This leaves one to wonder what the world would look like if perhaps those 9th-century alchemists never set out to formulate the elixir or perhaps used different materials for their experiment. Tracing back our footsteps, it is evident not all inventions were an outcome of a blueprint, but rather, a number of them, like gunpowder, were accidental. One of the earliest mentions of gunpowder can be found in a 9th-century Taoist book which warns alchemists against mixing these three materials, specifically with arsenic, as “ those who have done so have had the mixture deflagrate, singe their beards, and burn down the building in which they were working.” The three materials used by the alchemists resulted in the formation of gunpowder, a discovery considered to be one of the most important inventions by the Chinese. Though the alchemists failed to achieve the desired result, the experiment led to the discovery of a material that independently revolutionized military technology. The experiment resulted in an explosion when the final mixture was exposed to open flames. During the Tang dynasty of China, a few alchemists challenged themselves to formulate the elixir of immortality by mixing 75 parts saltpeter (potassium nitrate), 15 parts sulfur, and 10 parts charcoal. Constant clashes between dynasties mandated the perpetual development of armaments and technology, which led to the simultaneous progress of the history of war with that of science.Īlong with innovations in military technology, humanity has continued its search for the elixir of immortality for centuries, tracing back as far as the late 9th century. The history of humanity contains a long list of wars, with the earliest war recorded dating back to c.
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