All language subtitles for Forbidden History S01E06 1080p AMZN WEB-DL DD+2 0 x264-Absinth_track3_[und]

Narrator:
NOSTRADAMUS, FLAMEL, DEE.

WHO WERE THESE ALCHEMISTS
WHO HAD SUCH A PROFOUND EFFECT

ON KINGS, QUEENS,
AND EMPERORS ALIKE?

WERE THEY SIMPLY
CLEVER MAGICIANS?

OR COULD THEY
REALLY TELL THE FUTURE

AND TURN LEAD INTO GOLD?

AND IF THEY COULD,
JUST HOW DID THEY DO IT?

Felix: THEY WERE SUPERMEN,
GODS, SUPERNATURAL.

CALL IT WHAT YOU WILL.

THESE GUYS WERE GOING TO BECOME
EXTREMELY WEALTHY FROM THIS,

AND SO THEY KEPT IT
CLOSE TO THE CHEST.

Gough: THEY WERE
THE SHAMANS OF THEIR DAY

THAT BRIDGED
OUR REALM WITH OTHERS.

Churton: ETERNAL LIFE.

THAT'S WHAT
THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.

THIS IS WHAT GOD HAS
THAT WE DON'T...

IMMORTALITY.

MAN LIVES.
HE DIES.

BUT THE UNIVERSE
GOES ON AND ON AND ON.

Ogilvy: THE ALCHEMIST
IS ABLE TO ESTABLISH

A RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE

WHICH IS SO INTIMATE,
WHICH IS SO SPECIAL,

THAT MIRACLES CAN HAPPEN.

Captions by VITAC...
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

IN EVERY CENTURY
OF THE LAST 1,000 YEARS,

FIGURES HAVE EMERGED
FROM HISTORY

WHO STAND OUT
BY THEIR SHEER BIZARRENESS,

MEN WHO SIMPLY DEFY
EASY DESCRIPTION,

WHO ARE SEEMINGLY ABLE TO
PERFORM WONDROUS FEATS OF MAGIC

THAT DEFY SCIENCE.

THEY ARE THE ALCHEMISTS,

AND IN THIS EPISODE,
JOURNALIST JAMIE THEAKSTON

SETS OUT TO UNRAVEL
THEIR MYSTERIES AND SECRETS.

WERE THEY REALLY MEN
OF SUPERNATURAL POWERS?

OR SIMPLY EARLY PROPONENTS
OF WHAT WE NOW CALL SCIENCE?

Churton: AN ALCHEMIST
GENERALLY IS ASSOCIATED

WITH THE SEARCH
FOR THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE.

BUT THE SEARCH
FOR THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE,

WHICH IS REALLY THE IDEAL
OF ALCHEMY,

IS, IN FACT...

IT'S NOT EVERYTHING THAT
AN ALCHEMIST WOULD BE DOING.

AN ALCHEMIST, AT ROOT,
IS A CHEMIST,

IS SOMEBODY WHO IS DISCOVERING
THROUGH PRACTICE,

THROUGH EXPERIMENTS,
THROUGH OBSERVATION

THE HIDDEN PROPERTIES
OF ORDINARY SUBSTANCES,

FROM SALT TO METALS
TO VARIOUS KINDS OF ORE,

AND MAY BE INVOLVED
IN THE MANUFACTURE

OF ACIDS, ALKALIS, ALUMS.

AND, EFFECTIVELY,
HE'S LOOKING FOR NEW SUBSTANCES,

NEW COMBINATIONS,

NEW PATHS TO UNDERSTANDING
THE WAY THE CREATION IS MADE.

Felix:
WELL, THEY WERE THE PIONEERS

OF, BASICALLY,
CHEMISTRY AND MEDICINE.

BUT THEY USED
NOT ONLY NATURAL EARTH POWERS,

BUT ALSO SUPERNATURAL FORCES.

SO THERE WAS A BIG SPIRITUAL
ELEMENT IN THE WHOLE THING.

Narrator: BUT CAN YOU REALLY
DEMONSTRATE ALCHEMY TODAY?

PROFESSOR ANDREA SELLA
AND DR. MARCOS MARTINON TORRES

FROM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
IN LONDON BELIEVE YOU CAN

AND AGREE TO SHOW JAMIE

THE GREATEST ALCHEMICAL PROCESS
OF ALL.

WHOA!

[ LAUGHS ]
WAS THAT DRAMATIC?

WOW.

WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS,
MARCOS,

IS IT POSSIBLE TO TURN
BASE METALS INTO GOLD?

THE ANSWER IS, YES,
IT IS POSSIBLE.

THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THIS
WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE

TO A MEDIEVAL ALCHEMIST.

THE BORING FACT IS
THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

TODAY WE KNOW, AND WE CAN
SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT,

THAT NO ALCHEMIST

WOULD EVER HAVE MANAGED
TO TRANSFORM LEAD INTO GOLD

USING CHEMICAL METHODS.

WE KNOW
THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

TO TRANSFORM ONE ATOM
INTO ANOTHER,

WE NEED PHYSICAL METHODS.

AND THIS WAS DONE
30 YEARS AGO.

THEY DEMONSTRATED
IT WAS POSSIBLE.

BUT THE INVESTMENT DOESN'T PAY
FOR THE RETURN,

SO PEOPLE
DON'T DO IT USUALLY.

AND THE GOLD YOU MAKE
IS RADIOACTIVE AND SO ON.

BUT THIS IS NOT TO SAY

THAT WHEN PEOPLE MADE
A TRANSMUTATION,

LIKE SULFUR
INTO THIS RUBBERY SUBSTANCE,

THAT THEY DID TRY
TO CHEAT,

OR THAT THEY WERE DECEIVING
OR LYING.

BECAUSE THEY COULD SEE
A TRANSMUTATION.

SO, I'M GOING TO TRY
AND SHOW YOU

A TRANSMUTATION
OF COPPER INTO SILVER,

AND THEN INTO GOLD,

THAT WILL ILLUSTRATE HOW PEOPLE
DID EFFECT TRANSMUTATIONS.

THEY WERE TRANSFORMING
A SUBSTANCE INTO ANOTHER,

AND QUITE POSSIBLY
BELIEVING

THAT THEY HAD ACHIEVED
A TRANSMUTATION.

