Jasmine: Hi, l'm Jasmine.
Chrissy: I'm Chrissy.
Jasmine: We're from NIU STEAM and...
Chrissy: You're listening to The Sound of Science on WNIJ.
Jasmine: Some of us see it as the best thing since sliced bread, while others see it as the fall of individual privacy either way - we're here to answer 6th-grader Maddie's question about whether the Internet has become essential to the modern world.
Chrissy: When we think about the Internet, we might automatically think about surfing social-media or accessing our favorite streaming service, but the Internet also bridges geographical boundaries and fosters communication with people worldwide. Businesses rely on the Internet for collaboration, customer service, and global reach. We no longer have to leverage time-zones or wait 3 to 5 days to send things through the mail because of online collaboration tools, project management software, and cloud-storage.
Jasmine: The Internet empowers research whether it be the use of a search engine, accessing online-libraries, or tapping into educational platforms. News outlets, blogs, and freelance journalism keep us informed about global events, helping us to be more effective citizens. We are more independent when it comes to accessing information and the ability to share news within minutes can potentially save lives or offer resources not possible in the past.
Chrissy: E-commerce, digital marketing, and online transactions help drive economic growth both at the local and global level. Remote work and freelancing have grown exponentially in the last 5 to 7 years. Without the Internet, digital bill payment, crypto-currency, and stock platforms would cease to exist.
Jasmine: Tele-medicine and health apps have become a way to keep us in touch with our healthcare providers and have given us the autonomy to keep a more watchful eye on our own health and sitting in a classroom to earn certificates and degrees isn't a necessity anymore with online education platforms. Innovation would suffer without the Internet because there would be no way to take advantage of real-time collaboration, open-sourced projects and research, or online forums.
Chrissy: You have been listening to The Sound of Science on WNIJ, where you learn something new everyday.
