6.1 Science and the Environment

Period 6 – Accelerating Global Change and Realignments, c. 1900 CE to present

Rapid advances in science altered the understanding of the universe and the natural world and led to the development of new technologies. These changes enabled unprecedented population growth, which altered how humans interacted with the environment and disrupted ecological balances at local, regional, and global levels.

Illustrative examples, diseases associated with poverty:

    • Malaria
    • Tuberculosis
    • Cholera

Malaria Animated

How The Body Reacts To Tuberculosis

The Story of Cholera

Illustrative examples, emergent epidemic diseases:

    • The 1918 influenza pandemic
    • Ebola
    • HIV/AIDS

The 1918 Pandemic: The Deadliest Flu in History

Ebola: The Deadliest Outbreak Explained

1985: The Aids Virus: Patient Zero

Illustrative examples, diseases associated with changing lifestyles:

    • Diabetes
    • Heart disease
    • Alzheimer’s disease

Understanding Type 2 Diabetes

Mayo Clinic Minute: What is heart disease?

What is Alzheimer's disease? - Ivan Seah Yu Jun

More effective forms of birth control gave women greater control over fertility and transformed sexual practices.

New military technology and new tactics and the waging of “total war” led to increased levels of wartime casualties.