Contributions of Ancient China to Science and Technology

7/27/2019 Contributions of Ancient China to Science and Technology

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Contributions of Ancient China to

Science and Technology

J. Needman


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14thCenturies

China transmitted to Europe a veritableabundance of discoveries and inventionsreceived by the West with no clear idea of

where they had originated. Technical inventions of course travelled faster

and further than the scientific thought

Important influences upon nascent modernscience during Renaissance period to 18thcentury


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Ancient Chinese scientists, mathematicians

and doctors made significant advances

in science, technology, mathematics,

and astronomy.


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Modern Science

Mechanics, dynamics, celestial and terrestrial

physics..etc (Greeks)

Euclidean Geometry and Ptolemaic planetary

astronomy (Greeks)

Basic numerational and computational

techniques (Indian Numerals, Indo-Chinese

zero and Chinese decimal place-value) are

from Asia


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Basic Knowledge from China

Magnetical phenomena

Greeks Physics (Gilbert and Kepler)

Practical Astronomy is one of the significantinfluences of China (Tycho Brahe)


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Four Greatest Contribution

The compass, gunpowder, paper making, and

printing


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Technological infleunces

Equine harness, the technology of iron and

steel

Inventions of gunpowder and paper, then

mechanical clock and basic engineering

devices as the driving belt and chain driver

.Medieval China vs Alexandrian mechanics


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Seismograph


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Iron Chain Suspension


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Navigation


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According to Francis Bacon

Printing, gunpowder and the compass: These

three have changed the whole face and state ofthings throughout the world; the first

in literature, the second in warfare, the thirdin navigation;whence have followedinnumerable changes, in so much that noempire, no sect, no star seems to have exerted

greater power and influence in human affairsthan these mechanical discoveries Novum

Organum


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Peoples Republic of China

After the establishment of the People's Republicin 1949, China reorganized its scienceestablishment along Soviet lines.

From 1975, science and technology was one ofthe Four Modernizations, and its high-speeddevelopment was declared essential to allnational economic development by DengXiaoping.

Scientific research in nuclear weapons, satellitelaunching and recovery, superconductivity, high-yield hybrid rice led to new developments due tothe application of science to industry andforeign technology transfer.


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As the People's Republic of China becomesbetter connected to the global economy, thegovernment has placed more emphasis onscience and technology. This has led toincreases in funding, improved scientific

structure, and more money for research.These factors have led to advancementsin agriculture, medicine, genetics, and globalchange.

In 2003, China became the third countrycapable of sending humans into space.


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Contributions of Ancient China to Science and Technology

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