>>13695020One of the most interesting and plausible explanations that I heard for the lack of industrial revolution in Imperial China was that they never explored the field of glassmaking beyond a curiosity, which meant they missed out on;
>Telescopes and microscopes, limiting research into physics, chemistry, and biology>Spectacles to keep their scholars active for longer as their eyesight deteriorates with age>No chemically neutral containers for liquids, which screws over chemistry researchBasically one of those 'for want of a nail' things.
