UPSC Prelims 2004 Q38: Science & Technology – Science & Technology History
Consider the following statements:
1. Adam Osborne produced the first portable computer.
2. Ian Wilmut created the first cloned sheep.
Which of these statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Explanation
Portable computer and cloned sheep
| Statement | Verdict |
|---|---|
| 1. Adam Osborne produced the first portable computer | True — Osborne 1, 1981 |
| 2. Ian Wilmut created the first cloned sheep | True — Dolly, 1996, Roslin Institute |
Both statements are correct: Adam Osborne produced the first portable computer, the Osborne 1, in 1981, and Ian Wilmut of the Roslin Institute created Dolly, the first cloned sheep, in 1996.
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 2 about Wilmut is also correct.
- (b) Incorrect. Statement 1 about Osborne is also correct.
- (c) CORRECT. Both statements are correct.
- (d) Incorrect. Both statements are correct.
Key point
Osborne 1 (1981): first commercially successful portable computer; Dolly: 1996, Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell.
Remember
Adam Osborne made the first portable computer; Ian Wilmut cloned Dolly.
Common mistakes
- Crediting the portable computer to Apple or IBM.
- Forgetting that Dolly was cloned from a somatic cell.
- Mixing Wilmut with the geneticist Craig Venter.
Exam tip
Dolly: Roslin Institute, Scotland, born 5 July 1996.
Sources
- Computer History Museum — Osborne 1 portable computer (1981)
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh — Dolly the Sheep (1996)