As technological advances and innovative improvements begin to have a global-scale effect on the homogenization of cultures, various societies around the world are showing increasing evidence of rapid cultural convergence and acculturation. Whether or not this process is perceived as a benefit to society or as the loss of uniqueness within the human population, all social scientists are trying to find the reasons behind the rapid spread of different phenomena. The question of what encourages and slows the expansion of cultural traits has been carefully studied in recent years, and based on the evidence collected and examined, there are multiple stimuli that reinforce multiple diffusion processes, such as technological advances in communication and transportation, versus conditions that slow it down, such as barriers that a physical environment might provide. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Over the past few decades, the wonders of technology in the field of communication have improved in various ways that still tend to amaze most of this generation. From the invention of the first iPhone seven years ago to the recent release of the Samsung Galaxy S5, smartphones have become a regular presence in the average person's daily life. But even the simplest cell phone has the power to send a message to the other side of the world in a few seconds and to connect via a phone call to tell the latest news. Thanks to this simple and efficient way of interacting, cultures around the world are rapidly starting to blend together and layer cultural traits to create something new. Smartphones also have the ability to access various applications, or "apps," such as Instagram, Twitter, Vine, and Snapchat, which grant access to a view of globally trending topics and situations that were not available to those who also lived in the most recent passing generation. This simple approach to wide-ranging interaction has fostered relationships between distant places, thereby strengthening their connectivity and enabling the merging of different aspects of multiple cultures like never before. Technological advances haven't just remained in the realm of communication, however. Over the last century, transportation has also become unquestionably progressive every year. A very important example of these advances would be the high-speed rail line that will be installed in Los Angeles, California. It is expected to travel a quick and easy route from Northern California to Southern California and back at a speed of about 200 miles per hour. This is just one of many transportation improvements that are occurring globally, usually starting in East Asian countries, such as Japan or China, and spreading contagiously westward from those origins. Less complex and older innovations in transportation have also proven beneficial for diffusion. Just over a century ago, Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the first powered airplane known to the human population. As the 1900s progressed, advances in aviation technology led to the high-speed airplanes that people enjoy today that travel over a thousand miles in just a few hours. The invention of the modern airplane also provides a way to circumvent physical barriers that a location's environment might provide. History shows that one of the most difficult natural barriers to overcome were high mountain ranges, but the aircraft not only provided a route beyond these barriers, but also proved to be little.