Almost every development we cover on Our World in Data is underpinned by technological change.

Medical innovations contributed to the decline in child mortality and the improvement in life expectancy. Thanks to the advances in agricultural technologies, higher crop yields and less undernourishment became possible. The long-term decline of global poverty was primarily driven by increased productivity from technological change. Access to energy, electricity, sanitation, and clean water has transformed the lives of billions. Transport, telephones, and the Internet have allowed us to collaborate on problems at a global level.

Emerging technologies are often expensive and, therefore, initially limited to society's richest. A key part of technological progress is making these life-changing and often life-saving innovations affordable for everyone.

Technology has improved our lives in many ways, but these developments are not always positive. Many of humanity’s largest threats — such as nuclear weapons and potentially artificial intelligence — result from technological advances. To mitigate these risks, good governance can be as important as the technology itself.

On this page, you can find our data, visualizations, and writing on the most fundamental technological changes that have shaped our world.