Gunpowder began as an alchemical experiment in China, but it quickly turned into a weapon that reshaped war. Early bombs, ...

Gunpowder—as opposed to modern smokeless powder—isn’t used much these days in current weaponry, although it’s still useful for historical weapons and remains popular for fireworks and other ...

When the zombiepocalypse comes you’re not going to want to run out to the store for more ammo. But you can always reload great grandpa’s musket with some homemade gunpowder. All kidding aside, the ...

In the 15th century, Europeans brought together three technologies—gunpowder, cannon manufacture, and large oceangoing ships—and used the result to conquer the world. By 1900, all but a handful of ...

First used for battle in China in about 900 A.D., gunpowder spread throughout Eurasia by the end of the 13th century, eventually revolutionizing warfare as a propellant in firearms and artillery.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado—It’s the unpredictability that hooked cartographer Matt Dooley on the concept of making maps with gunpowder. “It's impossible to control,” he says. “So it's an opportunity ...