The act of protecting something from harm, or material used to block radiation, electromagnetic fields, or other potentially harmful forces.
From Old English scield meaning 'shield, defense, protection'. The modern technical meaning developed in the 20th century with advances in electronics and nuclear physics, extending the medieval concept of physical protection to invisible forces.
The evolution of 'shielding' from medieval battlefield protection to modern electromagnetic protection shows how ancient concepts adapt to technological realities - we still use the same fundamental metaphor of barrier protection, whether it's a knight's shield or lead shielding in a nuclear reactor.
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