Can Lead Actually Turn into Gold?

Is it actually possible to turn lead into gold? With scientists’ efforts and their creativity, we finally found “the real philosopher’s stone" and can turn lead into gold...somewhat. Join Michael Aranda for a new episode of SciShow!

----------
----------
Dooblydoo thanks go to the following Patreon supporters: KSam Lutfi, Kevin Knupp, Nicholas Smith, Inerri, D.A. Noe, alexander wadsworth,
سلطان الخليفي, Piya Shedden, KatieMarie Magnone, Scott Satovsky Jr, Bella Nash, Charles Southerland, Bader AlGhamdi, James Harshaw, Patrick Merrithew, Patrick D. Ashmore, Candy, Tim Curwick, charles george, Saul, Mark Terrio-Cameron, Viraansh Bhanushali, Kevin Bealer, Philippe von Bergen, Chris Peters, Fatima Iqbal, Justin Lentz
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
----------

Sources:

Image Source:

[Frediloc]

The first thing I think about when I hear "philosopher's stone" is two orphan kids on a quest to get back their bodies.

[unvergebeneid]

Medieval alchemist: "Let us turn lead into gold!"
Modern scientist: "Yeah well, you can of course do that but it's probably much more cost-effective to just mine an asteroid."
Medieval alchemist: what?!"

[rgbii]

Imagine getting paid with a gold coin, only to have it turn back into mercury and you get cancer.

[prince_of_denmark]

As a 70-year-old student of nuclear science, i take my hat off to the narrator. Michael, you have explained such a maddeningly complex subject with rare lucidity, in a crisp manner and in such a short time that it rivets the attention of the lay person. Keep up the good work.

[xdeviltrunksx]

Water (35 L)
Carbon (20 kg)
Ammonia (4 L)
Lime (1.5 kg)
Phosphorous (800 g)
Salt (250 g)
Saltpeter (100 g)
Sulfur (80 g)
Fluorine (7.5 g)
Iron (5 g)
Silicon (3 g)
And 15 traces of other elements.

[asielsmith]

Harry Potter; and the Philosopher's Particle Accelerator.

[CarlosRios]

When I hear "Philosopher's Stone" I think of thousands of souls compacted into a red liquid that can be used for alchemical actions

[madi]

Comments:
60% fullmetal alchemist fans
30% Harry Potter fans
10% people who actually care

[kefkaZZZ]

It’s incredible that alchemy has finally achieved its goal. Alchemy is what gave us chemistry and therefore the processes to get to this point.

[_KnZed_]

maybe the reason why they cant transmute things to gold is because their not using a transmutation circle and sacrificing an arm and a leg.

[TheFuryHasCome]

How many brothers does it take to bring back their dead mother?

Just one, and an arm and a leg of another.

[Master_Therion]

3:35 What did the mercury say to the radioactive gold? "Au, get out of here."

[Pokemonfanever]

Even though "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" was released a few years before the FMA manga was, I relate the Philosopher's Stone to FMA. This may have happened because the USA's release was re-branded as "The Sorcerer's Stone", but frankly, it doesn't really matter which was first. It only matters which one you first associated with the word

[DummyAccount]

Going by the comments, it seems most relate the philosopher's stone to FMA and not Harry Pothead

[clearmenser]

Well... Alchemy was a lot more complex than just turning lead into gold. It's metaphysical and the alchemist is searching for a way to turn his body into pure spirit.

[ricelovingasian]

Ok the comment section is full metal alchemist lol

[MeleeTiger]

Practicality be damned, we can still say "yes, we've turned one metal into another" which is still pretty damn impressive!

[bipo]

But are these philosopher stones made of people?

[cherishchihiro]

Can I bring back my brother's body with this ??

[James-wlwi]

First thing that pops into my mind when I hear philosopher stone I think about Full Metal Alchemists