Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World

• People depend on various technologies in their lives; human life would be very different without technology.
• Every human-made product is designed by applying some knowledge of the natural world and is built using materials derived from the natural world.
• Developing and using technology has impacts on the natural world.
• Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits (e.g., better artificial limbs), decrease known risks (e.g., seatbelts in cars), and meet societal demands (e.g., cell phones).
• People’s needs and wants change over time, as do their demands for new and improved technologies.
• Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones.
• Over time, people’s needs and wants change, as do their demands for new and improved technologies.
• Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, to decrease known risks, and to meet societal demands.
• The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions. Thus technology use varies from region to region and over time.
• The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions.
• Technologies extend the measurement, exploration, modeling, and computational capacity of scientific investigations.
• All human activity draws on natural resources and has both short and long-term consequences, positive as well as negative, for the health of people and the natural environment.
• Modern civilization depends on major technological systems. Engineers continuously modify these technological systems by applying scientific knowledge and engineering design practices to increase benefits while decreasing costs and risks.
• Modern civilization depends on major technological systems.
• Engineers continuously modify these technological systems by applying scientific knowledge and engineering design practices to increase benefits while decreasing costs and risks.
• New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated. Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology.
• New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated.
• Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology.