People have always been interested in what happens when you burn something, boil something, freeze something, or melt something. They have always been curious as to what would happen if you added this to that. These types of common, everyday experiments, performed for the sake of curiosity, are the early points from which modern science developed. These people who became fascinated by experimenting with mixtures, chemicals, and materials are known as alchemists. And in every society, a select few were drawn to the art of alchemy. Over a thousand years before the Europeans began to develop as alchemist in their own right, the Chiense had been practicing it. Perhaps as early as 200 B.C.E., Han dynasty philosophers began to combine different chemicals and materials, hoping to transform the normal materials around them into valuable ones. Each alchemist had his own goal that he worked towards. Most European alchemists hoped to turn lead into gold.

The Chinese Discover Gunpowder while Searching for an Elixir of Immortality

For the emperors of China, nothing was more valuable than life. Therefore, the alchemists of China searched tirelessly for an elixir of immortality. Many alchemists and Chinese noblemen died in these experiments after consuming the often deadly potions that they created. Not all of the alchemists produced such dangerous creations, however. Often, Chinese alchemists would stumble upon something useful in their search for eternal life. One such useful creation that the alchemists inadvertantly found was an explosive compound we call gunpowder. What is ironic i that the chinese alchemists, while searching for a potion that would extend lives forever, accidentally found a powder that would cause millions of deaths.