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History of science and technology facts for kids

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The history of science and technology (often called HST) is a special part of history. It looks at how people have understood the natural world (that's science!) and how they've learned to change it (that's technology) over many different times. This field also explores how science and technology have affected culture, money, and politics, and how these things have, in turn, shaped science and technology.

Studying the History of Science and Technology

Studying the history of science is a real academic subject. Many experts around the world work in this field. There are even big groups like the History of Science Society and the British Society for the History of Science for people who study it.

People who study HST often try to answer big questions. They ask: What exactly is science? How does it work? And do we see big patterns or trends in how science changes over time?

How the Study of HST Began

At first, the stories of science were often written by scientists themselves. They wanted to share how amazing science was with everyone. One of the first big books like this was by William Whewell in 1837.

Later, a thinker named Auguste Comte suggested that studying the history of science should be its own special subject.

But it wasn't until the early 1900s that the history of science and technology became a separate academic field. This happened because science started to play a much bigger role in the world.

After World War I, a lot of money and effort went into teaching and researching HST. People hoped it would help everyone understand science and technology better. These fields were becoming super important in daily life.

After World War II, HST really grew into a full academic subject. It got its own special schools, research places, and journals. There were also professional groups for historians of science.

Early Academic Programs

In the United States, a scholar named George Sarton helped start the formal study of HST. He published a big book in 1927 and started a journal called Isis in 1912. Sarton believed that the history of science was mostly about "great men and great ideas." He thought history showed how science always moved forward, even with some delays.

The study of HST was still quite small until after World War II. That's when "Big Science" started, meaning huge science projects. With the work of I. Bernard Cohen at Harvard, HST became a recognized part of history studies in the U.S.

Important leaders like Vannevar Bush and James Bryant Conant also encouraged studying the history of science. They wanted people to understand how science worked. They also wanted people to see why it was important to have many scientists.

Where You Can Study HST

Today, many universities around the world offer programs in the history of science and technology. These programs help students learn about how scientific ideas and inventions have changed over time.

For example, in Australia, The University of Sydney has programs in the History and Philosophy of Science. In Canada, the University of Toronto has a program in History and Philosophy of Science and Technology.

Many universities in Europe also have strong programs. In France, Paris Diderot University has a Department of History and Philosophy of Science. In Germany, Technische Universität Berlin offers a program in the History of Science and Technology.

India has a well-developed field for HST studies. Places like Jawaharlal Nehru University offer special programs. In the United Kingdom, universities like University of Cambridge and University College London have large programs.

In the United States, many universities offer courses and degrees in HST. These include Harvard, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley. These programs help students explore the past of scientific discovery and technological progress.

See also

Professional Societies

These are groups for people who study the history of science and technology:

  • The British Society for the History of Science (BSHS)
  • History of Science Society (HSS)
  • Newcomen Society
  • Society for the History of Technology (SHOT)
  • Society for the Social Studies of Science (4S)
  • Scientific Instrument Society
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