Human progress is usually a pretty gradual process,
but at certain points in history, our development has spiked, resulting
in populations that have more comfortable, healthier, longer lives.
By and large, these big leaps in progress are caused by a new technology
or innovation, like how the wheel got things rolling
Take the Industrial Revolution for thousands of years.
Life stayed the same.
Everyone lived on or near the land that provided their food and water
their clothes and tools were made within their community.
and the average life expectancy was 35.
Basic machinery was usually fueled by limited power sources
like water wheels, windmills, horsepower or people power.
But in the late 1700s, an industrial revolution began
in Great Britain. The invention of the spinning jenny and water frame
ignited the mechanization of the textile industry.
The steam engine quickly followed, making it possible
to work, farm and live without proximity to waterways.
Textiles, clothing and furniture could be cheaply mass-produced,
freeing up labor and resources which could be used to develop
new transportation methods like steam boats and railroads.
As these new goods and technologies spread around the world, populations
increased, and average incomes saw unprecedented growth, marking
the first time in history where a standard of living improvement was widespread.
Another exemplary push forward in another time place in industry
was the Green Revolution. With rising populations came new challenges.
In the mid 1900s,
India was experiencing a massive food crisis.
The country had recently gained independence
and was facing political chaos and famine.
Indian officials
went on a desperate search for new crops and agricultural technology.
They imported and lab tested, lab made grain varieties and combined with newly
implemented cultivation technologies like fertilizer and irrigation.
One newcomer took home.
It started producing ten times the yield of traditional rice.
They dubbed it miracle rice.
These innovations would go on to make India a world leader in rice production
and save hundreds of millions of lives from starvation.
The world we live in today is built upon the rapid progress
from periods of manufacturing and agricultural advancements like these.
They've given the world electricity, blueberries in wintertime, planes,
along with some unintended consequences.
Pollution, chemical contamination and overcrowding.
Today, we know innovation has the power to drive development.
And in a modern world, there's more potential
than ever for emerging technology to make its mark. Many experts
believe we are currently in the midst of a digital revolution
in Sub-Saharan Africa specifically,
innovations in technology have the potential to improve lives
in a region lacking the traditional information
and communication infrastructure found elsewhere.
When mobile phones arrived in sub-Saharan Africa in the early 2000s, for example,
hundreds of millions of people were able to connect for the first time.
But it's not just about texting and checking Facebook.
The mobile banking has reduced the need for centralized banking,
and giving people access to bank accounts for the first time.
In Mali, telemedicine is helping
to make up for a lack of trained health care professionals in rural areas.
In Rwanda, people in need can request blood
that has been delivered by drones. And throughout the region,
business owners and farmers are using their phones to buy solar energy
or trade crops.
Already, digital innovations are making many Africans
wealthier, healthier and better educated. At the same time,
population increases will create new strains and pressures that technology
will have difficulty addressing.
The costs and rewards are likely to be felt unevenly,
and negative effects that no one planned for could arise alongside.
And today, as we see the rise of emerging technology
like robotics and artificial intelligence, it is critical
to remember that such repercussions have been true throughout history
and will continue to be so of all future technological revolutions to come.