The overarching "story" Needham tells in Volume 5 is one of . He tracks how these "technological sparks" traveled along the Silk Road, through the Mongol Empire, and into the hands of Arabic and European engineers.
Around 1230 AD, someone realized the bamboo wasn't strong enough. They replaced it with cast iron and bronze, thickening the walls to withstand a massive explosion. Science and Civilisation in China, Volume 5: Ch...
By the Song Dynasty, the story shifts to the battlefield. Needham highlights the ( huo qiang ), a bamboo tube lashed to a spear that spat flames and lead pellets. The overarching "story" Needham tells in Volume 5 is one of