SO, THEY WERE NOT NECESSARILY
TRYING TO LIE.

OKAY.

SO, WE'RE JUST HITTING
HERE

SOME CAUSTIC SODA,
SODIUM HYDROXIDE.

AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO MIX IN
AS IT WARMS UP

IS A LITTLE BIT
OF ZINC POWDER.

SO, THIS IS JUST METALLIC ZINC
THAT'S BEEN GROUND VERY FINE.

AND THIS IS LIKE...
THIS IS BAKING SODA, IS IT?

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

BUT AS WE MIX IT
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF ZINC...

SO, THIS IS METAL,

BUT IT HAS BEEN GROUND
VERY, VERY FINELY.

UH-HUH.

JUST SO THAT THE REACTION
CAN TAKE PLACE FASTER.

SO, WHAT ARE WE HOPING
IS GONNA HAPPEN NOW

TO THE ZINC
IN THE CAUSTIC SODA?

WELL, WE'RE GONNA PRODUCE
A COMPLEX SODIUM ZINCATE,

SO WE ARE GOING TO, AS IT WERE,
BRING THE ZINC INTO SOLUTION.

CORRECT ME
IF I'M WRONG.

NO, ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY.

THEN WE ARE GOING TO UNDERTAKE
AN ELECTROLYTIC REACTION

WHEN WE PUT THE COPPER IN.

WE'LL COME TO THAT
IN A SECOND.

WOULD EARLY ALCHEMISTS

HAVE BEEN CARRYING OUT
EXACTLY THIS KIND OF EXPERIMENT?

WELL, THIS IS ONE

THAT WOULD ONLY BE UNDERTAKEN
RELATIVELY RECENTLY,

BECAUSE METALLIC ZINC

ONLY REALLY APPEARS IN EUROPE
SYSTEMATICALLY

FROM THE 17th, 18th CENTURY.

BUT THIS ILLUSTRATES

ONE OF A REPERTOIRE
OF OTHER EXPERIMENTS

TAKING PLACE EARLIER,
AS WELL,

THAT WOULD VISUALLY TRANSFORM
ONE METAL INTO ANOTHER

AND LEAD PEOPLE
INTO BELIEVING

THAT THEY HAD INDEED SUCCEEDED
WITH TRANSMUTATION.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE,

THAT'S WHAT IT IS
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT?

TURNING LEAD INTO GOLD.
IS THAT RIGHT?

YEAH.
GENERALLY, YES.

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE

IS THAT ULTIMATE AMBITION
OF MANY ALCHEMISTS.

IT'S THAT
WONDERFUL SUBSTANCE

THAT WOULD HAVE THE POWER
OF TRANSMUTATION,

THAT WOULD BE
ALLOWING HUMANS

TO TRANSFORM ONE METAL
INTO ANOTHER,

ONE SUBSTANCE INTO ANOTHER,
TYPICALLY A BETTER SUBSTANCE.

SO, THE KING
OF THOSE TRANSMUTATIONS

WOULD, OF COURSE,

BE THE TRANSFORMATION
OF LEAD INTO GOLD,

BASE METALS INTO GOLD.

BUT OTHERS BELIEVED THAT
THE HEALING POWER OF THE STONE

WOULD ALSO ALLOW IT
TO CURE ILLNESS,

TO EXTEND LIFE,
AND SO ON.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE
PHILOSOPHER'S STONE WAS ABOUT.

Churton: THERE IS ALWAYS,
IN ALCHEMICAL HISTORY,

THE IDEA THAT THIS THING
MUST BE POSSIBLE.

IT OUGHT TO BE POSSIBLE TO
TRANSMUTE BASE METALS INTO GOLD,

BUT ACCOUNTS OF IT
ACTUALLY BEING DONE ARE RARE.

SO... AND IT IS ALSO
A VERY STRANGE FACTOR.

A FRIEND OF MINE, WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT ALCHEMY RECENTLY,

AND HE WAS SAYING
IN ALL THE WORKS ON ALCHEMY

HE'D READ IN THE GREAT LIBRARIES
OF EUROPE,

HE NEVER FOUND ONE WITH ANY
CHEMICAL STAINS ON THE PAGES.

NOW, I THINK
THIS IS VERY TELLING.

I DON'T THINK

MOST OF THE BOOKS WE HAVE
ON ALCHEMY THAT WE USE...

THAT WE'RE OFTEN USING TO TRY
AND FIND OUT WHAT ALCHEMY IS

AND WHAT
THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE WAS

WERE ANY MORE THAN COMMENTARIES

ON WHAT PRACTICAL PEOPLE
WERE ACTUALLY DOING.

WE GET MUCH CLOSER TO IT

WITH THINGS LIKE
ISAAC NEWTON'S NOTES ON ALCHEMY,

WHERE HE'S ACTUALLY
TALKING ABOUT PROCESS.

SO MANY OF THE BOOKS ON ALCHEMY

ARE ABOUT PRINCIPLE
MORE THAN PRACTICE.

SO, I'M GONNA TAKE
A RELATIVELY CLEAN COPPER COIN,

WITH APOLOGIES
TO THE QUEEN...

THOUGH
SHE MIGHT BE FLATTERED

THAT WE ARE TURNING THIS
INTO A NOBLER METAL...

AND WE ARE GOING TO JUST DIP IT
INTO THIS LIQUID.

AND VERY QUICKLY,

YOU CAN SEE THE COLOR
IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE.

THE COPPER
IS ACTING AS A CATHODE,

SO INDIVIDUAL IONS OF ZINC
ARE BEING REDUCED

AND DEPOSITED
ON THE SURFACE OF THE COIN.

Sella: THE COLOR OF THE COPPER'S
ACTUALLY FADING NOW.

AND IT'S BECOMING
KIND OF WHITER.

VERY, VERY STRANGE PROCESS,

THAT SIMPLY ON HEATING
IN THE RIGHT SOLUTION,

WE CAN TURN, YOU KNOW,

THAT BRIGHT,
FAMILIAR COPPER COLOR

INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

SO, WE'RE NOT ZINC-PLATING
THE COPPER, ARE WE?

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING?

WELL, IN A SENSE
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

BUT REMEMBER,

NOWADAYS WE KNOW ABOUT
THESE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS.

AND, OF COURSE,
WE KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS.

