Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is the primary ingredient in alcoholic beverages. A clear, colorless liquid, it has a chemical formula of...

Preparation of a Golden Spirit of Wine, a medicinal potion, is a recipe from the writings of Dutch-German alchemist Johann Glauber . He's...

Ammonia is a simple versatile compound vital to life on Earth. Here's the info on its formation, historical significance, potential...

Spirit of wine, or spirits of wine, is a common alchemical ingredient in medical remedies and recipes of chemical transformation. This...

Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂) is one of the most versatile chemicals today due to powerful oxidizing properties and a wide range of...

Litharge (PbO) is a lead oxide mineral with an alpha and beta structure. It's among the most prominent of the lead oxides known due to...

In the Renaissance new healing treatments come to light, many based on ancient medicine. In the 17th and 18th century these include...

Fulminating silver is a term applicable to a number of silver base d explosives which "fulminate" or detonate easily and violently,...

Arcanum Duplicatum is known by many names: sulphate of potash, arcanite, potash of sulfur, potassium sulfate. An inorganic compound, it...

Fulminating Gold ( aurum fulminans ) is the first high explosive known, recorded in Western alchemy c. 1585. Sebald Schwaerzer is the...

Arcanum Joviale is an alchemy medicine made of metal salts, taken to induce sweating. While the term sudorific is introduced in 1626,...

Antimony (Sb) from the ore stibnite, is one of the elements known by the ancients, a primary source of black powder kajal or kohl. With...

Lunar caustic ( lapis infernalis ), Höllenstein (hellstone) or silver nitrate ( argentinium nitrium ) is esteemed by alchemists of the...

The Waters of Alchemy are ravenous acids, miraculous solvents and corrosive fluids vital to alchemical process. Not for children ....

Ten metals are used in alchemy since its ancient emergence. They are antimony, bismuth, copper, gold, iron, lead, quicksilver (mercury),...

Renegade physician Paracelsus is one of the most dramatic figures of the European Renaissance. Doctor, alchemist, astrologer,...

Divine Water, oil of vitriol or sulfuric acid, scientifically denoted H₂SO₄, is commonly used in alchemy experiments. A mineral acid, it...

The Almadén Mines in central Spain have an infamous past driven by profit and greed. The deadly history of ancient Almadén revolves...

Lucrezia Borgia is an enigmatic figure of the Italian Renaissance (c. 1350 - 1550 AD). This period sees revival of art, culture and...

Why do onions make people cry? The answer involves a combination of chemistry and enzymes. The trigger behind the tears is an organic...