10 substances that changed the world

Copper

9000 BCE

Copper is the first material mined from ores.

Salt

6000 BCE

Salt was discovered early, and humans had many uses for it. It could preserve food, allowing humans to survive the harsh winter. It would also be used as money for trades, enabling the economy to thrive.

Bronze

3300 BCE

When tin was discovered, mixing it with copper created a much stronger alloy, bronze

Iron and Steel

3000 BCE

After iron was discovered, the people found that if you mix it with small amounts of carbon, steel would be created and it was much stronger and more useful.

Saltpetre

800

It is unknown when saltpetre was discovered, but the main uses of saltpetre are that when mixed with carbon and sulphur, it creates gunpowder. The first recorded discovery of gunpowder was in 800 CE though it is unknown if the discovery was earlier. Nowadays, it is used in food additives and fertiliser.

Oxygen

1772

Being an invisible gas, the discovery of oxygen was much later than other materials. Oxygen would be used in the creating of many alloys

Silica

1823

Silica is used for creating optical fibres which enable faster internet access and other technological advances.

Polymers

1909

Polymer is an extremely important material, as it is used in the manufacturing of plastic, which we use on a daily basis.

Silicon

1924

Silicon was discovered in 1824, however, like uranium, it was a long time before its use was discovered. A century later transistors were invented, and this was the beginning of the technological era.

Uranium

1930

Uranium was discovered only a few years after oxygen, yet it was 1 and a half centuries before humanity discovered its use. Nuclear weaponry.