BUT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS
NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE,

TO SOMEONE WHO IS DOING THIS
FOR THE FIRST TIME,

ONE OF THE KEY THINGS ABOUT
THIS KIND OF EARLY SCIENCE

IS THE FACT THAT THEY ONLY HAVE
THREE THINGS TO GO ON.

THEY CAN LOOK AT IT.
THEY CAN TASTE IT OR SMELL IT.

OR, ALTERNATIVELY,
THEY CAN EITHER BASH IT

OR TRANSFORM IT
IN SOME PHYSICAL WAY.

AND SO, REALLY, THERE ARE
VERY, VERY FEW METHODS

TO IDENTIFY
WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'VE GOT.

IN MANY WAYS, I THINK THAT IS
ONE OF THE BIG DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN MODERN CHEMISTRY
AND ALCHEMY,

IS THAT NOW WE HAVE
SO MUCH MORE POWERFUL TOOLS.

NOW, LOOK AT THIS.
OH, WOW.

THAT'S AMAZING.

SO, WHAT HAVE...
SO, WE HAD A COPPER 2p COIN...

YEP.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?
COOLING IT DOWN?

JUST COOLING IT DOWN
SO WE CAN HANDLE IT.

A COPPER 2p COIN
THAT NOW LOOKS LIKE A 10p COIN.

THAT'S RIGHT.
SO, WE'RE ADDING TO ITS VALUE.

WOW. YEAH.
IS THIS TECHNICALLY LEGAL?

ACTUALLY, IT ISN'T.

THAT'S
A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

I KNOW THE ANSWER.
WE COULD BE ARRESTED.

AND NOW
WE CANNOT CLAIM IGNORANCE

'CAUSE I'VE SAID IT,
RIGHT?

YES, EXACTLY. YEAH.

[ LIQUID BUBBLING ]

Felix:
IT'S QUITE INTERESTING TO THINK

THAT THERE WERE GUYS
IN THOSE DAYS

THAT GENUINELY DID BELIEVE
THAT THEY WERE CREATING GOLD.

I'M SURE THEY'D HAVE BEEN
VERY WEALTHY IF THEY REALLY DID.

THERE'S A FASCINATING STORY
ABOUT A GUY IN MEDIEVAL TIMES

THAT ACTUALLY CREATED BRASS

BY MIXING COPPER FILINGS
WITH HEMIMORPHITE,

WHICH IS ZINC ORE.

WHEN THE TWO CAME TOGETHER
AND HE HEATED IT UP

AND DID WHATEVER HE HAD TO DO
WITH IT,

HE CREATED
THIS AMAZING GOLD METAL

AND GENUINELY BELIEVED
THAT HE'D CREATED GOLD.

IT WAS ONLY WHEN HE TOOK IT
TO A GOLDSMITH

THAT HE WAS TOLD HE HADN'T.

BUT HE ACTUALLY CREATED BRASS.

Narrator:
THE SILVER COIN IS TRANSFORMED

IN THE FINAL PART
OF THE EXPERIMENT,

AND JAMIE HEADS
TO THE COUNTRYSIDE

TO MEET A MODERN-DAY
PRACTICING ALCHEMIST.

MORE FASCINATING REVELATIONS

WHEN "FORBIDDEN HISTORY"
RETURNS.

Narrator:
WERE THE FAMOUS ALCHEMISTS

LIKE NICHOLAS FLAMEL, JOHN DEE,
AND SIR ISAAC NEWTON

HOLDERS OF GREAT
SUPERNATURAL POWERS

WHICH ALLOWED THEM
TO PERFORM FEATS OF MAGIC

IN THEIR LABORATORIES,

OR WERE THEY JUST PRACTITIONERS
OF AN EARLY FORM OF SCIENCE?

JOURNALIST JAMIE THEAKSTON
IS ON A MISSION

TO ANSWER THAT VERY QUESTION,

AND HAS TEAMED UP WITH
TWO SCIENTISTS IN LONDON

WHO HAVE SO FAR TURNED
A COPPER COIN INTO SILVER,

AND ARE NOW ATTEMPTING
TO COMPLETE THE EXPERIMENT

AND TURN IT GOLD.

OKAY. SO, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS
RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES.

LOOK CLOSELY.

IT WILL HAPPEN QUITE QUICKLY,
HOPEFULLY.

OKAY.

YOU SEE THE SILVER COIN.
UH-HUH.

WE'RE GONNA HEAT IT...

WHAT'S HAPPENING?
OH, YEAH.

SO, THE SILVER...
ALREADY YOU CAN SEE...

[ GASPS, LAUGHS ]

WE'VE MADE GOLD.

THAT'S AMAZING.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

MARCOS,
YOU'VE JUST CREATED...

YOU'VE TURNED COPPER
INTO GOLD.

IS THAT...?
THERE YOU HAVE IT.

THAT'S A GOLD [LAUGHS]
THAT'S A GOLD 2p.

WE'VE DONE IT.

IT'S THE NEAREST THING
YOU'RE ABLE TO...

YOU'LL EVER BE ABLE TO GET
IN THAT SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

WELL, I'M VERY IMPRESSED.
THAT IS AMAZING.

THAT IS GOLD.
THAT'S A GOLD COIN, RIGHT?

Churton:
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT,

THE IDEA OF TRANSMUTATION
FROM LEAD INTO GOLD,

THOUGH IT SOUNDS FANTASTIC,

AND TO PEOPLE WHO ARE HUNGRY
FOR MONEY,

IT SEEMS EMINENTLY DESIRABLE,

IS NOT A DIFFICULT CONCEPT
TO GRASP.

WE, TODAY, IN CHEMISTRY,

CONTINUALLY REFINE PRODUCTS
TO PRODUCE BETTER PRODUCTS.

AND IF YOU PRODUCE THE BEST OIL,

YOU'LL CERTAINLY MAKE
THE MOST GOLD.

AND IN THAT SENSE, YOU ALREADY
HAVE AN ANALOGY THERE,

THAT IF YOU CAN IMPROVE
ON A SUBSTANCE,

IT WILL MAKE YOU MONEY.

