The Influence of the Cold War and the Space Race essays

The Influence of the Cold War and the Space Race essays The Influence of the Cold War and the Space Race On the Evolution of Todays Technology A few hundred key inventions have marked mankinds progress from the Stone Age to the Space Age. What were these inventions? Who made them possible? Where would the world be today if the space race would of not been part of our historical progress? Some people believe that mankind would have been better off left alone. This paper will demonstrate that the space race during the cold war has influenced the course of success of a new era of technology in many aspects improving the material prosperity of mankind. Since the early 1900, economic growth and strength of nations have been directly related to the ability of its people to make discoveries and their ability to transform these discoveries into useful products. A large portion of these discoveries where made during the space race of the cold war and became attributable to technological advancement. From the Abacus, the simplest form of calculating to the role of todays computer, from the early telegraph to todays satellite communi cations, from the simplest kite to todays Jet Engine Airplanes, from the first liquid-fuelled rocket to todays Space Shuttle, and much more to come, inventors, scientist, engineers, military forces and governments have all been responsible for those new discoveries made by mankind. Perhaps the most misleading catch-phrase learned in childhood is that Necessity is the mother of invention creating social compulsions no one knows how to control. (The Inventions, pg.8) In the 1980s, people were embroiled in many problems related to the evolution of technology, from those created by the microchip to those unleashed by the H-bomb. In contrast, invention springs from a divine discontent with things the way they are and a conviction that man can do better. It is a conviction mankind should do their best to c...