Have you ever wondered what your life would be like without technology?

No microwave to warm your food, no cell phone to call your mom in another city, and no internet?

It’s impossible to imagine today’s living without technology; after all, it has shaped the present and continues to influence the future. But many are raising questions whether technology has been more of a bane than a boon. With debates on every aspect of technology, here are some topics we think are worth analysing technology’s role in.

What Technology is Complicating

The world of technology and digital media is exciting, and frankly speaking, the world would not have progressed without it. However, digitalizing our lives has brought on serious concerns.

Radiation: Links to Cancer

Medicine has seen massive growth with the advent of technology. However, research is coming up which states that exposure to radiation from X-Rays, PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scans, CT (Computed Tomography) scans and Nuclear medicine are dangerous.

This is because these procedures use ionizing radiation. Prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation causes damage to cells in the body and in large doses, morphs them into cancerous cells. Although the amount of radiation material used in these tests is low, they’re still harmful. After certain testes, hospitals subject their patients to IVs to flush out the material.

Too Much Screen: The Rise of Autism and ADHD

Studies are being done to explore the effect of introducing technology to children younger than the age of two, and the results are not great. Turns out, too much screen time for a toddler increases their risk of developing autism or autistic like symptoms, like speech delay, hyperactivity and short attention spans. And too much screen time for older children increases their likelihood of developing ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Too much screen time can cause neurochemical changes in children, especially in their circadian rhythms. Children show reduced melatonin, dopamine, acetylcholine and GABA – neurotransmitters that help regulate bodily functions and emotions. In fact, some research has also suggested decreased grey and white matter, which may correlate with aggression and cognitive abilities.

The Internet Human: Affects of Technology on Individuals

The online presence has become a huge phenomenon, thanks to social media and technology that allows you to carry it with you everywhere.

Unfortunately, technology has affected human life. With cyber bullying and cyber suicide on the rise, the quality of life and mental health of individuals are in constant fluctuation.

The online world is strongly connected and negativity travels fast, especially because of cyber racism and security.

Individuals are also more susceptible to self-esteem and self-acceptance problems; Snapchat Dysmorphia is a new mental illness currently under research, where technology users aim to achieve the perfection they see online or through high definition screens.

What Technology Is Improving

Everything has its pros and cons, and like everything, technology has revolutionised our lives in incomparable ways.

Better Business, More Money: Technological Advancements of the Corporate World

The world of finance and economics has greatly benefited from the advent of technology. Online cloud storage and supercomputers enable uncountable terabytes of information saving and sharing, enabling corporations to bank on a decade’s worth of history.

Technology has improved workforce agility. For those constantly on the move, improved aircraft and airport procedures are sped up by new tools, and communication across large distances has also been possible with the advent of the internet, tablets/phones and applications supporting video calls.

Upgraded business models are possible due to cloud computing which aid in developing newer business models to reap more revenue. With more programs to crunch numbers and give accurate calculations, business predictions can be made better.

Bioprinting: A New Era of Healthcare

Bioprinting is a process that takes donor cells derived from organs and converts it into printable bio-ink, which can then be laid down as layers to construct small organ tissues.

This ground-breaking technology means that drug testing policies can be revised and may reap more real results. Patients who are operated on with bioprinted organs have lower chances of organ-rejection and taking immunosuppressant treatments.

Body parts can also be printed. Instead of using prosthetics, patients may soon be able to have organic body parts which may function well. Bioprinting is also making headlines in dermatology and plastic surgery when it comes to skin grafting and generating new skin tissue for patients.

Urbanization of Remote Areas: Globalization Continued

There are still various remote areas out there where people and tribes are yet to be discovered. With ground-breaking technology, access to these areas is made possible.

This means more individuals will have access to medical care, resources like water, and an opportunity to be included in the larger society. Technology has also made education possible for remote and rural areas, where hostile territory does not permit foreigners.

The technology that currently exists can improve the living standards of these areas, by introducing energy, employment and also the advent of travel.

The Future of Technology

Technology is advancing day by day, and it’s here to stay. The advancements in science, mathematics, medical health and even space exploration would not have been possible without the advent of technology. In fact, many of the problems caused by technology can be fixed by it! For example, children diagnosed with ADHD are treated with medication, which improves their functionality.

The future of technology is exciting and definitely going to take things forward. With miniscule surgeries made possible and with access to remote areas made easy, it’s safe to say that the world has been thriving in this digital age. According to Bill Gates, research, food and medicine are going to make stunning discoveries in the near future!

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