Contradictions in Technology: When Bigger is Better and Smaller is Smarter

[Flashbond]

Hi!

I am about to write a short assay in a popular science magazine and I came with this idea. I have only a few examples in my mind, so, I decided to get suggestions from you, too...

The topic is "Technological Contrarietis" like:

- Even the micro processor technoloy and computing devices are getting smaller, on the contrary, the supercomputers are getting bigger.
- Even big stone constructions were used to calculate the time among history, on the contrary, more precise time calculations brought smaller devices with a better accuracy (like wrist watches). (I am not 100% happy with this example because many devices got smaller with better feautures).

I hope I could tell what I am looking for. I am looking forward to hear your ideas, too...Thanks a lot!

 

[DennisN]

Maybe not a perfect solid example, but I think it's pretty fun that we need relatively small equipment like telescopes to study big things like stars, but we need relatively big equipment like particle colliders to study small things like particles.

 

[Flashbond]

Aaahhh, never thoutght that! PERFECT!