Historic cornerstones rooted in China

Printing, gunpowder and the compass were hailed by English philosopher Francis Bacon as the three inventions that had done most to influence the course of human history - and nearly 400 years later, few would disagree.

In his book Novum Organum, published in 1620, Bacon said their origins were 'obscure' and 'inglorious' but today it is common knowledge that - along with paper-making - they comprise the 'Four Great Inventions' of ancient China.

Such knowledge of China's early scientific pre-eminence is due in no small measure to the late British scientist and scholar Joseph Needham, of the University of Cambridge.

The biochemist specialising in embryology and morphogenesis made a radical switch to studying the history of Chinese science and civilisation after learning classical Chinese from one of his students.

Needham embarked on a comprehensive history of the field after his interest was ignited at the Sino-British Science Co-operation Office in Chongqing, where he was sent during the second world war.

Over the following 40 years, he worked tirelessly to produce the first 24 volumes of Science and Civilisation in China, and after his death in 1995 the work was continued by the Needham Research Institute at Cambridge.