Chinese Alchemists Discovered Gunpowder While Searching For Eternal Life
An elixir for eternal life sounds pretty great. In the 9th century, Chinese alchemists of the Tang Dynasty were trying to create just that. But their accidental discovery couldn’t have been farther away from their original goal. In a series of experiments, they were trying to find an elixir for eternal life. Instead, they found saltpeter, the main ingredient in gunpowder.
It was combined with sulfur and charcoal. It did not lead to everlasting life but instead led to an explosive. Initially, it was used for fireworks, but beginning in 904 A.D., it was used in war. Unfortunately, they did not find a solution for eternal life, and instead found something that ends life. How ironic! (Cove Collective)