The invention of blackpowder

Discovery, Scientific

A technology discovered in the year 477 by the dwarves.   It is a black powder that when ignited burns extremely quickly, when packed into a tight space such as a metal tube it releases large amounts of energy quickly enough to fire projectiles or if packed into a sealed container it can be used to create an explosion. This powder has military and industrial uses. Due to its volatile nature, in normal dwarf fashion it had to be tested for a few centuries before it was approved for use.