Alchemy. Such a misunderstood science. I hope this article can help set things straight for whomever reads it.
Alchemy is an ancient art, first practiced in the Middle Ages. It was devoted to finding a substance that would transmute, (or turn) common metals in to gold, silver or other precious metals, and also to cause immortality in humans. Alchemy was most likely the first time people dipped their toes into chemistry.
Alchemy began in Ancient Egypt, and was especially prevalent in Alexandria in the Hellenistic period. At the same time, China had been tinkering with the ideas as well. Early writings about alchemy by greek philosiphers are sometimes thought of as the first chemical theories. Empedocles (im-ped-oh-klees) formed the all too famous theory that all things in existence were made of air, fire, earth and water. Later, the emperor Diocletian (die-oh-klee-shun) ordered all of the Egyptian texts on the chemistry of gold and silver to be burned and for all expirements to stop.
Zosimus the Theban disvovered that sulfuric acid is a solvent of metals, and, using this, he removed oxygen from the red oxide of mercury, turning the oxidized mercury pure again, much like if you took rust off a nail, it would be a normal nail again. Alchemy's fundemental concept came from an Aristotelian doctrine saying that all things tend to reach perfection at some point. Since other common metals were "less perfect" than gold and other precious metals, it made sense to these researchers that these metals would eventually turn to gold. Also it was thought that nature must make gold out of common metals deep within the earth, so with any luck, this process could be done in the lab with good result.
Eventually Alchemy reached Arabia, where the first book on Chemistry was written. From there it travelled through Spain, into Europe. Roger Bacon, and Albertus Magnus both believed that transmutation to gold was possible. Most people, including these two famous Alchemists, believed that gold was the perfect metal, and that if the philosipher's stone was created, it would be a substance so much more perfect than gold, that it would make the less perfect metals transmute.
Roger Bacon believed that gold dissolved in Aqua Regia* was the elixer of life. The Italian Scholastic philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas, the Catalan churchman Raymond Lully, and the Benedictine monk Basil Valentine also did much to further the progress of chemistry and alchemy, in discovering the uses of antimony, the making of amalgams, and the isolation of spirits of wine, or ethyl alcohol.
Perhaps the most famous Alchemist was the Swiss Philippus Paracelsus. He believed that the elements of compound bodies were salt, sulfur and mercury, representing earth, air and water. Fire however was imponderable to him. He believed also, that there was one more element, the source of the four ancients. This one element that created everything was called Alkahest, and he stated that if it were found, it would prove to be the universal medicine, an irrisistable solvent, and the philosipher's stone. In other words, it was the ultimate form of perfection.
After this, the alchemists of Europe split into two main groups. Those based on facts and hard research, and those who dabbled in the metaphysical, these entangled alchemy in fraud, necromancy, and imposture. This gives alchemy the current mysterious status.
Perhaps the most fun part of Alchemy is the coded engravings that were made during the time. Many of them are still around, and almost impossible to decifer without an explaination. Using obscure characters including the planets themselves as symbols for who-knows-what. Kings, queens, crows, multi-blossom flowers, and green lions abound.
Hi. I am coconut of http://www.cococomics.net ! Thank you for reading and considering my articles. It would be very much appreciated if a link or simple URL was back to my site wherever you use my articles! Thank you!
Refractors, Newtonian reflectors and Catadioptrics are the three main types... Read More
The art or science of metallurgy is vital to the... Read More
ATHENS - GREECE, -- An individual person called Basil Dimitropoulos,... Read More
Thousands of dyslexic students, across the UK, are referred of... Read More
There are many who talk about the Big Bang Theory.... Read More
Super sticky spray on dirt or mud simulation coating or... Read More
In the United States, Congress approved, last month, increases in... Read More
From Quantum Black Holes to Neuromorphic Microchips Scientific American Magazine... Read More
Tsunami is a Japanese term that describes a large seismically... Read More
I am being allowed time out to raise a subject... Read More
ASTROPHYSICS: - Many other entries will deal with knowledge from... Read More
DNA testing is routinely used in immigration cases to prove... Read More
The drought of the West appears to be the worst... Read More
Cleaning Plexiglas windows is not easy, you have to be... Read More
"It is clear that modern medicine has created a serious... Read More
If you will recall the Klingon Space Craft and Warship... Read More
There are many technologies being used today such as ultrasonic... Read More
We propose single man underwater vehicles (attack submarines), which have... Read More
In any important task you need to stay alert and... Read More
When most people think of building a secluded home, they... Read More
I am beginning to wonder if scientists have been getting... Read More
Can we coax warms of Locusts to attack our enemies?... Read More
Scientists have discovered chemicals, which cause humans to go into... Read More
We need a better vision system for the battlespace; an... Read More
INSPIRATIONAL COMMENTS:"There is a principle which is a bar against... Read More
Heads Up Displays For High Tech Human Interface Need More... Read More
TROJAN WORLD WAR: - Homer said there were nineteen battles... Read More
I believe a program can be written to scan text... Read More
Tesla was always looking for a way to harvest electromagnetic... Read More
In recent years, much research has been devoted to the... Read More
The ancient history of of man and bees has been... Read More
About a month ago, I was helping a friend collect... Read More
In the event of Bio threat how to mobilize Hospitals... Read More
Presently mini-blimps are being deployed in government leadership buildings as... Read More
DNA Profiling and Its Uses in CourtStronger evidence in courtrooms-it's... Read More
A Mechanical bullet, which will turn in flight is well... Read More
The U. S. economy is feeling the brunt of skyrocketing... Read More
As we study more and more about Mars we know... Read More
Whenever there's a drought, someone will come up with the... Read More
A boiler is used for generating steam. It does this... Read More
In lieu of recent, tumultuous occurrences, people are more compelled... Read More
It appears we have found many identifiers for Bio-Metrics to... Read More
I propose a lighter than air tubular unmanned mini blimp... Read More
In the US it appears that we have decided that... Read More
Let us discuss the patent for the Submarine, which is... Read More
Para Trooper Gliders were very popular in WW II, they... Read More
ASTROPHYSICS: - Many other entries will deal with knowledge from... Read More
Solar power will be necessary for space exploration and off... Read More
We need solutions to our drought crisis in this country.... Read More
There are two types of cloning. One involves harvesting stem... Read More
Remote Control Bacteria. Why not, we have remote control everything.... Read More
Thought of the day. I talked to an old guy... Read More
Robots are for every one. Tech TV now host Battle... Read More
We need very much to study meteorites more, but we... Read More
Cleaning Plexiglas windows is not easy, you have to be... Read More
The Hubble Telescope is famous worldwide for its amazing images... Read More
Can a hybrid Surface to Air Missile, UAV loiter for... Read More
There are many who talk about the Big Bang Theory.... Read More
Can we coax warms of Locusts to attack our enemies?... Read More
Experts from the United Nations and Indian Ocean countries agreed... Read More
Braden is quite wrong when he says the initiations to... Read More
The possibility of sentient beings on earlier solar systems said... Read More
I have always been an advocate of recycling. Even though... Read More
ANCIENT INVENTIONS: - In Alexandria and in the Cave of... Read More
As you read this book you will have to suspend... Read More
In our present period we are continually reminded that we... Read More
Science Articles |