News From Modern Science Seminar
Prahlada, Chief Controller, R&D (SI), DRDO, speaking at a seminar on ‘Modern Science, Hopes and Hazards’ at the SNR Sons Auditorium in Coimbatore on Friday. The last century has brought in great advances in sciences. The unprecedented growth has brought in both hope and hazards. Only the right kind of education can bring in the required knowledge about controlling the hazards, Prahlada, Chief Controller, Research and Development (SI), Defence Research and Development Organisation, said on Friday. Speaking at a seminar on “Modern Science, Hopes and Hazards”, organised by the Forum of Scientists Aiming at Peace and Harmony of the Sri Ramanuja Mission Trust, Chennai, at the SNR Sons Auditorium, he said that the present education system was not like the earlier one, in that it was more open.
“Earlier, we were only informed about the benefits of science. We were not told about the adverse effects. But, now it is not so. Today, we are told about both the hope and the hazard,” Mr. Prahlada said. Quoting world scientists, he said that there was a strong impression that this century could be the last century. “We in India have become aware of the climatic catastrophe only in the recent past. Why are we not giving importance to the climate change? We have to wake up to the submerging of cities and melting of glaciers in the Himalayas,” he cautioned.
He said that biotechnology, nanotechnology, nuclear engineering and energy held great promise for development of the country. On the other side, they also proved to be threats if used for the wrong purpose by wrong people. “There are possibilities of terrorists using electronic warfare and biological warfare to cause destruction. It is essential to control such hazards,” he added. S.A.R. Prasanna Venkatacharia Chaturvedi, Professor, The International School of Contemporary Studies on Religion, Peace and International Understanding, Hyderabad, said the contribution of science should be for institutional, social and global development.
