9. Not entirely devoted to the transmutation of base metals into gold, the historical science of alchemy was widely accepted for thousands of years despite an absence of reliable results
Spanning at least four millennia, alchemy was an ancient branch of natural philosophy and science practiced by human civilizations from around the world. Although today commonly associated with efforts to transmute base metals, for example lead, into noble metals such as gold, the aims of alchemy were historically more diverse. Originating, by many accounts, in Ancient China, the purpose of alchemy was not transmutation but rather obtaining the Grand Elixir of Immortality. Known later as the philosopher’s stone, it is thought gunpowder was an unintentional by-product of alchemists seeking the legendary universal panacea.
Introduced to Latin Europe during the 12th century via Arabic scholars, it was not until Paracelsus a century later that Europeans increasingly reverted focus back towards the original Chinese purpose of medicine. Seeking to combine minerals and plants for treatments, limited discoveries were made to the benefit of mankind and the discipline increasingly became debunked in the public consciousness. Declining in Europe during the 18th century, coinciding with the emergence of chemistry as a defined scientific discipline, alchemy was increasingly distanced from the fledgling field as unscientific and fraudulent. Although enjoying a brief revival in association with supposed occult sciences, today alchemy is regarded as an inexact pseudoscience.
