New Delhi: Throughout history, the progress of human civilisations has been aided by scientific discoveries. They have not only helped to make our lives easier but have also unveiled various mysteries about this planet. Some of the discoveries have been game-changing in the true sense. In this article, we will take a look at those scientific discoveries which have changed the world in every aspect.
Scientific discoveries which have been milestones
1. Gravity
The discovery of gravity by Sir Isaac Newton has been one of the greatest in history. According to legends, Newton discovered Gravity when he saw a falling apple while thinking about the forces of nature. Whatever the case, it made him realise that some force was pulling the objects towards the earth, and it opened up a whole new horizon for scientists in later years. He called this force ‘gravity’ and concluded that gravitational forces exist between all objects.
2. DNA
In 1869, Swiss physician Friedrich Miescher discovered the DNA. He identified what he referred to as ‘nuclein’ in blood cells and it formed the basis for the subsequent research on the DNA. The full form of DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid and it is the molecule that encodes genetic information for all living things. It has a crucial role in parents passing some traits to their offspring and its discovery has helped scientists understand various facets of human and animal genes.
3. Earth’s revolution
Earth is not static in one place and it moves around the sun along with other planes. Pretty basic, right? Well, hundreds of years ago, people used to believe that Earth was at the centre and the sun revolved around it, leading to day and night. It was the standard line of thinking until Nicolaus Copernicus detailed his theory that the Earth, along with the other planets, rotated around the sun in 1543. His theory would be widely accepted more than a century later.
4. Electricity
The discovery of electricity has been crucial in generating power which has propelled human civilisation forward. It plays a central role in many modern technologies as electric current is used for numerous equipment in today’s age. Electrical technology was the reason behind the Second Industrial Revolution, transforming both industry and society. Electricity is integral to applications including computation, lighting, transport, heating, and communications, making it the foundation of modern industrial society. While Benjamin Franklin is widely regarded as the one who discovered electricity, British scientist and doctor William Gilbert coined the word ‘electric’.
5. Germ theory of disease
Also called the Theory of Contagion, it changed the field of medicine by stating that microscopic organisms called germs are the reason behind certain diseases. It was the first to point out that several diseases were spread through viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens. It changed the way doctors and researchers perceived diseases, leading to a revolution in their treatment. In the mid-19th century, Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch made the discovery.
6. Insulin
In the early 20th century, the discovery of insulin gave us a way to control the adverse effects of diabetes. It presented an immediate treatment for diabetes patients and proved to be a lifesaver. In 1921, two scientists, Charles Best and Frederick Banting found that insulin could regulate blood glucose levels, changing medical science and healthcare forever.
7. Vaccination
Vaccination is one of the most important scientific discoveries ever made. Since its discovery, vaccination has helped to strengthen the immune system and protect us from diseases. It contains weakened or inactive components of a certain organism (antigen) that evoke in the body an immunological response. Over the years, vaccination has saved countless lives from diseases like measles, polio, smallpox etc. An English physician named Edward Jenner is said to have discovered vaccination when he made the first successful attempt in 1796 by administering cowpox material to a 13-year-old boy who developed immunity to deadly smallpox.
The discovery of gravity by Sir Isaac Newton has been one of the greatest in history. According to legends, Newton discovered Gravity when he saw a falling apple while thinking about the forces of nature. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
