Technology encompasses a wide array of fields and areas, from food production to communication. It involves the manipulation of materials and energy to create products, services, and processes that change society.
Technological progress often occurs in stages. Early technologies are typically not directly usable, but can provide insights that will lead to a useful product. Developing technologies from these insights requires the cooperation of a number of researchers, engineers, and scientists. Each step builds upon the previous, validates underlying ideas, and improves on the previous technology. However, it is also typical for apparently promising early technologies to stall midway through their development cycle.
It is essential to consider the social context of technological change. Generally speaking, a sympathetic social ethos exists in which the dominant groups of societies are prepared to take new ideas and inventions seriously. This may be limited to specific areas of innovation, such as weapons or navigational techniques, or it may be more generalized, as was the case with the industrial middle classes in Britain during the 18th century, who encouraged inventors and embraced new ideas.
Technology affects the way we communicate and interact with one another, as well as how we organize ourselves into a functioning society. The impact is far-reaching, and can even include social and ethical implications. For example, internet connectivity has brought with it unexpected avenues for criminal activity and financial fraud, while social media platforms have become central to political controversies. Cryptocurrencies, which were developed to promote transparency in electronic transactions, have also turned into major environmental hazards as they use computer resources for mining operations.