Alchemy and the Road to Science

Today alchemy conjures up images of boiling cauldrons and magic elixirs, but the past reveals its lasting impact on the foundation of science.

Alchemy began in ancient Egypt, sometime between the 4th and 3rd century BC, with the aim of transmuting base metals (i.e led) into noble metals, such as gold.

In the 8th century AD, Arab alchemists invented the first laboratories for transmutation, creating complex methods of classification and documentation. Jabir ibn Hayyan and Muhammad ibn Zakarīya Rāzi even made breakthroughs in chemistry, discovering sulfuric and hydrochloric acid.

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Islamic alchemy inspired the later European search for the philosopher’s stone, an object believed to turn base metals into gold and bestow its owner with eternal life. The investigation lasted hundreds of years and although unsuccessful, produced countless experiments and lengthy chronicles of their results.

The pursuit of the philosopher’s stone was echoed in China by the search for the elixir of immortality. Like the Europeans, the Chinese alchemists believed in the medicinal power of metals and used them in their potions. Famously, the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming Dynasty drank a fatal dosage of mercury, believing it was the famed elixir.

During the 17th century, Robert Boyle invented modern methods of chemical investigation. Boyle’s highly controlled experiments made alchemy appear blunt and archaic. Alchemy became associated with superstition and the occult and quickly fell out of favor.

Although it had a brief revival in the 18th century with the spiritualist movement, alchemy remained the fancy of counter culture.

While alchemy’s past may be meandering and at times ridiculous, its impact on science and the world that followed is undeniable. For more alchemy images click the links above and be sure to check out our storefront for great chemistry products!

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• wikipedia.com
• Britannica.com
• Smithsonian.com

Have We Found the True Cause of Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer’s has been a mysterious disease ever since it was discovered. Considered to be a condition that fits into the dementia category, Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by physical changes in the brain that deteriorate brain function, cognitive ability, and memory in a certain pattern. People who are at least 65 years old are most often affected, however, there are also early-onset cases.

The progression of Alzheimer’s happens over decades and since the brain is such a complicated organ, it has been difficult for scientists to study.

The brain of the patient that had the first named case of Alzheimer’s disease was found to have amyloid (protein) plaques and tao tangles (tangles of fibers) within it. These abnormalities have long been considered by medical professionals to be one of the main causes of the disease, however recent studies suggest that the true cause could be another condition that happens initially, and this abnormal tissue growth may be a secondary symptom.

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Scientists came out with new research this year that highlights chronic inflammation as one of the possible causes, based on the body’s tendency to kill off cells or change the genetic code within cells when inflamed for a long period of time. Alzheimer’s is considered a genetic disorder, meaning that it is caused by mutated genes. This also means that the disease can be inherited from a family member. Because the gene mutation that chronic inflammation causes can get worse as the body ages, it makes a good parallel to the fact that Alzheimer’s usually sets in at an older age.

Although inflammation seems to be a viable candidate, many studies still need to be conducted to see if anti-inflammatory drugs ease the progression or onset of Alzheimer's and dementia.

Currently, there are studies being conducted to find out if we would be able to use an existing anti-inflammatory drug as a treatment or preventative measure. If one is found to work, it would be more accessible to obtain as well as cheaper for both the patient and developers.

At this point in time Alzheimer’s is incurable and lifelong, however, if we are able to pinpoint the cause of this condition we will be able to prevent the onset of the disease and will be well on our way to finding a cure.

• medicalxpress.com/news/2018-09-scientists-reveal-ground-breaking-alzheimer-disease
• alz.org
• nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
• sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180502104103.htm
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How the Stars Got Their Colors

After seeing hundreds of dazzling galaxies and nebulae in print, one might have a preconceived notion of what it’s like to look through a telescope. The reality, however, is somewhat different.

Celestial objects such as galaxies, star clusters, and planetary systems are some of the most beautiful treasures in outer space. Unfortunately, they’re so far away that they mostly appear faint to the naked eye, even when viewed through a telescope. The problem is that, unlike a camera, our eyes cannot adjust their exposure time in order to soak up more light from these distant objects.

For astrophotographers to get the vibrant colors of a nebula or galaxy, they need to rely on a number of techniques, including long exposures, color compositing and sometimes editing in post-production.

Eagle Nebula, Messier 16. SS2596669.

The famous Eagle Nebula pictured here is actually three monochromatic images mapped to different color wavelengths combined to create one image. Some might say that this makes it fake or embellished but the truth is more complicated.

The colors that astrophotographers use to create images like this reflect the chemicals in the celestial objects themselves, so they are drawn from real scientific data. Nevertheless, it’s still unclear how accurate the colors actually are.

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Of course, visual perception is always subjective, limited by our eyes and brain, so it’s worth considering how accurate our image of reality ever is.

What do you think?

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