BASICALLY,
THERE'S A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN SOMEONE ACTUALLY
CREATING GOLD FROM A BASIC METAL

TO SOMEONE ELSE BEING ABLE TO
ELECTROPLATE SOMETHING WITH ZINC

AND CREATING BRASS,

WHICH, TODAY, OF COURSE,

STRAIGHTAWAY WE KNOW
IT'S NOT GOLD.

BUT 800 YEARS AGO,

TO THE NIGHT-SOIL MEN
AND THE ROAD SWEEPERS

AND WHOEVER ELSE WAS AROUND
IN MEDIEVAL LONDON

IN THOSE DAYS,
THESE GUYS WERE MAGICIANS.

THEY HAD ACTUALLY, TO THE EYE,
CREATED GOLD,

AND PEOPLE BELIEVED IT.

AND I THINK,
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,

THAT'S WHERE THE LEGENDS
HAVE GONE DOWN.

BUT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,

AS FAR AS I KNOW,
NO ONE'S DONE IT YET.

THEY'RE PROBABLY STILL TRYING,
BUT NOBODY'S DONE IT.

Narrator:
ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE THINK

THAT ALCHEMY IS FROM THE PAST,

THERE ARE STILL A FEW PEOPLE
WHO PRACTICE TODAY,

AND JAMIE HAS ARRANGED
TO MEET ONE OF THEM.

HIS NAME IS GUY OGILVY,

AND HE'S A MODERN-DAY
PRACTICING ALCHEMIST.

HE CALLS HIMSELF A POTION MAKER,

KEEPING THE OLD TRADITIONS,
FORMULAS, AND SECRETS ALIVE

IN RURAL SOMERSET IN ENGLAND.

IT'S BEEN SAID
THAT DEE AND FLAMEL

WERE ABLE TO TURN LEAD
INTO GOLD.

DO YOU BELIEVE
THEY COULD DO THAT?

I MEAN,
CAN YOU DO THAT?

I CAN'T DO IT.
I HAVE NEVER ACHIEVED THE STONE.

I HAVEN'T EVEN ATTEMPTED
TO ACHIEVE THE STONE.

I MEAN, THAT IS
THE UNIVERSAL TINCTURE,

AS THEY WOULD CALL IT,
THE HIGHEST MEDICINE.

AND AS A MEDICINE,
IT WAS THE ELIXIR OF YOUTH.

I'M A POTION MAKER

WHO APPLIES ALCHEMICAL PROCESSES
AND PRINCIPLES

IN ORDER TO MAKE MORE AND MORE
RARIFIED MEDICINES.

I LOVE THE IDEA
OF ACHIEVING THE STONE.

REALISTICALLY,
LONG SHOT.

BUT CERTAINLY,

THIS WHOLE BUSINESS
OF THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE

IS THE GREAT FASCINATION
AND THE LURE BEHIND ALCHEMY.

IT'S ALSO THE BIGGEST SNAG
IN WESTERN ALCHEMY

BECAUSE THE WHOLE FOCUS
IS ON GOLD-MAKING,

WHEREAS IN ANCIENT CHINA,

THE WHOLE FOCUS WAS
ON THE ELIXIR OF YOUTH.

IT WAS ALL ABOUT ACHIEVING
THE UNIVERSAL TINCTURE,

WHICH WOULD AFFORD YOU

A KIND OF TRANSCENDENCE
OVER MATERIAL LAWS

AND GIVE YOU
IMMORTALITY.

AND IN INDIA, AGAIN,

IT WAS ALL ABOUT MAKING
THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE MEDICINES.

BUT FOR THEM,

THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
WAS A REALITY, AS WELL.

Narrator: JAMIE WAS KEEN

TO SEE GUY ACTUALLY PRACTICE
SOME ALCHEMY.

SO, BUCKET IN HAND,

GUY OFFERED TO COLLECT
SOME PLANTS FROM THE GARDEN

AND CREATE A POTION FOR HIM.

IT BEING A TUESDAY...

RIGHT.

AS IN MARDI, MARS DAY,
RULED BY THE PLANET MARS...

YEAH, I'M WITH YOU.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIND
SOME MARTIAL HERBS.

HERE WE GO.
LOOK. PERFECT.

NETTLES.

STINGING NETTLES.

RIGHT. OKAY.

RULED BY MARS, OF COURSE.
WAR-LIKE MARS.

AND TODAY'S PERFECT

'CAUSE IT'S A WAXING MOON

DURING THE ZODIACAL PERIOD
OF ARIES.

AND ARIES
IS RULED BY MARS,

SO ABSOLUTELY IDEAL
TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE...

AND HOW MANY NETTLES
DO WE NEED?

AS MANY AS YOU LIKE.

BUT WHAT WE'LL DO IS,

I'M GONNA MAKE A NETTLE WINE,
FIRST OF ALL.

SO, GET A BUCKETFUL
OF NETTLES.

RIGHT.

GET SOME GOOD WATER
ON TOP OF THAT.

OKAY.

WE NEED TO GET
A FERMENTATION GOING,

SO I'M GONNA NEED TO ADD
SOME SUGAR AND SOME YEAST.

MOST PLANTS HAVE
THEIR OWN YEAST ON IT

SUFFICIENT FOR A FERMENTATION,
BUT...

HANG ON.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SOME BOOZE?

WE'RE GONNA MAKE
SOME BOOZE.

DOESN'T SOUND
VERY ALCHEMICAL.

NETTLE WINE.

IS THAT WHAT THE ALCHEMISTS
WOULD HAVE DONE?

SURE. I MEAN, WE NEED TO GET
THE SOUL AND THE SPIRIT

OUT OF THESE NETTLES,

AND THE BEST WAY
TO GET THE SOUL OUT

IS TO USE THE SPIRIT.

BUT THE SPIRIT IS ALCOHOL,
WHICH IS ONLY LATENT.

IT'S LATENT IN THE PLANT.

Ogilvy: FOR THOSE
WHO THINK ALCHEMICALLY,

ONE CAN IMAGINE
A SCENARIO

WHERE THE ALCHEMIST
IS ABLE TO ESTABLISH

A RELATIONSHIP
WITH NATURE

WHICH IS SO INTIMATE,
WHICH IS SO SPECIAL

THAT HE OR SHE HAS ACHIEVED
A PRIVILEGED POSITION

VIS-A-VIS
THE VERY NATURE OF THINGS.

AND IN THAT PRIVILEGED POSITION,
MIRACLES CAN HAPPEN.

