philosophers stone
Legendary transmutation catalyst
The philosopher's stone is a legendary substance in alchemy, believed capable of turning base metals into gold and producing an elixir of immortality.
Alchemists spent centuries pursuing it.
The term now appears mostly in fantasy fiction and as a metaphor for any ultimate solution or transformative discovery: They thought the new policy would be a philosopher's stone for the economy.
Also spelled philosopher's stone.
- alchemyMystical metal transformation
- transmutationComplete change of form
- goldElement seventy-nine
- elixirMythical healing draught
- immortalityExemption from death
Nicolas Flamel · Harry Potter · mercury · hermetic · occult · magnum opus · sulfur · alchemist · eternal life · eternal youth · great work · transformation · quintessence · crucible · tincture · arcanum · panacea · medieval
- immortalityimmortality, eternal life, immortals, everlasting life, deathlessness
- elixirs of lifefountain of youth, ambrosia, nectar, panacea, aqua vitae
- Old Sciencephlogiston, aether, ether, caloric, miasma
- metal folklorealchemy, cold iron, cursed gold, fairy gold, leprechaun gold
- old chemistryphlogiston, alchemy, caloric, aqua regia, muriatic acid
- Fictional Materialsadamantine, mithril, unobtainium, unobtanium, dilithium
philosophers stonelead
Dense metal, symbol Pb
base metal · poison · dross · decay · corrosive
philosophers stonechemistry
Study of substances' interactions
periodic table · scientific method · laboratory analysis · molecular theory · evidence-based medicine
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