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Gunpowder was a Chinese invention
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Connections

Gunpowder wasa Chinese invention, and they had itmaybe 700 years before we in the West,got...

Gunpowder was
a Chinese invention, and they had it
maybe 700 years before we in the West,
got our hands on it. And it's very probable
we only got it, because the Arabs picked it up in
China and brought it back with them, like they did with
so many Chinese ideas. It's very likely
that whoever it was who invented gunpowder; he was one of their
philosopher chemists, actually searching for the
secret recipe for immortality. Ironic, isn't it?

Full Transcript

00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.435
Gunpowder was a Chinese invention,
00:00:03.436 --> 00:00:05.237
and they had it maybe 700 years
00:00:05.238 --> 00:00:07.973
before we in the West, got our hands on it.
00:00:08.991 --> 00:00:09.642
And it's very probable we only got it,
00:00:09.642 --> 00:00:13.143
because the Arabs picked it up in China and brought it back with them,
00:00:13.212 --> 00:00:16.081
like they did with so many Chinese ideas.
00:00:16.001 --> 00:00:18.317
It's very likely that whoever it was
00:00:18.318 --> 00:00:19.752
who invented gunpowder;
00:00:19.753 --> 00:00:21.721
he was one of their philosopher chemists,
00:00:21.822 --> 00:00:25.424
actually searching for the secret recipe for immortality.
00:00:25.525 --> 00:00:28.016
Ironic, isn't it?
Duration
29 seconds
Views
49
Timestamp in Movie
00:23:10
Uploaded
Jan 16, 2025
Season
1
Episode
3
Genres
documentary, history
Production
Frankfurter Filmwerkstatt

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Movie Summary

Follow James Burke through the history of science and technology in this collection of 10 1-hour episodes, starting with "The Trigger Effect."
S01 • E03 In the main, apart from the odd rocket or grenade, - Connections 00:12
In the main, apart from the odd rocket or grenade,
S01 • E02 In Regensburg, some of the more meaningful traditions - Connections 00:07
In Regensburg, some of the more meaningful traditions
S01 • E03 Which brings us, for a minute or two, - Connections 00:14
Which brings us, for a minute or two,
S01 • E03 The thing that surprises us, in the West, - Connections 00:15
The thing that surprises us, in the West,
S01 • E09 These are the docks at the quiet littlee kentish town - Connections 00:13
These are the docks at the quiet littlee kentish town
S01 • E09 It was made by soaking cotton in nitric and sulfuric acid; - Connections 00:10
It was made by soaking cotton in nitric and sulfuric acid;
S01 • E08 The kind of air that comes off rotting vegetation, - Connections 00:21
The kind of air that comes off rotting vegetation,
S01 • E09 The scene: a Colorado saloon; - Connections 00:27
The scene: a Colorado saloon;
S01 • E06 This is the standard view of the industrial revolution: - Connections 00:08
This is the standard view of the industrial revolution:
S01 • E02 But lightning got taken really seriously - Connections 00:07
But lightning got taken really seriously
S01 • E06 But although these machines slammed the world into the industrial age -- - Connections 00:11
But although these machines slammed the world into the indus...
S01 • E09 At first, he and his ball seemed harmless enough; - Connections 00:11
At first, he and his ball seemed harmless enough;
S01 • E06 Steam power began by changing the shape of the countryside - Connections 00:22
Steam power began by changing the shape of the countryside
S01 • E09 Suddenly, it made the kind of noise you never made - Connections 00:13
Suddenly, it made the kind of noise you never made
S01 • E04 Thanks to Aldus, and the venetian printing presses, - Connections 00:14
Thanks to Aldus, and the venetian printing presses,
S01 • E07 Can't think why this piece isn't better known - Connections 00:08
Can't think why this piece isn't better known
S01 • E09 Okay, so far in this final buildup - Connections 00:24
Okay, so far in this final buildup
S01 • E04 Aldus Manutius was laid to rest with his books heaped around him - Connections 00:25
Aldus Manutius was laid to rest with his books heaped around...
S01 • E07 Well, back to the story; one of the germans' - Connections 00:14
Well, back to the story; one of the germans'
S01 • E09 The officer was teaching ballistic theory to army cadets - Connections 00:32
The officer was teaching ballistic theory to army cadets