The borders that separate us have become far more porous due to technological advancements, from the wheel to the printing press to modern modes of transportation and communication. Today we live in a digital age, where our means of communication has been altered by the digitization of information. Thomas Friedman argues that due to these advances the world has essentially become flat. Technological development is not even, however, as many in the world do not have access to the Internet or other new devices and services. This concept is called the digital divide.

We have come a long way from traveling by foot and copying books by hand. One of the most important steps in the development of technology was the Industrial Revolution, which, starting in the eighteenth century, transitioned us from an economy based on manual and animal labor to one based manufacturing by machines. Critical innovations included the steam engine, electricity, aviation, and the mechanization of production.

Another round of innovation came during the twentieth century and we saw the development of the computer, from Konrad Zuse’s first programmable model invented in 1936 to IBM’s first PC in 1981 to today’s iPhones and iPads. Key to the development of the Internet in particular was standardized protocols and languages, such as the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol and hypertext markup language.

One of the biggest innovations today is cloud computing, a web-based service run by remote servers to deliver content to multiple devices. Because of cloud computing, you can access your email, messages, calendars, documents, and more from your computer, your smartphone, and your tablet. Additionally, this shift towards digital content has resulted in increased amounts and variety of data available that can be used to analyze many different subject areas. This phenomenon is referred to as big data.

Technology helps us cross many borders. The Internet and mobile phones are useful for those who have few other political resources as citizens can organize revolutions through messaging, texting, tweeting, and uploading videos. It can also be used to manipulate and even cause harm, as in the case of cyberterrorism. Technology also aids us in crossing economic borders as it promotes the mobility of production processes and facilitates that movement of goods, services, and money around the world. Last, cultural and social borders are beginning to come down due in part to technology. The Internet can encourage the creation of communities through Facebook and other social networking sites can be used to preserve traditional mores and norms as they are documented, and may even be a catalyst in the creation of new languages!