American New Year greeting card 1875 by Louis Prang/Alamy
Gunpowder, the compass, paper, and printing are usually seen as the four celebrated Chinese inventions that have cemented their place in world history. Unfortunately, matches have not earned a spot in this illustrious group. It was in medieval China that an early form of matches emerged: pine splinters drenched in sulfur. While incapable of igniting a flame on their own, they significantly enhanced the intensity of even the tiniest fire.