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Modern civilization would be impossible without the use of large quantities of energy. In the last forty years, energy usage in the United States has increased more than 400% while the accompanying population increase has been only 72%. Thus the per capita use of energy in the United States has increased at a very fast rate.
Until recently, the world's energy demands were met almost entirely through the use of fossil fuels: wood, coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Since these are limited in quantity, however, other sources must be found. Nuclear and solar energy are two alternate sources, and neither of them is limited. It has been calculated, for instance, that the energy demands of the whole world could be met by utilizing the solar energy falling on a 12 5-mile square plot of ground near the equator. At the present time, however, nuclear and solar energy make up only a small fraction of the total energy used. As our knowledge and means of converting these ample energy supplies into usable forms increase, we shall be better able to keep pace with rising energy needs. However, it will take more than just the efforts' of science to solve the energy problem. Fuel conservation by all segments of the population must accompany new scientific advances.
Briefly stated, science is the search for relationships that explain and predict the behavior of the universe. Technology is the application of these relationships to our needs and goals. Finding new energy sources falls into the realm of science. Developing and utilizing these discoveries are matters of technology.
The complementary work of scientists and technologists is also referred to, respectively, as research and development. Both government and private industry allocate large sums of money to support the research and development activities of scientists and engineers. Without such support, there would be little improvement in the processes, products, and services that are derived from these activities.