Narrator: GUY WORKS HIS MAGIC

AND TURNS HIS NETTLES
INTO AN ALCHEMICAL POTION.

THE MAGIC TAKES SHAPE

IN A REAL-LIFE
ALCHEMIST'S LABORATORY,

COMING UP WHEN
"FORBIDDEN HISTORY" RETURNS.

Narrator: JOURNALIST
JAMIE THEAKSTON IS ON A MISSION

TO UNRAVEL THE SECRETS AND
MYSTERIES OF THE ALCHEMISTS.

WERE THEY THE GUARDIANS
OF ANCIENT SUPERNATURAL POWERS

OR JUST EARLY PIONEERS
IN MODERN SCIENCE?

SO FAR, HE'S ATTEMPTED
TO TURN BASE METAL INTO GOLD

IN A SCIENCE LABORATORY
IN LONDON,

AND NOW HE'S IN RURAL ENGLAND
MEETING A REAL LIVE ALCHEMIST

WHO'S AGREED TO LET JAMIE

WATCH HIM MAKE
A POWERFUL HERBAL POTION.

Theakston: GUY, WHY HAS
SUCH A MYSTIQUE GROWN UP

AROUND ALCHEMY
OVER THE CENTURIES?

Ogilvy: UM...

I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE

OF THE WESTERN FASCINATION
WITH GOLD-MAKING.

THERE WAS A PERIOD
IN WESTERN HISTORY

WHEN THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
SEEMED TO BE AROUND.

THERE WERE FABULOUS TALES

OF PEOPLE CONFECTING GOLD
OUT OF BASE METALS.

AND, OF COURSE,
EVERYONE WAS FASCINATED.

IT'S LIKE, "WHOA, WHOA,
HOW'D YOU DO THAT?
HOW'D YOU DO THAT?"

IT BECAME THE CONCERN OF KINGS.
IT'S CALLED THE ROYAL ART.

AND KINGS WERE VERY CONCERNED
WITH ALCHEMY,

OF COURSE THEY WERE,
BECAUSE GOLD WAS POWER.

AND IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

WHO COULD TURN BASE METAL,
CHEAP METAL, INTO GOLD,

YOU WANTED TO HAVE THAT GUY
IN YOUR CASTLE

DOING THE DO STRAIGHTAWAY.

AND IF HE WAS IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S
NECK OF THE WOODS,

YOU WANTED TO GO
AND SEIZE THAT GUY.

Ogilvy: OKAY. SO, LET'S JUST GET
OUR NETTLES OUT, HERE.

AND THEY DO NOT NEED
TO BE REFINED.

JUST LIKE THAT.

ONCE THEY'RE
IN THE WATER FERMENTING,

OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT A WEEK,

THE WHOLE PROCESS WILL BREAK
THE NETTLES RIGHT DOWN

AND GET ALL THE GOOD STUFF
OUT OF THEM,

EXCEPT THE SALT.

AND THE SALT
IS A WHOLE PROCESS.

IN FACT,
THE LONGEST PROCESS OF ALL.

SO, GONNA HAVE SECRET SALTS
OF THE NETTLES.

IS THIS THE KIND OF THING

THAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING
IN MEDIEVAL TIMES?

ABSOLUTELY.

PUT SOME RAINWATER
ON HERE.

AND THIS PARTICULAR RECIPE

DATES BACK
TO THE EARLY 16th CENTURY.

AND SO,
WHAT'S THE KIND OF PLAN?

THIS, THEN, FERMENTS.

YEAH.
I'M GONNA ADD SOME YEAST.

LET'S GET SOME YEAST
HERE.

AND SOME SUGAR,

BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU GET
YOUR ALCOHOL OUT OF THE PLANT.

FROM THE ALCHEMIST'S
POINT OF VIEW,

WE'RE NOT, AS IT WERE,
MAKING ALCOHOL.

WE'RE DRAWING THE ALCOHOL OUT
OF THE PLANTS.

IT'S LATENT
IN THE PLANT.

ANYONE COULD DO THIS
AT HOME.

YEAH.

WELL, I MEAN,
PEOPLE WHO ARE HOME BREWERS,

WHO MAKE, YOU KNOW,
COUNTRY WINES,

AS THEY'RE CALLED,

WHICH CAN BE MADE FROM
ALL KINDS OF STUFF, YOU KNOW.

USUALLY JUST ANYTHING
BUT GRAPES.

THEY'RE MAKING
SOME FERMENT...

THIS TIME OF YEAR, THEY'LL BE
MAKING PRIMROSE WINE.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MAKING
PRIMROSE WINE

FOR DONKEY'S YEARS.

AND AS FAR AS THE QUANTITIES
ARE CONCERNED,

YOU'RE NOT WORKING
FROM A...

YOU KNOW, FROM A COOKBOOK HERE,
ARE YOU?

NO, NO.
SLOSH IT IN.

I MEAN, THE YEAST,
ALL WE'RE USING YEAST FOR

IS TO GET A REALLY GOOD
FERMENTATION GOING.

ONCE IT'S GOING,
YOU'RE GONNA BE MAKING...

THE YEAST WILL MAKE ITSELF.
IT'LL GROW.

Churton: THERE ARE
PRACTICING ALCHEMISTS TODAY.

THEY PROBABLY LIVE IN OBSCURITY.

BUT OBSCURITY
IS WHERE ALCHEMISTS,

TECHNICALLY,
WERE SUPPOSED TO LIVE,

IF YOU READ FASCICULUS CHEMICUS,

WHICH ELIAS ASHMOLE TRANSLATED
IN 1650.

HE SAID,
"THE ALCHEMIST MUST LIVE APART.

HE MUST LIVE WITHIN
HIS OWN ROOT," AS HE PUTS IT.

HE'S MEANT TO BE A LONER,

OUT THERE INVISIBLY
INVESTIGATING THE UNIVERSE.

HE MUSTN'T GET TOO CLOSE
TO THE WAYS OF THE WORLD,

BECAUSE TO BE A TRUE ALCHEMIST
IS TO BE AN ADAPTED PRIEST.

IT IS A HOLY CALLING
TO BE AN ALCHEMIST.

YOU ARE GOING TO BE IMPARTED
DIVINE KNOWLEDGE.

