Technological Development

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews the Newcomen engine in 1712, the discovery of oil drilling in 1859, and the development of the first combined aerosol can and valve in 1927. The author points out that, although all of these technological advances definitely did much to further the respective industries for which they were developed, as well as fueled the further advancement of many sectors of social and human development, they all share a significantly negative environmental impact on the upper atmosphere. The paper contends that the worst offender is oil production because it offends on the most fronts, environmental, health, economic, and political.

From the Paper:

"The method in which Newcomen's pump engine worked was a significant improvement upon existing pump technology. Up until Newcomen's invention, engines operated by the simple use of condensed steam vacuums to pull the water up. Not only was this inefficient, but it was also impractical. Newcomen, in contrast, "created his vacuum inside a cylinder and used it to pull down a piston. He then used a lever to transfer the force to the pump shaft that went down the mine: it was the first practical engine to use a piston in a cylinder."

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