I.
Scientific Advancements
Over the past few centuries, science has becoming increasingly important to everyday lives due its monumental contributions to the improvements of society. Science has played a major role in many recent advancements that give lives meaningful values. Science is the root for many inventions, breakthroughs, and discoveries that enhance the living standards everywhere. It also allows people to understand the beauty of nature, the mechanisms of the universe, and the interactions of its constituents. Science gives us the tools necessary to solve many discombobulated mysteries and bring forth new knowledge that serves as the foundation of growth and enhancements. Because of its major positive influences to the global community, scientific advancements are ranked as the ‘most positive thing’ in the world.
It is impossible to encapsulate all major impacts of science in this essay. However, it is worthwhile to observe science’s contribution to the birth of the digital age. Nowadays, almost all aspects of life in many places are influenced by technology. Shopping, entertainment, businesses, and education can all be done technologically now, but none of these would have been possible without science. It is without hesitation to state that without science, technology would not exist. The convenience and benefits provided by technological devices are a direct result of the contribution of science. For instance, the principles of fiber optics are used to develop many useful technological devices that greatly benefit humanity. Fiber optics is a field of physics research that applies the process of internal reflection to manipulate the direction of propagation of electromagnetic radiation. Fiber optics uses the laws of reflection and the properties of electromagnetic radiation to develop desired paths of light propagation. Because fiber optics can direct light rays in paths that could be used to encode appropriate commands for technological purposes, it is applied to many technological devices as a fundamental component for code translation and emission. The properties of electromagnetic radiation are given by Maxwell’s theory and quantum theory. Scientists take advantage of the frequency of electromagnetic radiation to develop desired codes. Fiber optics enables devices such as computers and TVs to function as commanded. Another advantage of fiber optics is its ability to transmit light waves for communication purposes. The Internet, telephone signals, and cable televisions are all based on the principles of fiber optics. Considering how important these devices have become to many ordinary folks around the world, the significance of science is clearly conveyed. For instance, more than 400 thousand televisions are sold worldwide, and more than 120 million computers are used internationally. These large numbers demonstrate the impact that science has on society. In fact, fiber optics is so important that the Nobel Prize Committee in Physics has internationally recognized its researcher, Charles K. Kao, in 2009.
Another major scientific contribution to the society is the invention of the laser. The laser gave birth to many technological devices due to concentrated and coherent light rays. Professor Charles Townes and the Professor Arthur Schawlow developed the laser from an earlier model called the maser. A laser has the capability to transmit light rays with the same frequency through the process of stimulated emission. Stimulated emission uses the properties of photons to trigger a mechanism where an igniter initiates the change in enthalpy of one photon that leads other photons to become energized to the same frequency level. Because all photons are triggered to the same frequency, the vector direction of these photons is the same throughout. Therefore, laser light is directional, coherent, highly energized, and concentrated. Because of these properties, lasers are used for many medical and technological applications. For instance, lasers are used in the Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Optical Coherence Tomography, various types of laser surgery, and other laboratory equipment. As for technology, almost any digital devices have lasers including computers, televisions, DVD players, and even security systems. Therefore, the impact of the laser, a direct result of science, is tremendous to people everywhere.
The contributions of science are impossible to be fully described. However, the two specific cases explained above are enough to convey the importance of scientific advancements in society. Science gives birth to many technological devices that directly impact the lives of many people everywhere. Therefore, science is ranked as the ‘most positive thing’ in the world.
II.
Biological/Medical Breakthroughs
As part of human life, everyone has to suffer through illnesses at some point. As time progresses, more and more diseases are discovered. Some are deadlier than others. No matter how serious or minor a condition is, without appropriate treatments the condition could become detrimental. Currently, there are so many diseases and illnesses in the world that threaten the human population. For instance, the AIDS Epidemic is a threatening disease that has no cure. Many people in the world are suffering from AIDS, totaling up to more than 30 million people worldwide. This year alone, about 870,000 people died from HIV/AIDS. Besides HIV/AIDS, many other diseases are as fatal. For instance, 3.2 million people died from some type of cancer this year internationally, and about 430,000 died from malaria. Fortunately, some of these diseases are combatted by biological breakthroughs. Even though scientists are not capable of treating all diseases at all times, they are able to improve treatments, introduce new techniques, and find enhanced medical protocols. They can prolong the lives of the patients in some instances and completely cure them in others. Because biological and medical breakthroughs can help decrease the number of deaths caused by many diseases, it is ranked as the second ‘most positive thing’ in the world.
