Alchemy: History of Science #10

In fantasy stories, charlatans in fancy robes promise to turn lead into gold. But real alchemists weren’t just mystical misers. They were skilled experimentalists, backed by theories of matter.
And they played a huge role in the development of knowledge about one of our fundamental questions: “what is stuff?”
***
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[@Taneth]

When I was 4, I tried to unburn a slice of toast by putting it in the fridge. I ended up with cold burned toast. Alchemy!

[@UnknowingTio]

you were a curious kid haha I just liked to see all the different thing i could burn lol

[@kendrickfisher9319]

Alchemy was never about turning lead into gold the true alchemist themselves I myself can say with all certainty that the art of alchemy was never about turning lead into gold The alchemist used heavy symbolism to keep the true goal of alchemy from fools who couldn't take there mind outside this world. The true knowledge of alchemy isn't something a person can obtain by themselves man can't reach this goal no matter how hard he tries or wills it. Some of those very alchemist spent there WHOLE life and still didn't partake of the fruit of this knowledge. But the few that did partake enjoyed it in complete and utter silence The knowledge is giving through mercy of the Father

[@dahawk8574]

Same for the story about the Wizard of Oz. There is a gold brick road, and silver shoes, and the name 'Oz' is the abbreviation for Ounce (of metal), but if you think the story is about precious metals, you've missed the boat entirely. It is about achieving one's full human potential in heart (lion), mind (tin man) and body (scarecrow). In a human being's normal state, these aspects are out of balance. However if we work these aspects in proper combination in the crucible of our efforts, then we can attain a transformation, akin to how a caterpillar can transform into a butterfly. How locked in every acorn is the potential to become a mighty oak, yet the vast majority of acorns meet their end simply as acorns, never getting anywhere close to their full potential. The goal of Alchemy is attaining the balance of Moon & Sun. Silver & Gold. Female & Male. The Tin Man & the Lion. And the Scarecrow. It is the Trinity of Earth-Moon-Sun that needs to be brought into balance. We are all born out of balance, some entering this life as primarily male. Others as primarily female. And we are given the opportunity for refinement in this crucible known as life. Most squander this opportunity away, totally oblivious that there is this entire realm that is accessible to a human being who can attain it with everything coming into alignment. The planet Uranus makes one complete lap in exactly 84 years. And this is roughly the amount of time we are given. We can live purposely as spiritual alchemists, or we can use our time doing things that do nothing toward a transformation. This is the lesson of the Labyrinth. We will surely be devoured by the Minotaur unless we are purposeful in escaping from the Matrix. The monster that eats us is Father Time. The name of the Grim Reaper is the "Minute-Hour". We have 525,600 minutes X 84 years, and then the MinuteHour will consume our Soul. Unless we have used that time wisely to release ourselves from the Maze. You say that knowledge is given through mercy. But escape from the Labyrinth also requires grace. A Mazing Grace. With wisdom we leave a trail of thread, so as to not forget that our origin was a realm that was outside of the Matrix. If our pursuit of alchemy is successful, then time will have no power over us. And neither will gravity. We will transform like the winged butterfly. Like Daedalus. We will have achieved our full potential. Alchemy is veiled in secrecy because it is not for everybody. It is the rare acorn that grows into the mighty oak. Each of us is Dorothy. We are all Theseus. If we follow their example, then we can attain theosis. With three clicks of our heels, and the intent meditative wish to return home, we will awaken to the aha surprise that we have returned to Om'aha. The symbol for Gold is Au, which has the same root as the word Aura. It is the human spirit that the alchemist strives to transmute. And when our aura has attained the transformation into purified gold, then we will have completed our earthly journey. Iron, silver, mercury ...are stages along the way.

[@dahawk8574]

We are all like burnt slices of toast. It is impossible to get through life unscathed. We all experience trauma and abuse, to one degree or another. As with the toast, it is not a reversible process. Iron, when exposed to the life-giving oxygen of the atmosphere, will rust. It is what gives it the distinctive color. Our experiences of life are what helps to shape our character. Many will become encrusted and bitter. But the burnt parts do not need to be retained. Scraping those crumbs off with a knife is like surgery for our soul. We find that a state of purity is attainable, even with the oxidation processes continuing. We become like silver, which still oxidizes. And in a state like Mercury, we have become nimble and fluid, no longer dramatically affected by tarnishing. And in the transition to gold, our spirit has become immune to oxidation. We can live in the world, yet not be corrupted by it. You can put a blow torch to the toast, and it will no longer burn. We have become an entirely different kind of bread. From man/wo'man into manna. We become reconnected to the infinite supply. The source of our being.