YOU NEED A MIND THAT IS PURE,

THAT IS ABLE TO RECEIVE
HIGHER INFLUENCES,

WHAT WE CALL NOETIC OR "NEETIC"
INFLUENCES INTO THE MIND,

WHICH TRANSCEND REASON,

WHICH OPEN THE MIND TO
A VISIONARY STATE OF REALITY.

LITTLE BIT MORE YEAST.

OKAY.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

WELL, ONCE THIS
HAS FERMENTED OUT,

SAY IT STARTS FIZZING

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GET
A REAL FERMENT GOING,

ONCE THAT'S FINISHED,
ONCE THAT'S DONE

AND EVERYTHING
JUST SINKS TO THE BOTTOM

AND IT ALL GOES QUIET,

I WILL TAKE THAT...

DO YOU WANT ME TO...
OKAY, WE'LL LEAVE THAT THERE?

LEAVE THAT THERE, 'CAUSE
THAT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN NOW.

IT'LL TAKE
ABOUT A WEEK OR SO.

RIGHT. OKAY.

AND THEN
I WILL STICK A...

I'LL STICK A BIG FUNNEL IN HERE
WITH A SIEVE

AND JUST POUR IT ALL IN.

THAT'LL GO INTO HERE,

AND THEN I WILL APPLY HEAT
TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT.

MM-HMM.

I WILL SET UP
THIS PUPPY.

WOW. THAT LOOKS
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

SO, WHAT IS THIS?

THAT IS...
THAT'S A GRAHAM CONDENSER.

OKAY.

OR IS IT A DAVIES CONDENSER?
I CAN'T REMEMBER.

IT IS
A SPIRAL-COIL CONDENSER.

IT'S A SPIRAL-COIL CONDENSER.
THAT'LL DO ME.

AND WE WILL...

WE WILL BASICALLY DISTILL
THIS OVER.

SO, THIS'LL BE
LIKE MAKING MOONSHINE.

AT THE END OF THE PROCESS,
WHAT IS IT THAT WE END UP WITH?

WHAT DO WE HAVE?

WELL, WE END UP WITH
A DISTILLED...

WELL, AT THE END
OF THE WHOLE PROCESS,

YOU'VE GOT A SPAGYRIC ESSENCE
OF NETTLE.

RIGHT.

WHICH IS BASICALLY THE BEST SORT
OF NETTLE POTION YOU CAN GET.

AND WHAT WOULD WE DO
WITH THE NETTLE POTION?

IT'S A GREAT TONIC.

YOU JUST TAKE
A FEW DROPS IN WATER.

IDEALLY
IT'S A SPRING TONIC,

AND IT'LL GIVE YOU A BRIGHT EYE
AND A SHINY COAT.

AND WHAT DO PEOPLE
MAKE OF YOU, GUY,

WHEN YOU TELL THEM
THAT YOU'RE AN ALCHEMIST?

I DON'T TELL ANYONE
I'M AN ALCHEMIST.

MY FRIENDS
TELL EVERYBODY

THAT THEY'VE GOT A MATE
WHO'S AN ALCHEMIST.

IT'S LIKE, "AH, SO YOU'RE
SO-AND-SO'S MATE THE ALCHEMIST."

SO, I GET CALLED "THE ALCHEMIST"
ALL THE TIME.

AND IT'S FUNNY,

BECAUSE IT JUST LEADS TO
A DISCUSSION ABOUT ALCHEMY.

AND AS YOU PROBABLY REALIZE,

I CAN TALK ABOUT ALCHEMY
TILL THE COWS COME HOME.

IT'S MY FAVORITE TOPIC
OF CONVERSATION.

Narrator: WITHOUT DOUBT,

GUY OGILVY
IS A FASCINATING CHARACTER,

BUT RATHER MORE
OF ENTHUSIASTIC HERBALIST

THAN A CLASSIC ALCHEMIST

IN THE MOLD
OF NEWTON AND FLAMEL,

SOMEONE SO CAPTIVATED BY
THEIR PASSION FOR THE SUBJECT

THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO TURN
THEIR GARDEN SHED

INTO A MAKESHIFT LABORATORY.

DO YOU BELIEVE
THAT IT IS POSSIBLE

TO TURN LEAD INTO GOLD?

YEAH, OF COURSE.

I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE
TO CREATE UNIVERSES.

SOMEBODY DID.

BUT WHY AREN'T YOU DOING IT?
WE COULD MAKE A FORTUNE, GUY.

IT'S VERY TRICKY.
VERY TRICKY.

[ BOTH LAUGH ]

NOT EASY.

Narrator:
WAS WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
A SECRET ALCHEMIST

WHO BUILT
HIS FAMOUS GLOBE THEATRE

USING SPECIFIC
CABALISTIC MEASUREMENTS

TO HAVE A MIND-ALTERING EFFECT
ON ALL THOSE INSIDE?

MORE INCREDIBLE REVELATIONS WHEN
"FORBIDDEN HISTORY" RETURNS.

Narrator: WERE ALCHEMISTS

LIKE NOSTRADAMUS,
FLAMEL, AND JOHN DEE

GREAT MAGICIANS
AND SUPERNATURAL PROPHETS,

OR WERE THEY JUST GREAT SHOWMEN

AND EARLY PRACTITIONERS
OF MODERN SCIENCE?

JOURNALIST JAMIE THEAKSTON
IS ON A MISSION TO FIND OUT.

SO FAR, HE'S WATCHED
A COPPER COIN BEING TURNED GOLD

IN A LABORATORY,

HE'S MET A MODERN-DAY ALCHEMIST

WHO MADE HIM
A STRONG HERBAL POTION,

AND NOW HE'S IN LONDON
TO MEET A LADY

WHO MIGHT WELL BE
ABOUT TO REWRITE THE HISTORY

OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
AND HIS GLOBE THEATRE.

BACK IN THE 1990s,

THE AUTHOR AND HISTORIAN
JOY HANCOX

CAME INTO POSSESSION OF HUNDREDS
OF HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPTS,

EACH ONE DECORATED WITH
MYSTERIOUS HERMETIC SYMBOLS

AND GEOMETRICAL DESIGNS,

SOME OF WHICH DATED BACK
TO THE 15th CENTURY.

