You may know them, but I would never know if I didn’t read “the history of science and technology” by Bryan Bunch, which I bought more than 3 years ago.
Chinese are the first to use natural gas and oil for lighting and heating.
With Archimedean screw, water can be raised higher than 10 m.
Maya may the first to use zero before India.
China and Egypt, not like Mesopotamia and Maya, sustained their civilization because periodical flooding carried salt back toward the lower level of the soil, which made irrigation recyclable.