The West had previously thought that there were little scientific achievements in the Ancient Chinese world. Fuelled by his love and curiosity towards China, Chemist Joseph Needham set off to compile one of the greatest works of his time, entitled “Science and civilisation in China”. His works received critical acclaim. It changed the world’s view on the developments and history of the scientific developments of ancient China. Needham proved that the Science of China was far more superior to the West until the 15th century.
How did Needham set about to compile his works? What were his motivations and challenges? What was Needham’s explanation for why modern Science failed to develop in China? We shall explore these topics in details.
