An explosive mixture of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur that was invented in China and revolutionized warfare.
Compound of 'gun' (from 'gonnes,' an early cannon) and 'powder.' Chinese chemists discovered the formula around 900 CE, making it older than cannons themselves.
Gunpowder is the most historically important accidental discovery ever—Chinese alchemists were trying to make immortality elixirs and instead invented something that changed world history forever. They created it centuries before anyone figured out how to use it in weapons.
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