Ancient explosives and the philosopher's stone: a history of alchemy

Think of alchemy, and you'll likely imagine bubbling vials of curious potions and molten metals. But how close is this popular perception to the truth? In this episode of the History Extra podcast, Kit Chapman traces a global story of discovery that blurred the boundaries between science and mysticism. Speaking to Emily Briffitt, he explains how alchemists pursue dreams of immortality, universal cures, and turning base metals into precious ones, lay the foundations for modern science. So today we are talking all about your book, The Age of Alchemy.

Now this book challenges the idea that the story of chemistry Begins with the Enlightenment. In your view then, when does it really start? I don't think we can put a start on it. And I don't think we can even put a location on it. One of the things that I'm trying to show is how science is used by everybody at all times. So we can go all the way back to prehistory, we can look at the origins of fire and tanning and metallurm

All those things that helped us build society and civilization. to say that that's the origins of chemistry. If you're looking at the origins of alchemy Th we can start to piece together when that begins. And the key moment is in Alexandria in Egypt. So Alexandria is a phenomenal melting pot.

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