[@ksoundkaiju9256]

I just got a knife and scrap the burnt part off

[@Biohazbird]

Alchemy was basically smart creative people with philosophical minds throwing random stuff together, having no idea how anything worked, but kept getting results so fascinating and strange that they couldn't help but keep doing it while they tried to figure out the secrets of the universe and themselves in the process. Then were so mindblown by it all that they had trouble taking good notes. How lovely.

[@SapphoForAphrodite]

This is lovely

[@elijahking1801]

When you're genuinely interested in ancient forgotten knowledge such as alchemy but all the comments are about full metal alchemist

[@zamborghini08ify]

Yes!! I'm here for hermeticism

[@Graser1112]

Real talk though, this video just made me appreciate how much research Arakawa put into FMA. Like, one of the big alchemy guy's names having "von Hohenheim" in it. That same guy coining "Alkahest." Chinese alchemy being based on "Earth magic." God bless Hiromu Arakawa.

[@anjalyjacob1570]

Graser1112 Yes! I was hoping someone would mention this! I just love how much effort she's put, even into the minutest details.

[@melonlord1414]

She really is a relentless researcher. It's also clear if you read silver spoon, her series after fma that's about animal farming. It's still (kinda) ongoing and really worth your time.

[@anjalyjacob1570]

Melon Lord Ohh I've not heard of it. Btw I love your username! Avatar, another amazing show🖤

[@melonlord1414]

Thank you. Just give the manga a few chapters. It's pretty much slice of life with a strong character development

[@ebitoro4590]

Fun fact: the name the Dwarf in the Flask proposes to Hohenheim (who dismissed it as too long) is Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim

[@Skeletonz0110]

Fullmetal Alchemist was in the back of my head the whole entire video. and when Hohenheim was mentioned i had a literal epiphany moment

[@hehexd4449]

5:07 Stop

[@angelolorilla2050]

Ed... ward... Let's... Play...

[@briardi89]

Jefferson Cafino big brother ed...

[@Dimitri1237]

😭😭😭😭

[@Trollo691]

TOO SOON

[@1337w0n]

Grey1 NOT SOON ENOUGH. Nina was an alchemist's daughter, But Nina is no more; When Scar saw what Tucker did, He made her run into the floor.

[@macmac6725]

Me at 0:00: I'll be disappointed if there's no FMA references... Me at 5:06: First of all, how dare you.

[@artyomxiii]

Oh no... little girl and her dog :'(

[@GracelessEmber]

ArcNyX uhhh, do you know their names?

[@mayramalpica]

Nina and Alexander :(

[@MetalMarauder]

Well also, Von Hoenheim’s name origin 8:38

[@LazzyDawg17]

I just noticed this...

[@sonofagun00]

The key to understand how important Alchemy is to modern day science is to understand that it was science in its infancy state. Just as we don’t expect a new born to walk immediately after birth' we should understand that early scientists had many pseudoscience ideologies until scientific principles were established. Intellectual evolution is constantly enhancing and growing!

[@thehopeofeden597]

I cannot be the only one thinking of Fullmetal Alchemist right now.

[@ravenpotter3]

yeah

[@Enix19MS]

They hit the nail on the head with that graphic of little girl and dog standing on a magic circle.

[@pacandpal3]

oh your not .Im right there with ya lol

[@LangThoughts]

HARRY POTTER!

[@TheCrewExpendable]

Hoenheim!

[@midnightd607]

"The wind blows over the marriage of the moon and saturn" - 10:45 Well based from your video it probably has something to do with combining Silver and Lead. Moon being Silver and Saturn being Lead, the marriage obviously refers to joining the two metals and the wind blowing over, either has something to do with cooling it afterwards to get the desired result, or something to do with the process of joining the two metals.

[@bmi9198]

Don't forget that Alchemy was also a very spiritual practice, as it's mainly derived (in the European tradition) from ancient Hermetic texts and writings.

