Transportation and Technology Have Chosen

Transportation and Technology have chosen transportation and my area of research for the SL

Science and technology have had dramatic influence on so many areas history in the modern period that it is difficult to choose just one area of concentration. However, transportation is one area that has shown dramatic, even unbelievable advances in a relatively short period of time. In less than one hundred years, man first flew at Kitty Hawk, and walked on the moon, and that is an amazing leap of technology in less than a century.

In addition, transportation has become one of the most important aspects of modern life. The type of car a person drives is supposed to reveal their personality and interests. For example, a young, single executive might drive a convertible BMW, which says he or she is successful, fun loving, and discerning at the same time. A mother might drive a mini-van or SUV to show she is family oriented and settled down, while a young male might drive a tricked out Honda to show he is young, carefree, and into motor sports. Transportation has come to mean more than simply traveling from point a to point B; it has become something of a status symbol and necessity. All of this evolved from technology, and has become an essential part of the American lifestyle.

It is interesting to think about how different our lives might be if technology had not taken the twists and turns it did. We might all still be riding trains or bicycles. We might still be dependent on sailing and steam ships, rather than aircraft and automobiles. Technology and scientific discovery led to some of the best transportation innovations we know today, but they also led to some real failures.

A look at transportation technology would not be complete without a glimpse at some of the failures, such as blimps, poor aircraft designs, and some early automobiles. The Stanley Steamer, for instance, seemed like a sound innovation, but it simply could not compete with the internal combustion engine. The blimp is still used, but more for observation and advertising, rather than transportation for large groups. All of these failures in technology helped lead innovators to other solutions and ideas, and so, they may not have truly been failures at all.

Finally, a look at technology and transportation should look to the future, as well. Will supersonic flight ever really exist for a majority of people? What will cars of the future look like? Will we ever break our dependence on fossil fuels and create alternative forms of energy to fuel our transportation needs of the future? Innovation has always existed in transportation, and it seems sure it will continue to dominate future developments in transportation.