13. Wheelbarrows did not exist in Europe before the eleventh or twelfth century. Descriptions of the wheelbarrow in China refer to first century BC, and the oldest surviving picture, a frieze relief from a tomb-shrine in Szechuan province, dates from about 118 AD. Papyrus, the inner bark of the papyrus plant, is not true paper. Paper is a sheet of sediment which results from the settling of a layer of disintegrated fibers from a watery solution onto a flat mold. Once the water is drained away, the deposited layer is removed and dried. The oldest surviving piece of paper in the world is made of hemp fibers and dates from between the years 140 and 87 BC. The oldest paper with writing on it, also from China, is dated to 110 AD and contains about two dozen characters. Technology of the Han Dynasty
14. Until Europeans adopted the rudder from the Chinese, Western ships had to make do with steering oars. This meant that long voyages of discovery by Europeans were impossible. The famous voyages of Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and others of their time were only made possible by the adoption of Chinese nautical technology. Technology of the Han Dynasty Chinese globe lanterns made of paper, like the one shown here, were used as miniature hot-air balloons in China for centuries. The invention of paper came at about the same time as the first balloons were tested - the second century
15. Technology of the Han Dynasty Water power - 1200 years later in the West Chain pump - 1400 years later in the West Suspension bridge - 1800 years later in the West The rudder - 1100 years later in the West Seismograph (130 AD) - 1400 years later in the West 1st century CE Deep drilling for natural gas - 1900 years later in the West Belt drive - 1400-1800 years later in the West Wheelbarrow - 1300 years later in the West Sliding calipers - 1700 years later in the West Hermetically sealed labs - a bout 2000 years later in the West 1st century BCE Paper invented - 1400 years later in Western civilization The rotary winnowing fan - 2000 years later in the West The multi-tube seed drill - 1800 years later in the West Crank handle - 1100 years later in the West Manufacture of steel from cast iron - 2000 years later in the West Science of endocrinology - 2100 years later in the West Hexagonal structure of snowflakes - 1800 years later in the West Parachute - 2000 years later in the West Miniature hot-air balloons - 1400 years later in the West Tuned drums - 2000 years later in the West 2nd century BCE