[@priyanshupradhan4388]

thanks for the FMA reference and not for the nina reference

[@artyomxiii]

5:06

[@vin.de.camelia]

*edward elric is shook*

[@AlexanderZapataIndividual]

lol

[@Choukr11]

FullMetal alchemist 😍

[@Dubmaster3]

Actually this does help with some of the details as well as the connection to some of the characters.

[@laylam9948]

go home

[@qwertyman1511]

von hohenheim was a real person. i'll be damned.

[@Nazareeni]

So let me get this straight. It was an alchemist that invented gunpowder. It was an alchemist that invented the printing press. It was an alchemist that discovered the laws of gravity. These are arguably 3 of the most revolutionary things that have ever altered human history. Yet ironically alchemy was flushed out for being superstitious and shifty.

[@Palisade5810]

Damn, Full metal alchemist was well researched

[@Andrewtr6]

I was thinking the same thing. Gonna make it difficult for me to use alchemy as the basis of the magic system in a story I'm writing but make it stand out from Fullmetal.

[@peloken9793]

Poor Nina and Alexander

[@jader4935]

' - ' why?

[@SophieHatterLeFay]

Dude not cool

[@nj3998]

Tucker

[@xenalee6836]

@@jader4935 5:06

[@DagarCoH]

Just another interesting alchemy story: Johann Böttger claimed to be able to make lead into gold. In 1701 he was incarcerated by the king of saxony for that claim; since the king was short on money Böttger should prove it. He tried to flee several times, but in the end managed to make porcelain (or at least aided in it; some claim Tschirnhaus, a contemporary and colleague of Böttger actually made it, and Tschirnhaus also was the one who had been researching on porcelain for a long time before). After confessing to the king that he was unable to make gold (another alchemist had been executed in Prussia for the false claim) and after Tschirnhaus' death, Böttger got a management position in the newly founded and soon to be famous porcelain manufactory in Meissen. In the end, he regained his full freedom after 13 years of incarceration.

[@Felixkeeg]

So that's the story of Meissen procelain? Interesting

[@1996squareenix]

dude, after watching this, it is so cool how many real world historical elements were implemented in fmab. I gotta watch that anime again

[@mustang4118]

Eli Estephan fmab is better than the original right? I got into alchemy so much because of that anime

[@eave01]

2:30 aristotle 7:59 Jabbir Ibn Hayyan 721 born Minerology Medicine 7:40 medicine in india 8:30 Paracelstus 1493 9:55 Gutenberg

[@darthsavage4025]

I shed a tear when I saw Nina & Alexander

[@SophieHatterLeFay]

Edward Elric is still my favorite Alchemist in history

[@ADHDDistracts]

SophieHatterLeFay Mustang > Ed

[@ADHDDistracts]

And obviously my opinion is relevant because I’m commenting on a KZbin video

[@user-dc2dj6sc5h]

SophieHatterLeFay my fav is hohenheim, that mans history is unparalleled to any other

[@tarod3]

The Heavy Hitter Teacher didn’t get nearly enough screen time. Neither did HER teacher, come to think of it.

[@qpt1478]

I see Nina and Alexander. Well played Crash Course.... Well played.

[@panicclinic]

Guess I'm early, time to make an FMA joke about fusing a child and her dog together to make a chimera

[@corazondonquixote]

Twitchy Eyebrows ;-;

[@panicclinic]

Scara Dikov I see I have claimed my first victim.

[@shadebug]

The video already made the joke

[@glovs4188]

That episode gave me chills and was literally afraid. Started wondering if i should be watching fma. Was 12 back then

[@weezeranditsweezy8629]

ed-ward...

[@wisemoon40]

Thanks for mentioning Isaac Newton. Ever since I read "Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer" I've been telling people about Newton's experiments in alchemy and how they affected his theories. It's rare to see anyone point out that alchemy positively influenced the development of science--even if alchemy itself was mostly nonsense.

[@dinonid1234]

About 35% of these comments are gonna be FMA jokes. It’s just a consequence of even mentioning alchemy. Anyway the ingredient to a philosopher’s stone is human souls there’s your reference, thank you.

[@ravenpotter3]

Yes

[@jadser1]

I mean kinda of expected thought bubble to make reference to it considering how they refrenced video games before. Guessing they haven't watched it?

