear power can be used to make terrible bombs or to make electricity. Now many countries of the world have nuclear bombs. If they are used, these bombs could kill millions of people on both sides of a country’s border. As we learned in our science book, life on earth would never be the same. Perhaps all living things would die.

Some people say that nuclear technology has made the world peaceful. They say that if two enemies have a nuclear bomb, neither will use it. This is because they don’t want their enemies to send one back, but some say that the first side to use a nuclear bomb will win the war. That might start a nuclear war which could spread all over the world. If there as a big nuclear war, everyone would die.

Electricity made from nuclear power seems cheap, but we do not know what to do with the waste it makes. There was a very bad nuclear accident in Japan in 1999. If there is a very bad accident in a nuclear power station, millions of people could be killed.