Technology is a broad term that refers to tools and machines that may be used in order to solve real-world problems. This wide definition of technology can include everything from simple tools such as a crowbar or wooden spoon to complex machinery like a space station or particle accelerator. Additionally, technology doesn’t necessarily have to be material; virtual technologies such as computer software and business methods also fall under this umbrella.
Technology has strongly influenced the course of human history and nature. It has been responsible for revolutions in agriculture, transportation and communication. It has helped make cities and countries grow and become interdependent. It has given rise to a global economy and the emergence of a worldwide middle class. It has transformed warfare, from bows and arrows to guns and rockets to nuclear bombs. And it continues to change our lives in smaller ways, such as changing the way we write and communicate and providing new opportunities for learning.
It is important to note that many technologies are prone to side effects, both good and bad. Large technologies such as nuclear reactors and agriculture are prone to these effects, but it is also true of small, everyday technologies such as refrigerators or even electricity, which may have an unavoidable impact on the environment through their usage.
Incremental technology, although seemingly different from semi-radical technology, is just as important. This is because it focuses on making smaller innovations that contribute to a significant improvement of a product. Examples of incremental technology are upgrading the versions of operating systems or releasing security patches.