ALL SHE KNEW WAS

THAT THEY WERE THE PRIVATE
COLLECTION OF JOHN BYROM,

AN 18th-CENTURY POET
AND INTELLECTUAL

WHO WAS A MEMBER
OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY

AND THE INVENTOR
OF AN EARLY FORM OF SHORTHAND.

BUT WHAT WERE THEY?

I WENT
TO LONDON UNIVERSITY.

I WENT
TO CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY.

I WENT
TO OXFORD UNIVERSITY.

I SPOKE TO EXPERTS
OF MATHEMATICS.

I WROTE TO THE HISTORY OF
MATHEMATICS IN THIS COUNTRY.

I ASKED THEM WHETHER
THEY COULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND

WHAT THESE REPRESENTED.

AND I HAVE TO SAY,
NOT ONE OF THEM DID.

NOT ONE. NO.

BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T,
OR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO?

NO, I DON'T THINK
IT WAS A QUESTION

OF THEM NOT WANTING TO.

I THINK, QUITE GENUINELY,

THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND
WHAT THE GEOMETRY REPRESENTED,

AND THEY DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND THEM.

AND I THINK THAT'S
AN HONEST ANSWER FROM ME.

"THE SQUARE
OUT OF THE CIRCLE,

IT FITS THE WHOLE OF THE FOOT
OF THE GLOBE'S UPPER PART."

3:6:9 IS A RULE FOR IT.

Narrator:
AS SHE RESEARCHED FURTHER,

JOY BEGAN TO REVEAL

THAT THE MANUSCRIPTS WERE
IN FACT ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS

AND GROUND PLANS
OF FAMOUS LONDON LANDMARKS,

INCLUDING WESTMINSTER ABBEY,
ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL,

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,
THE ORIGINAL GLOBE THEATRE

FROM THE TIME
OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.

AT FIRST, SHE WASN'T SURE
HOW IT ALL CONNECTED,

BUT SHE WAS CERTAIN

THAT THE MANUSCRIPTS CONTAINED
DISTINCT MASONIC SYMBOLS.

SO SHE SHOWED THEM
TO A LEADING FREEMASON.

I SET ALL THE DRAWINGS OUT
ON THE TABLE,

'CAUSE THEN I THOUGHT,
"RIGHT,

THAT THIS MUST BE SOMETHING
TO DO WITH FREEMASONRY.

IT MUST BE SOMETHING
TO DO WITH THAT.

I WILL SET THE DRAWINGS OUT
IN SUCH A WAY.

I KNOW THAT
THAT'S A MASONIC ONE."

AND I PUT IT
IN STRATEGIC PLACES.

AND WHAT HE DID IS
HE SAID,

"MM, NOW, THESE ARE
ALL VERY INTERESTING.

WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?

AND THEN I'LL TELL YOU
WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR ME."

SHE SAID THAT
HER FREEMASON CONTACT

ACTUALLY HELPED HER TO DECIPHER

A NUMBER OF THE SYMBOLS,
CODES, AND SIGNS,

INCLUDING THE CONNECTION TO THE
ELIZABETHAN THEATERS IN LONDON.

AS SHE DELVED FURTHER,

SHE FOUND EVIDENCE
OF A SECRET CIRCLE,

MANY OF WHOM
WERE IN THE ROYAL SOCIETY,

LIKE JOHN BYROM,

WHO SEEMED TO BE THE KEEPERS
OF A POWERFUL ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE,

A MIX OF MATHEMATICS,
METAPHYSICS, AND ALCHEMY

THAT HAD BEEN SECRETLY ENCODED

INTO THE DESIGNS
OF THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES.

I CAME ACROSS
THIS PARTICULAR DRAWING,

AND I SAT LOOKING AT IT
AND STARING AT IT.

AND I MEAN STARING AT IT.

'CAUSE YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S JUST
NO NUMBERS ON IT WHATSOEVER.

OKAY?
YEAH.

YOU CAN SEE THAT.
YEAH.

AND I COUNTED
THE SQUARES.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, YEAH?

YEAH.

AND IF YOU'LL HAVE A LOOK,
THEY'RE ALL DOTS.

AND IF YOU CAN SEE THE SCORING
ALL DOWN THE PAGE LIKE SO.

CAN YOU SEE THE SCORING?
YEAH, RIGHT?

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A SQUARE
INSIDE IT, THERE, ALL RIGHT?

MM-HMM.
ALL DOTS.

AND IF YOU LOOK
AT THE CORNERS HERE,

YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S

A SORT OF A SPLIT
DIVIDING, YEAH?

THIS LINE CUTS
AND BISECTS IT.

YEAH, DO YOU SEE THAT?
YEAH, I'VE GOT IT.

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A RING
THAT GOES AROUND HERE.

NOW, IF YOU LOOK
VERY, VERY CLOSELY,

THAT RING,
THE EDGE OF THAT RING,

DOESN'T ACTUALLY TOUCH
THOSE DOTS.

IT'S JUST
SHORTLY INSIDE.

IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS
AN ABSOLUTE PRECISION HERE,

WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY
REMARKABLE, YEAH?

Narrator: JOY BELIEVES

THAT THE CABALISTIC MATHEMATICS
IN THE GEOMETRY IS VERY PRECISE

AND REVOLVES AROUND
THE MEASURE OF 72.

EVERYTHING IN THE GLOBE THEATRE,
SHE SAYS,

CONNECTS TO THIS FIGURE...

THE GROUND PLAN, THE LAYOUT,
THE STAGE, EVERYTHING.

AND SHE SAYS
IT WAS QUITE DELIBERATE.

THIS IS MAGIC IN THE EYES
OF THOSE OF THE DAY

BECAUSE
THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.

WE ALL HAVE
AN INVISIBLE SPACE.

THE GROUNDLINGS WERE STANDING
IN THE OPEN AIR OF THE THEATER,

WHICH WAS
THIS SPACE HERE.

WHEN YOU GET PEOPLE
WHO ARE GELLING TOGETHER

AND STANDING TOGETHER
AND THEY'RE WATCHING SOMETHING,

IT CAN BECOME
VERY HYPNOTIC.

AND ASTROLOGICALLY,
WITHIN THAT FRAME OF 72,

THERE IS SOMETHING REALLY
RATHER ACOUSTICALLY WONDERFUL

THAT CAN HAPPEN
TO PEOPLE.

