Alchemy essentially morphed into chemistry

[arivero]

15 Jun 2002, I did in sci.skeptic a post that can be of interest in this forum.

I can see some positive points:
-Transmutation is true.
-Repeated destilation is needed for transmutation power.
-The alchemist is required to proceed experimentally.
-Internal consistency requres to the alchemist to show a concrete experimental proof.
So it seems that while "occult", it proceeds with scientific method and it looks for a goal which is compatible with physical laws.

As well as a physical remark:

The energy in Uranium radiation can trigger (low probability,
but it can) Hg201 going to Pt197, which decays to Au197. With
time, it should be espectacular, as Hg201 is liquid but Au197 is
solid.

(here, I should add that Hg201-->Au197 is exotermic by itself, just it happens that spontaneus emission of cold alpha particles has a very very very low probability)

 

[Adam]

I have a history of alchemy essay (unfinished) at http://bad-sports.com/~archive/alchemy.doc [Broken] It is best views in MS Word so you can see the footnotes.

 

[russ_watters]

Alchemy essentially morphed into chemistry with the industrial revolution. Though radioactive decay is similar (but not the same) as transmutation, I'd say the alchemists of ancient times just got lucky. Alchemy doesn't exist today.

 

[sir-pinski]

Apparently (according to my old Tensors professor) Newton spent a good deal of his life as an Alchemist which is why a lot of people got very worried when he became the master of the mint :)