Bibliographic record and links to related information available from the Library of Congress catalog.
Note: Contents data are machine generated based on pre-publication provided by the publisher. Contents may have variations from the printed book or be incomplete or contain other coding.
Contents
Preface by Madame Chen Zhili 7
Foreword by Dr Joseph Needham, FRS, FBA 8
The West's debt to China 11
Part 1: Agriculture
Row cultivation and intensive hoeing 14
The iron plough 16
Efficient horse harnesses 20
The rotary winnowing fan 24
The multi-tube ('modern') seed drill 25
Part 2: Astronomy and cartography
Recognition of sunspots as solar phenomena 28
Quantitative cartography 30
Discovery of the solar wind 34
The Mercator map-projection 36
Equatorial astronomical instruments 37
Part 3: Engineering
Spouting bowls and standing waves 42
Cast iron 44
The double-acting piston bellows 46
The crank handle 49
The 'Cardan suspension', or gimbals 50
Manufacture of steel from cast iron 53
Deep drilling for natural gas 56
The belt-drive (or driving-belt) 59
Water power 62
The chain pump 63
The suspension bridge 64
The first cybernetic machine 70
Essentials of the steam engine 72
'Magic mirrors' 74
The 'Siemens' steel process 76
The segmental arch bridge 77
The chain-drive 81
Underwater salvage operations 82
Part 4: Domestic and Industrial Technology
Lacquer: the first plastic 84
Strong beer (sake) 87
Petroleum and natural gas as fuel 89
Paper 92
The wheelbarrow 95
Sliding callipers 97
The magic lantern 98
The fishing reel 100
The stirrup 101
Porcelain 103
Biological pest control 107
The umbrella 108
Matches 110
Chess 111
Brandy and whisky 113
The mechanical clock 116
Printing 123
Playing-cards 130
Paper money 131
'Permanent' lamps 134
The spinning-wheel 134
Part 5: Medicine and Health
Circulation of the blood 136
Circadian rhythms in the human body 139
The science of endocrinology 141
Deficiency diseases 145
Diabetes 146
Use of thyroid hormone 147
Immunology 149
Part 6: Mathematics
The decimal system 152
A place for zero 154
Negative numbers 155
Extraction of higher roots and solutions of higher numerical equations 156
Decimal fractions 156
Using algebra in geometry 158
A refined value of pi 159
'Pascal's' triangle 160
Part 7: Magnetism
The first compasses 162
Dial and pointer devices 166
Magnetic declination of the Earth's magnetic field 168
Magnetic remanence and induction 169
Part 8: The Physical Sciences
Geo-botanical prospecting 172
The First Law of Motion 175
The hexagonal structure of snowflakes 175
The seismograph 177
Spontaneous combustion 181
'Modern' geology 182
Phosphorescent paint 186
Part 9: Transportation and Exploration
The kite 188
Manned flight with kites 191
The first relief maps 195
The first contour transport canal 197
The parachute 199
Miniature hot-air balloons 201
The rudder 204
Masts and sailing 205
Watertight compartments in ships 211
The helicopter rotor and the propeller 212
The paddle-wheel boat 213
Land sailing 216
The canal pound-lock 218
Part 10: Sound and Music
The large tuned bell 220
Tuned drums 223
Hermetically sealed research laboratories 228
The first understanding of musical timbre 231
Equal temperament in music 234
Part 11: Warfare
Chemical warfare, poison gas, smoke bombs and tear gas 240
The crossbow 244
Gunpowder 250
The flame-thrower 254
Flares, fireworks, bombs, grenades, land mines and sea mines 256
The rocket, and multi-staged rockets 262
Guns, cannons, mortars and repeating guns 266
Chinese dynasties 275
General map of China 276
Charts showing time lags between Chinese inventions and discoveries and their adoption
or recognition by the West 278
Index 282
Author's acknowledgements 286
Picture credits 288
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication:
China -- Civilization.
Science -- China -- History.
Technology -- China -- History.
Science and civilization.