In the Greek is where the etymological origin of the term alchemy is found. Specifically, we can determine that it is in the word chemia, which can be defined as “liquid mixture”. It was from the aforementioned word that he started to create alchemy as such, which was established by the Arabs who created the term alkímya.
According to Digopaul, the Alchemy is an esoteric belief that is linked to the transmutation of matter. Alchemy practices and experiences were key in the original development of chemistry, as alchemists searched for the Philosopher’s Stone to transform any metal into gold.
Alchemy is considered a proto-science or a philosophical discipline that includes notions of chemistry, physics, astrology, metallurgy, spiritualism, and art. Alchemy schools were very popular for about 2,500 years, in regions such as Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, China, India, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire.
The mystery and magic that surround alchemy and the search for that stone have given rise to the development in art of a large number of works that revolve around them. Thus, for example, we find Paulo Coelho’s literary work entitled “El Alquimista”. It is a job where we are approached by the life of a young Spanish shepherd, named Santiago, who leaves his land to live a thousand and one adventures in order to reach his chimera.
In this way, with this narration the famous Brazilian writer what he does is raise the idea that we must fight to achieve dreams, that destiny acts so that we can make them come true and that, sometimes, we do not realize everything. that we have until we lose it.
Likewise, there are other works, literary and cinematographic, which also deal with the subject at hand. This would be the case of the first film in the literary saga about a young magician created by JKRowling: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”. A production where we are told as the protagonist’s rival, Voldemort, is looking for the mythical philosopher’s stone to increase his power since that one has extraordinary properties.
Despite its various forms and currents, alchemy is currently closely associated with the search for a process that allows transforming any element into gold and the ability to achieve eternal life.
Alchemists believed that the red philosopher’s stone was capable of transmuting ignoble metals into gold, while the white philosopher’s stone could transform ignoble metals into silver.
The philosopher’s stone also appears linked to the elixir of life, a substance that would allow all illnesses to be cured and eternal life to be possible. Despite the absence of this potion, many alchemists, such as Paracelsus, made important discoveries in the pharmaceutical company.
It should be noted that, in theory, it is not impossible to convert lead to gold. To achieve this, it would be necessary to extract three of the 82 protons from a lead atom and obtain a gold atom (out of 79 protons). However, in practice, energy projections make this transmutation impossible.
