Gunpowder was discovered in China in the 9th century by Taoist monks or alchemists searching for an elixir of immortality. The discovery of gunpowder was probably the product of centuries of alchemical experimentation. Saltpetre was known to the Chinese by the mid-1st century AD and there is strong evidence of the use of saltpetre. So basically because of some crazy chinese alchemists we are able to kill eachother even quicker than we could with a sword YAY!!!!