Science and Technology

Several of the primary source collections collated and published by British Online Archives (BOA) document major advances in the fields of communications, energy, medicine, and transport. These collections are therefore grouped under the broad theme of “Science and Technology”. Naturally, this intersects with other BOA themes, such as “Medicine”, “Media and Communications”, and “Philosophy and Religion”. 

The collections grouped within this particualar theme are rich in archival documentation, providing students, researchers, and educators with fascinating insights into a variety of historical trends and geographical contexts. For example, the collections shed light on the transformative effects of the industrial revolution and evidence the increasing interconnectedness of societies over time. They also document the technological advancements in warfare that occurred throughout the First World War and illuminate the development of modern medicine. Furthermore, the collections grouped under “Science and Technology” illustrate how pandemics have brought about profound developments in medical technology (the development of the science of vaccination being a case in point), but also in terms of urban development and public policy.

Significantly, the collections within this theme likewise demonstrate the ways in which the development and spread of Marxist thought influenced scientific inquiry, generating distinctive visions of modernity.