[@whathell6t]

Dinonid123 How about Kinoko Nasu’s Fate/Stay Night? The Einzbern family practiced Alchemy and sometimes use homunculi as foot soldiers in the Holy Grail Wars.

[@LuisSierra42]

Makes sense actually. I can do alchemy without a transmutation circle though

[@obaidullahkhan797]

Dinonid123 u

[@fauxsynder]

I was hoping to see an FMA reference and I was not disappointed. But what was chosen=instant regret D: Super awesome video guys!

[@nathanjplatt]

"Good thing today we have the internet to help everyone agree on scientific questions based on evidence...Right?" .....Hehe you funny host you. lol

[@alexelsie5605]

So weird how across cultures, alchemy was used as a tool to find some form of immortality and now, we have scientists trying to merge humans and robots. The driving force for all of our most complicated and impressive machines all stemmed from our persistance to preserve our mortality and overcome it. Interesting.

[@Ikiratuki]

Alchemy. The home of scientific discovery. Alchemists were smart. They found that nothing is what is seems. The difficulty of it all is that it's a combination of science and art. Those two things don't play well for most.

[@raisingfalcon]

watching this made me really appreciate the work the writer for FMA. So much subtlety in her writing. Down to the Chinese wanting immortality(ling).

[@MyrmidonsProductions]

Alchemy really is responsible for our modern scientific method. Also it was deffnitly studying the idea of things changing and how they act in the real world. there are plenty of books and novels on the subject.

[@TimeStar20]

How could you! How dare you bring up Nina and her dog! Why would you hurt us so! Also, Full Metal Alchemist really did it's homework with direct references to historical alchemy. Very impressed!

[@MFMegaZeroX7]

"We eat stuff that is not at all human" You don't know me!

[@yondaime500]

So... you're on the paleo diet?

[@miriam3848]

Soylent Green is da best! Yum!

[@edi9892]

MegaZeroX7 we all digest ourselves to repair us...

[@danielbickford3458]

MegaZeroX7 if you are what you eat does that make you the most human of us all?

[@ngneer999]

Why don't you mention modern Alchemy. Every plutonium atom is transmuted from Uranium. In my field of semiconductor materials high purity silicon is exposed to neutrons to produce transmuted phosphorous which is evenly distributed throughout the ingot. (process known as Neutron Transmutation Doping or NTD). Alchemy lives.

[@xspager]

I studied a bit about semiconductors a long time ago but only learned about this other doping method the other day, crazy stuff

[@mk_rexx]

Modern alchemy? You mean chemisty? And the examples you mentioned are basically atomic physics.

[@ngneer999]

The alchemist goal of changing base metals to other metals is what I mean. This is happening in nuclear reactors today as I describe (although it is not base metals). This is why i described it as modern Alchemy.

[@G5rry]

Calling it alchemy doesn't make it alchemy. It's like calling Astronomers "modern astrologers". It may have grown out of it, but has no relationship to it anymore except in a very superficial sense.

[@15SecNut]

+G5rry In able for a field of science to develop, certain core truths of its predecessors have to be at least close to correct. A fetus and an adult human aren't the same thing, but a human is a developed fetus.

[@StevenSchoolAlchemy]

Alchemy begins with a study of nature and a replication of natures processes within the earths crust but in the microcosm of the alchemist flask using natural products derived from nature. Alchemy is the science of kings and incorporates mathematics, astrology, science, metallurgy, medicine, etc.

[@actualargonian4890]

Anyone read that book called “the alchemist”?

[@mali-fx6vk]

I did

[@nickdixon8115]

Yes interesting thoughts at best

[@LightDragon777]

Yeah, it was interesting and had some good thoughts, but a little too touchy-feely and idealistic for my tastes.

[@amaranthasmr5052]

I love that book. A modern masterpiece.

[@hermithehealerintuitive2472]

It was world changing for me.

[@RecoverForest]

Lol the way he says "These nice people" in the credits exactly at the moment that 2 names drop away a bit earlier than the rest.

[@christianmccauley7340]

Quality content!

[@A76noname]

Kinda disappointed that there was practically no mention of the spiritual aspect of alchemy and all attention was on the physical "turn lead into gold" stuff. There are several layers to this stuff and this video essentially saw the surface level and went "yep, that's it!".

