Napoleon's army failed because ... tin buttons?

What do tin buttons have to do with Napoleon's defeat? Can the molecular level change lead to changes in human history?

The story is mentioned in a book called Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 molecules changed History (translated: Napoleon's daisies: how 17 molecules have changed history) , author Penny LeCouteur - professor of chemistry and writer living in Vancouver city of Canada, and Dr. Jay Burreson - an industrial chemist and manager of a technology firm.

Accordingly, when Napoleon's army marched to Russia in June 1812, they were a powerful force with more than half a million soldiers.

Napoleon's powerful Grande Armée - (Photo: WIKIWAND).

However, by December of that year, the army named Grande Armée had less than 10,000 troops left after a large number of soldiers died because of fighting, starvation and cold.

One of the "culprits" that led to the defeat of the Napoleon army was the buttons used on soldiers' coats, pants and coats in the Grande Armée corps.

These daisies are made of tin, often unstable in low temperature conditions. When in cold weather, this shiny and shiny material will crumble into powder.

Lack of daisies, military uniforms and anti-cold robes became "fishy" like ragged holes that prevented them from being warm. Loose, entangled costumes also affect their fighting ability.

As a result, when the city of Borisov arrived, both the strong army left only a few, pretending to be "ghosts".

According to scientists, although not all chemical elements can help to provide historical explanations, the characteristics of molecules are central to many of the major events throughout history. spread of humanity.

For example, cotton material which is made from cellulose, a material that is produced more efficiently in humid weather conditions. The moisture around will help the fibers stick together making them more difficult to separate during weaving.

As a result, areas of rain in the north of England became the ideal place to expand the cotton industry. That terrain has also turned this area from a pure agricultural society into a vibrant industrial development area .