1. Some of the first examples of technology were Stone Age tools

Technology is the use of knowledge to invent new devices or tools. This means that when people in the Stone Age invented pots to cook and carry things in, this is an example of technology.

Throughout history, technology has made people’s lives easier.

2. Technology can help us combat Climate Change

Scientists are creating technology where they pump CO2 from the air into porous rock formations where it can remain safely for thousands of years. Reportedly, up to 90% of emissions could be captured but the technology is very new and still being tested!

One of the more ‘fun’-sounding solutions, giant water cannons at the poles have been proposed by a physicist in the US. This would involve installing millions of water cannons to shoot seawater onto the surface of the ice sheets where it would refreeze and thicken the ice.

3. If you put all of the data in the world onto blu-ray disks, you’d have a stack of discs that would stretch way past the moon.

It’s estimated that the world’s data storage capacity is currently about 295 exabytes – that’s 295 BILLION gigabytes!

Find out more about technology in our Techno Mum’s World School series!

4. Technology is helping us cure diseases

A scientist called Ali Utarini has managed to cut cases of dengue fever, a disease caused by certain mosquitos, by 77% in parts of a large Indonesian city by releasing mosquitoes that had been modified to stop them from transmitting the virus.

Using technology they injected bacteria into mosquito eggs which would spread to other mosquitos and prevent dengue fever. This technology will reduce the amount of people who get sick or even die from the disease, especially lower-income nations in Asia, Africa and South America.

5. Technology was used to create Covid Vaccines

Pfizer used messenger RNA technology to create the Covid Vaccine. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, vaccines based on messenger RNA were an unproven technology.

The team created the new vaccine in 210 days, from the beginning of testing in April to the completion of phase III clinical trials in November.

6. Motorola produced the first handheld mobile phone

On April 3rd, 1973, Martin Cooper, a Motorola researcher, made the first mobile telephone call. The phone was the size of a brick and didn’t do most of the things phones can do now.

It had no apps and couldn’t take photos like phones now can.

7. Technology means we might all drive electric cars in the future

Advances in technology hopefully mean that we will have to rely on fossil fuels like petrol less and less. One of the ways we can do this is through electric cars.

One of the challenges of electric vehicles like electric cars and buses is that you have to wait while they charge their battery – just like waiting for a phone to charge.

Scientists are trying to make this process faster – there is a company called Store Dot who are working on a battery that can charge in just 10 minutes. When you grow up you could be a scientist working on technology just like this.

8. Tech company Nintendo started out making playing cards

Nintendo was founded in 1889 as a playing card company.

They didn’t make their first video game until 1978.

9. Google processes over 8.5 billion searches per day

… and did you know Google has only existed since 1998!?

Learn all about new technology in our Techno Mum’s World School series!

10. Apple were originally designing an apple shaped flip phone

Before the original design for an iPhone, Apple patented a phone design in the shape of an actual apple.

We can’t imagine that would be very easy to fit in your pocket.