[@Overbelaste_Belastingbetaler]

This vid is wrong about turning lead to gold. Alchemy in hermetic teachings refers to transmute an individual consciousness from asleep to enlightened through the process called dissolve and coagulate.

[@johnwindle4304]

Yeah that would go wayyy over the head of this person. Alchemy is called the hermetic art for a reason. Anyone that wants to get a hint of what alchemy is really about should read the "Corpus Hermeticum". Also study Gnosticism as that is where the key lies.

[@zamborghini08ify]

Yesssss!!! Finally a comment about hermeticism

[@amaranthasmr5052]

Hermeticism is only one school of thought in alchemy. Many alchemists, indeed, were strictly "scientists" in search of a method to turn base metals into gold.

[@Mcgif21]

“The philosopher’s stone is a Universal Solvent” ...to those who have ears let them hear.

[@BrianHutzellMusic]

Every time I think of alchemy, I think of one of my favorite children’s books, Eric P. Kelly’s “The Trumpeter of Krakow.” It won the Newbery Medal in 1929. Part of the storyline involves alchemy. BTW, you don’t have to be a child to enjoy this book!

[@kitsunefirefox1986]

FMA reference 😀&😢 at the same time!

[@namansinghnegi8931]

"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth."

[@zaboguy]

Minor correction, often when they referred to Mercury, Sulfur, and Salt, they were referring to the spirit, soul, and body of the substance. This is likely what they meant when they said that any element can be made by shoving mercury and sulfur together.

[@Ramen-king-oe8oj]

Why do you want the philosopher’s stone. Edward Elric : to get our bodies back

[@UnknowingTio]

I heared someone talking about alchemy, so I came searching for some info about it, now I'm just fascinated by how much meat there is. That's maybe why there is so much material in all its tales and mysticisms.

[@SergioBobillierC]

Is a shame that the only reference to Fullmetal Alchemist was the tiny animation of Nina and her dog.

[@KingsleyIII]

It is a shame. But I learned that Hohenheim was named after a real person, and that alkahestry was a real alchemical concept. I had no idea that Fullmetal Alchemist referenced real world alchemy so much!

[@whathell6t]

Sergio Bobillier How about Kinoko Nasu’s Fate/Stay Night? The Einzbern family practiced Alchemy and sometimes use homunculi as foot soldiers in the Holy Grail Wars.

[@LuisSierra42]

actually, FMA author, Hiroshi Arakawa was very learned in alchemy matters, she liked to read about it when she was younger

[@pdreding]

Of course, the real philosophers' stone turned out to be the particle accelerator.

[@3y3sign]

This video was so short and alchemy has such a rich history. I want to hear more on specific topics, but it is what it is.

[@scottylilacleona9193]

And thanks to radioactivity, lead can turn into gold.

[@obnoxiouslakerfan]

THAT'S WHERE VON HOHENHEIM'S NAME COMES FROM !!

[@ransiri6595]

Where?

[@QuasarManiac]

ran siri 8:32

[@ransiri6595]

@@QuasarManiac thx

[@Nazareeni]

If you can remember, the Dwarf in the Flask actually suggests his name be Theophratus Bombastus at first before settling for Von Hohenheim.

[@gardenhead92]

So many new words this episode. I can't wait to use them all in everyday conversation

[@cjmp200]

I’m over a year late but this is awesome. I must write that there is a side of alchemy though not called alchemy and you ever so lightly touched on it correlating another exact example of alchemy. The moon and Saturn makes perfect sense when you apply it objectively.

[@grimreputation6019]

8:37 *HOHENHEIM* Edit: I'm studying alchemy because it's a interesting subject, and my grandmother says that it's witchcraft. Just like you said, it gets a bad rep. Just imagine the possibility of alchemy. Being able to shift, for example, atoms of co2 into oxygen, or hell, even H2o.

[@methinbread07]

5:05 just has Nina and Alexander just ready to become a curse dog human

[@Lilpuppyluvah]

Most others are commenting about FMA (love that show too btw), but what popped into my mind when I saw this was the book “Mystic Marriage” 😅

[@Pugpono]

Thank you! This video helped confirm some suspensions I had about the Gen 7 Pokémon designs. This is exciting!

[@nekkidnora]

Oh my god was that a reference to the MOST HEARTBREAKING little girl and dog in anime???