Debatably, HIV/AIDS is one of the most dangerous diseases in the world because there are no known cures for it. Despite that, scientists are able to suppress the RNA replication of the retrovirus to prolong the lives of the patients. The drugs inhibit the production of reverse transcriptase enzymes to slow down the multiplication of the retrovirus. Multiple antiretroviral drugs can be used at once to treat a patient called combination therapy. It is difficult to say exactly how long antiretroviral drugs can prolong the life of a patient because different patients have different immunity to respond to the HIV virus. Treatments are more effective as scientists gain new knowledge about the nature of the disease. Hopefully, scientists will be able to cure HIV/AIDS completely in the near future.
Over the years, there have been numerous breakthroughs in biology and medicine that can help patients through the agony of illnesses. Recently, many new medical techniques have been discovered that could provide more effective treatments to patients. For instance, in January 2010, scientists just introduced a new treatment for lupus. Lupus is a chronic disease where the immune system attacks the body tissues and organs, causing internal damages. The immune system fails to differentiate foreign substances from domestic substances. Before, drugs were only taken to treat the symptoms of lupus such as skin irritation, swollen joints, and fatigue. Not until recently was a drug, called Benlysta, available to directly treat lupus. Another major recent breakthrough in medicine is the introduction of the usage of hemoglobin to treat sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease is a condition where the red blood cells do not appropriately transport oxygen to certain parts of the body, which could lead to organ failures and possibly death. Sickle cell anemia affects about 100,000 patients in the US alone. Recently, in December 2009, scientists just discovered that they could use hemoglobin as an artificial blood transporter. Even though this method is still in the process of approval, it holds tremendous promise to treat sickle cell disease patients. In conclusion, the advancements in biology and medicine provide hope for better health and wellness in the future. Because of that, it is ranked as the second ‘most positive thing’ in the world.
III.
International Relief Efforts/Philanthropy
The world is filled with hatred and destructive retaliation that result in the eruption of violence and conflicts. In this ever-changing world, more and more problems arise every day that need immediate and appropriate help to the path of recovery. Wars, humanitarian crises, diseases, and other problems are all over the world. For instance, in Africa, many people are suffering from the AIDS Epidemic, slowing and painfully living through the agony of the virus. In Darfur, corruptions, hatred, violence, sexual abuse, and homelessness dominate the scene. In Haiti, the devastation of the recent earthquake has left thousands of people killed and homeless. Fortunately, many organizations in the world exert effort to help these people cope with the hardships. Charities, philanthropists, and relief organizations are ranked as the third ‘most positive thing’ in the world because they assist people to recovery from crises.
To give examples of benefits that relief efforts provide, observations of specific cases should be made. For instance, $195 million have been put towards aids for the Haitian people to recover from the destruction of the recent earthquake. About 9,000 people have been sent to Haiti as peace keepers to help rebuild the country and assist those who lost their properties; another 3,500 volunteers are on their way to Haiti in the near future. Thousands of bottles of water are sent to Haiti along with food, medicines, and other contributed items. Doctors are also sent to Haiti to help people cope with the injuries and illnesses incurred as a result of the earthquake. Another example can be drawn from the conflict in Darfur. In Darfur, there are a total of about 4.2 million people affected as a result of the violence in Darfur. Fortunately, about 3.5 million of those people are assisted by international aids. Even though it is very dangerous for humanitarian workers to be in Darfur, about 12,100 humanitarian workers are deployed to help these victims through the conflict. More than $100,000 has been donated to help the people in Darfur. Even though these victims are suffering from major losses, sometimes even their lives, it is helpful to know that the world is trying its best to pull them out of the hardship.
It is certainly a positive thing that there are so many humanitarian organizations in the world ready to help those in need. Such organizations include the Action Against Hunger (AAH), the Red Cross, the UN, the Relief International, and many other organizations. To give an example of the relief effort provided by humanitarian organizations, the work of the World Food Programme demonstrates the effort to fight against world hunger. The program brings food to more than 90 million people just in 2010. On average, about 3.7 million tons of food are put towards helping people from starvation, malnutrition, and hunger. With the help of donors, volunteers, and corporations, the World Food Programme has been able to assist more than 70 countries worldwide, making sure that hunger is halted, or at least decreased. This is just one example of the work of the one organization. Many other organizations are conducting similar tasks in an attempt to help various difficulties such as natural disaster victims and AIDS victims. Because of the monumental assistance that humanitarian organizations grant to many people everywhere, they are ranked as the third ‘most positive thing’ in the world.

Bibliography is included in Part II.