[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.74,0:00:11.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everybody loves fireworks --
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.69,0:00:12.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the lights, the colors,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.93,0:00:15.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and, of course, the big boom.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.50,0:00:16.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the history of fireworks
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.88,0:00:19.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,isn't all hugs and celebrations.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.08,0:00:21.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Long before epic fireworks displays,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.47,0:00:24.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,chemists in China invented the key ingredient
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.22,0:00:27.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that propels those bright lights into the sky.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.43,0:00:30.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That invention was what we now call gunpowder.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.39,0:00:32.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our story begins back in ancient China
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.77,0:00:34.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the mid-ninth century
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.34,0:00:36.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where early Chinese alchemists
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.19,0:00:39.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were trying to create a potion for immortality.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.68,0:00:42.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead, what they created was a flammable powder
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.73,0:00:45.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that burned down many of their homes.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.16,0:00:47.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They quickly realized that this black powder,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.74,0:00:49.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which they called fire medicine,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.28,0:00:51.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was precisely the opposite of something
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.52,0:00:53.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that would make you live forever.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.33,0:00:54.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In these early days,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.61,0:00:56.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Chinese hadn't yet figured out
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.57,0:00:58.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how to make the powder explode;
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.51,0:01:00.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was simply very flammable,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.26,0:01:01.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and their armies used it
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.52,0:01:02.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to make flaming arrows
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.84,0:01:04.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and even a flamethrower.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.38,0:01:06.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But once they figured out the right proportions
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.22,0:01:08.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of ingredients to create a blast,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.39,0:01:10.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they began using the powder even more,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.72,0:01:13.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,creating fireworks to keep evil spirits away
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.51,0:01:15.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and bombs to defend themselves
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.23,0:01:17.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,against Mongol invaders.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.57,0:01:19.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was these Mongols, most likely,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.77,0:01:21.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who spread the invention of gunpowder
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.57,0:01:22.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,across the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.98,0:01:25.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After fielding Chinese attacks,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.10,0:01:27.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they learned how to produce the powder themselves
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.35,0:01:28.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and brought it with them
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.32,0:01:31.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on their conquests in Persia and India.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.07,0:01:32.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,William of Rubruck,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.40,0:01:34.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a European ambassador to the Mongols,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.24,0:01:36.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was likely responsible for bringing gunpowder
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.55,0:01:39.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,back to Europe around 1254.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.33,0:01:42.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,From there, engineers and military inventors
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.77,0:01:44.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,created all kinds of destructive weapons.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.50,0:01:47.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,From bombs to guns to cannons,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.17,0:01:49.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gunpowder left its mark on the world
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.46,0:01:51.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in some pretty terrible ways,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.18,0:01:52.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in contrast to the beautiful marks
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.99,0:01:54.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it can leave in the air.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.75,0:01:56.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, how does black powder propel
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.25,0:01:58.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fireworks into the sky?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.00,0:02:00.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You might have seen old Westerns or cartoons
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.59,0:02:02.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where a trail of gunpowder is lit
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.41,0:02:05.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it leads to a large and obviously explosive barrel.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.65,0:02:07.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Once the fire gets to the barrel,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.42,0:02:08.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a large boom occurs.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.92,0:02:11.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But why doesn't the trail itself explode?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.67,0:02:13.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The reason is that burning the powder
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.65,0:02:15.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,releases energy and gases.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.93,0:02:17.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While the trail is burning,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.53,0:02:20.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these are easily released into the surrounding air.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.53,0:02:21.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when the gunpowder
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.56,0:02:23.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is contained within the barrel,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.42,0:02:26.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the energy and gases cannot easily escape
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.40,0:02:27.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and build up until
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.98,0:02:29.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,BOOM!
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.63,0:02:31.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Firework canisters provide
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.19,0:02:33.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a single, upward-facing outlet
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.37,0:02:35.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to channel this explosive energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.67,0:02:37.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The wick ignites the gunpowder
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.38,0:02:38.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the energy takes
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.33,0:02:40.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the easiest exit from the canister,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.29,0:02:42.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,launching the firework high into the sky.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.72,0:02:44.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The flame then makes its way
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.06,0:02:45.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through the firework's encasing
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.68,0:02:47.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the same reaction occurs
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.18,0:02:48.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,high above our heads.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.80,0:02:50.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, while the Chinese alchemists
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.51,0:02:52.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,never found the compound for eternal life,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.84,0:02:54.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they did find something
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.00,0:02:56.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that would go on to shape all of civilization,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.50,0:02:57.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,something that has caused
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.61,0:02:59.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,many tragic moments in human history,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.59,0:03:01.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and yet still gives us hope
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.56,0:03:03.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when we look up in celebration
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.26,0:03:05.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the colorful night sky.