[@kristenchauvin8755]

This is the only good video on alchemy I could find-thanks!

[@YukidoDe]

Hello there! "Decknamen" is actually a german compound (hehe) word. Meaning "deck" as in to cover (something up) and "namen" as in... well, names. So, Decknamen are "cover names". Words covering up their true meaning. Also, I love your videos!

[@leonardoubicpri3891]

This reminded me of something my biology teacher told me as, sadly a way to mock me. When asked about a theoretical way to stop the death of a living thing she explained "That's simple. Simply stop oxidation"

[@Emma-sm5ww]

We cannot forget the most esteemed alchemist of all time: Edward Elric, the FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST 😤😤😤

[@LuisSierra42]

And his father Paracelsus, i mean, Von Hoenheim

[@michealortan4776]

U crossed the gate to that world too ?

[@PamdaDev]

you are a very nice human being, Hank. thanks for all your (and team) work

[@mikekuppen6256]

"Decknamen" is German for pseudonym.

[@ObjectsInMotion]

"Pseudonym" is Latin for fake name.

[@edi9892]

Anthony Khodanian Deckname translates to cover name.

[@mikekuppen6256]

Greek, actually. Cover name is a bit literal (never heard anyone use it in English) but not wrong per se.

[@Julika7]

I'm German and that's not true. Deckname is a name for usually someone whose true identity needs to be hidden.

[@saitamasensei5154]

@@Julika7 u mean pseudoname?

[@xanderwaskul7115]

You need pure souls for a philosopher's stone

[@edi9892]

The problem of alchemy was that there were no means of analysing your experiments. It's like writing blind. Moreover, if you produced something and wrote down what you did, it would still be a mystery, since most compounds didn't have proper names. For instance, if someone managed to isolate platinum, he wouldn't have called it like that, but most likely something with silver in its name...

[@drivingtrucksisfun]

You guys know this is all metaphor right. The soul is sulfer Mercury is the spirit and salt is the body. Once you know that and it's all metaphor and symbolism. Not about metals lol it's amazing

[@isaacmijangos]

LOL at the little elon with hank at the end! i wonder if crash course could ever get elon on a video

[@couldberealhaha]

Alchemy comes from al-kimia (al = is arabic that means ‘the’ in english, and kimia = is a perisan word which means changing a substance to something more valuable)

[@frankyboy458]

Theophrastus bombastus... “that’s too long” “oh right you aren’t very smart, how about von Hohenheim”

[@sweettea4794]

all the way to the fma reference in the corner i was thinking "wow, fma is pretty close to real alchemy"

[@bassontreble]

The video states that Gutenberg was born in 1468. This is the year of his death. He developed his method of printing was developed in the 1450s.

[@mikekuppen6256]

+

[@WikiNuiNathanael]

They also called him "Gutenburg" (This mistake happens often in English, but the two words aren't a variation of the same thing, they have completely different meanings. "Burg" means castle/fortress, "Berg" means mountain/hill)

[@Smico85]

pretty embarassing, yeah

[@mayramalpica]

I only studied alchemy because of Fullmetal Alchemist:Brotherhood and I do not regret it.

[@zamborghini08ify]

This was really informative! But you missed a really important fundamental practice that coincides with alchemy AND has a lot to do with sorcery- Hermeticism.

[@mustang4118]

Fullmetal alchemist is correct, you need something of equal value to change one thing to another thing, equivalent exchange, and deconstruction and reconstruction to be able to make something different. For example, to make wooden axe, you just need a piece of wood large enough and there you go, a wooden axe.

[@glovs4188]

Wow. Turns out edward elric's father was the most succesful alchemist in histort.

[@mayramalpica]

KL2 KLAMPGODS But still a sh** father.

[@elliottbronstein1214]

And the father of Allopathic medicine.

[@peterj1979]

I like how Hank apparently left the set halfway through the video to get a haircut, then grew it all back by the end of the video.

[@MarioUcomics]

I'm just here for all the anime related comments

[@BeeMusic2024]

To get comments, you must also share them. That is equivalent exchange.

[@user-wk6tp1og3l]

@@BeeMusic2024 but what if the hard work you give doesnt pay off?

[@basildecruz2449]

Thank You for the wonderful subject and loved it. Alchemy is a spiritual subject, example the human body which consists of the Soul, Mind and Body which converts all that we eat to becomes Us and illnesses is the reaction where something has gone wrong with Us. To me and my work, Alchemy is to find a universal cure for illnesses and to rejuvenate the body.

[@cxang]

Cool video, but in the part where you mentioned about the Chinese Alchemy you said about the waidan, or pill of immortality, it's actually the 仙丹 which was pronounced sien dan (xiān dān in Chinese pinyin). And fun fact, while trying to produce that, the Chinese created gunpowder!

[@lindavilmaole5003]

Alchemists' desire: to produce gold. Tinkering about the "ingredients" in gold-making made the alchemists (and us later) to have understanding of matter...

[@reysiejaycuares5289]

Chemistry it might mean " the black earth" symbolizing Egypt , but it might not . This included older astrological ideas alongside new ones derived from expirement and observation . Alchemists had different social norms , or ideas about how someone creating knowledge should act. There are two kinds of Alchemical metals : the noble metals were gold , which represented the sun. The philosophers stone no sources involved , American Hary Potter . The Chrysopeia quest for the universe transmutation agent was called chrysopeia , or literally make into gold. Alchemy was a system for producing useful materials from chematria to alcohol.

[@iftisambalindong7381]

Its really astonishing how the alchemist make metals into a new substances. Like the indian alchemist are focusing in medicine, forms of mercury and how to preserve health and hopefully create undecayable body. While the chinese alchemist detected vital channels of energy transmission using magnet, eventually led to the invention of gunpowder. The product/result or success of the excitements of the alchemist shows their hard work in making the simple element into a new compound.

[@naipahmamao3988]

Chemistry is confusing and as well as Alchemy. Since I was in high school, when I first met the word “Alchemy”, I always wonder if they really tried to transmutate base metal into gold and if they were able to transform just one of the metal into gold. I mean that would be great for the country’s economy. However, I always view this thought and event as hilarious and even impossible. Because if it was possible then why do we have to destroy our land just to mine gold. As I go through the rest of the video, I realized that Alchemists are not just those mad scientists who stayed in their laboratories observing hopeless experiments. Although they are infamously known for their metal-to-gold thing, they were also able to create other things (compounds) which were not their expected results, but some are actually beneficial for us (e.g. pharmaceuticals) and some that are, well, no one knows what they are. Alchemists were very secretive in what they were doing. But maybe, just maybe, if they only recorded their ideas and observation in a manner we can understand and with the advent of technology today, we may be able to turn metals into gold. Who knows what they saw in metals, which made them think they can turn it into gold, when even Historians, who are trained to understand complicated stuff like this in our history, are also baffled with the records Alchemists left behind?

[@niajeon6107]

I first knew about the word alchemy from the anime i watched when i was in high school called Fullmetal Alchemist. I know now that the anime got its inspiration from the original alchemy since it has a lot of similarities like how it's prohibited in some ways and how it is used in many areas of science like medicine. What i understood generally about alchemy is through the phrase "hacking the whole process by doing it artificially". Alchemy was not encouraged and people see it as dangerous, dirty and superstitious. The positive thing about alchemy is that it still contributed to new knowledge about elements and compounds which are very useful. Questions linger in my mind while writing this comment. What if "alchemy" did not stop? What would be our world today? Is it going to be for the good of this world? Or is it going to cause some catastrophe to humanity? We will never know.

[@fatmahsumayyahlangco7971]

Same with the idea of Niaranme Bucar on watching anime Fullmetal Alchemist in my highschool days. I remember that time that alchemy is not encouraging the people to make it dangerous(mention by Hank refers to the alchemy seen as a dirty dangerous and lacking.)it's depend of the user just like story of anime that mention. When we say Alchemy is refers to "skilled experimentalist backed by theories of matter and they played a huge role in the development of our knowldege."(Hank Green). The alchemy is one of the intelligent because they can change the other substance into other substance like for instant the changing of copper into silver, also the Chemistry we know today is come from the alchemy. In addittion, the Chinese Alchemy and Indian Alchemy had different opinion of alchemy. In chinese Alchemist they focuse on gundpowder alchemist and so on, well the Indian Alchimest they focus on Medicine Alchemist. When know that chemistry is very challenging especially in expirementing substance. But their is always a process to make it successfull just like the alchemy.

[@albertlopez2482]

I was hoping to hear about homunculi and the law of equilavent exchange

[@leeoswald668]

10:50 Moon and Saturn are Silver and lead Silver and lead don't react with each other But may be sulfur on silver can give some result But still, I want some amazing reaction

[@magister343]

I remember reading the Wikipedia entry of alchemy years ago and finding that Chinese alchemy was focused on producing cheese. The first few paragraphs sounded sort of plausible, but then it descended into total nonsense and eventually just repeated the line "CHEESE Cheese CHEESE CHEESE cheese CHEESE CHEESE cheese CHEESE!!!"

[@varana]

Sheogorath approves.

[@manwynaut]

Sheogorath approves.

[@AliciaNyblade]

Awesome video. A friend of mine and I are writing a novel series together that deals heavily with alchemy and, while our books are more about the spiritual/esoteric aspects of the craft (and indeed, characters reference that the whole "turning metals into gold" thing is a metaphor for such deeper inner wisdom), this breakdown of what alchemy was said to physically do was really helpful to find while researching. Thanks!

[@AliciaNyblade]

@Goddess Ishtar Thanks!

[@AliciaNyblade]

@Goddess Ishtar Thanks, and of course, I was aware of that. It's one of the reasons why I'm drawn to alchemy, the fact that it sees the amazing in the world around us rather than relying on a particular organized, hierarchical religion or set of spiritual beliefs for a sense of sacredness and how we relate to it. As an eclectic Pagan, I think there's a middle ground: Yes, science can explain many things and should be heeded, but the idea that we humans, teeny-weeny creatures on this one planet in the middle of a universe amongst possibly many, will whittle down everything to physical explanations we'd understand seems quite presumptuous and arrogant to me. Not to mention I don't think we'll ever have the whole picture of anything until the scientific and spiritual communities stop seeing each other as foes and start working together again, which they once did, long ago. That's where and what alchemy is, at the crossroads of science and spirituality. But that's just my two cents. Blessed be. )O(

[@AliciaNyblade]

@Goddess Ishtar Thanks, and don't worry, I didn't take your comment that way at all. Take care yourself. :)

[@killerbunny4831]

you don't realize how accurate FMA is until you watch this xD

[@klauskohler8048]

For not native english speaking individuals here is an advice: Slow down replay by .75 times as he is trying to get the world record of fastest speaking. Beside of this: Thumbs up!

[@GustavoSilva-ny8jc]

0:06 Unless you're an anime fan

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

One must never forget Henning Brand, who tried to get gold out of distilled urine and accidentally discovered elemental phosphorus.

[@peterszoldan150]

You're missing the psychological aspect of alchemy outlined in Mysterium Coniunctionis by Jung.

[@zamborghini08ify]

And the basis philosophy behind alchemy, hermeticism

[@studley7319]

OMG THE TRANSMUTATION OF NINA AND ALEXANDER AT 5:08 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jellyfishsii]

It's so funny when you meet new age hippies that still think alchemy is real

[@HolyWisdom93]

Vague comment, ignorant and foolish as well .

[@jellyfishsii]

@@HolyWisdom93 there are people walking around today talking about alchemy as if it is still in practice

[@HolyWisdom93]

@@jellyfishsii Are you sure about that? Or are they talking about alchemy as if they actually know what it is? The process of attaining illumination.

[@jellyfishsii]

@@HolyWisdom93 as if it is a current practice. It is an early form of scientific practice and not much else.

[@a.z.fellco.1704]

2:25 THE SHADE

[@adairbock6737]

Big brother....can we play now?

[@DanielMartins-og2gj]

Sulfur =sulfur /soul/oil and salt is body while mercury =alcohol/spirit/mercury

[@manond192]

5:06 Nina... Alexander...

[@ramind10001]

As for Hayyān, Persians had a deep interest for poetry and allegory and still do, so it might have been natural for him to write in such a language

[@uperscors]

I see that subtle reference to Nina, thought bubble.

[@LeRouxBel]

Alchemy, or the philosophical way of thinking about what is stuff. If you ask me that's what differentiate humans from animals. BTW, if you guys do Cathedrals, how about some Art History someday ? I'm sure you could do a Crash Course on that