Churton:
NOW, IF ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE,

THEN SURELY, BY EXTENSION,

ALL THE COSMOS
IS A KIND OF PLAY.

AND YOU CAN...

THE STAGE, THEN,
BECOMES A MICROCOSM

OF THE POWERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

THIS IS VERY EVIDENT
IN A PLAY LIKE "THE TEMPEST,"

ONE OF SHAKESPEARE'S LATE PLAYS,

WHERE HE DEVELOPS THE IDEA
OF AN ISLAND OF MAGICAL POWERS

ALL UNDER THE CONTROL
OF ONE MAN, THE MAGUS PROSPERO,

WHO JUST MIGHT BE BASED ON
JOHN DEE

OR AN IDEA OF SOMEBODY LIKE HIM,

SOMEBODY WHO CAN COMMAND
ALL THE ELEMENTS TO DO HIS WILL.

AND THE FACT THAT
HE CAN SUMMON ALL THIS UP,

CONJURE IT UP ON STAGE,

IS A REAL ACT OF CONJURATION
BECAUSE...

COLERDIGE REFERRED TO
THE SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF,

WHICH IS REQUIRED BY PEOPLE
WHO ARE ENGAGED WITH THEATER.

SURELY ANYONE WATCHING THEATER
IN THOSE DAYS

WAS ENTERING
AN ALCHEMICAL FURNACE

AND BECOMING,
IN THEIR OWN MINDS,

PART OF THE DRAMA.

Theakston: SO,
I'M ABSOLUTELY FASCINATED

BY WHAT
YOU'RE TELLING ME HERE.

WAS THERE A SECRET

THAT THESE ALCHEMISTS
MIGHT HAVE HAD HERE?

AND IS THIS IT?

WELL, I AM BEING
AS HONEST AS I CAN.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

IS THROUGH THE SYSTEM
THAT IS HERE,

INHERENT
WITHIN THE DRAWINGS.

I THINK
THAT THERE IS SOMETHING

WITHIN THE LAWS
OF NUMBER SYMBOLISM

THAT WE CAN RELATE
TO NATURE

IN A WAY
THAT MAY AFFECT

WHAT THE ALCHEMISTS THOUGHT
THAT THEY COULD ACHIEVE.

I AM ABSOLUTELY 100% CERTAIN

THAT, THROUGH AN UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT THIS REPRESENTS,

WE CAN BE TAKEN
INTO A KIND OF WORLD

THAT THE NEWTONS
OF THIS WORLD

AND JOHN DEE MIGHT HAVE DONE
THROUGH THEIR USE OF WHAT...

OTHER PEOPLE WOULD USE
THE TERM ALCHEMY.

Narrator: SO, WAS THERE REALLY
A SECRET CIRCLE OF ALCHEMISTS

WHICH HAD PROTECTED
SOME ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS

AND PASSED THEM DOWN
THROUGH THE CENTURIES?

AND HAD THEY ENCODED
SOME SACRED HERMETIC KNOWLEDGE

INTO THE DESIGN
OF THEIR THEATERS?

JOY HANCOX IS CONVINCED
THAT THIS IS THE CASE.

AND IF THERE WAS
A SECRET CIRCLE OF INITIATES

IN THE 17th CENTURY,

THEN THE MAN WHO ROSE TO BECOME

THE FATHER OF MODERN SCIENCE,
SIR ISAAC NEWTON,

WAS MOST PROBABLY A MEMBER.

IN THE LAST DECADE,

AFTER NEARLY 300 YEARS
LOCKED AWAY,

HIS PRIVATE PAPERS
HAVE BEEN RELEASED

BY THE ROYAL SOCIETY IN LONDON,

AND THEY SHOW

THAT HE WAS A DEDICATED
AND LIFELONG ALCHEMIST.

KEITH MOORE, THE HEAD LIBRARIAN,
AGREED TO SHOW JAMIE

SOME OF THE GREAT MAN'S
POSSESSIONS AND PAPERS

THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR VAULTS.

OKAY, JAMIE.

I'VE BROUGHT OUT
A FEW NEWTON ITEMS

FOR YOU
TO HAVE A LOOK AT.

SOME MEMORABILIA,
BOOKS, AND MANUSCRIPTS.

HERE'S ONE
OF THE VERY IMPORTANT ONES.

THIS IS A COPY
OF NEWTON'S DEATH MASK.

SO, THIS IS THE CLOSEST
YOU WILL GET TO ISAAC NEWTON.

THIS IS HOW HE ACTUALLY LOOKED
ON HIS DEATHBED.

THAT'S THE MAN HIMSELF,
RIGHT?

IT IS, INDEED.

AND SCULPTORS
WOULD TAKE THESE

SO THAT THEY COULD SCULPT
BUSTS OF HIM LATER,

AS HE BECAME
MORE AND MORE FAMOUS.

WE HAVE A LITTLE PIECE OF
THE FAMOUS NEWTONIAN APPLE TREE,

THE ONE
AT WOOLSTHORPE MANOR,

AND THE ONE WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED
HE WAS SITTING UNDER

WHEN THE IDEA OF GRAVITY
CAME INTO HIS MIND.

THIS ONE,
WE SENT UP IN SPACE

WITH THE BRITISH ASTRONAUT
PIERS SELLERS

ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE.

WOW. THIS IS A BIT
OF THE ACTUAL TREE.

AND IS THAT A MYTH?

IT'S A STORY
THAT NEWTON HIMSELF TOLD

TO WILLIAM STUKELEY,
AMONG OTHERS.

STUKELEY WAS
ONE OF HIS BIOGRAPHERS.

SO, HE DID TELL THE STORY.

ALTHOUGH IT MAY WELL BE TRUE,
LITERALLY TRUE,

BUT OF COURSE
IT HAS BIBLICAL CONNOTATIONS,

AND NEWTON WOULD HAVE LIKED
THAT, I THINK.

RIGHT. WAS HE A RELIGIOUS MAN?
WAS HE INTERESTED IN RELIGION?

HE WAS.

HE NOT ONLY WROTE SCIENCE,
BUT HE WROTE THEOLOGY, AS WELL.

AND ALSO ALCHEMY,
OF COURSE.

Churton: ISAAC NEWTON WAS,
FOR A PERIOD OF HIS LIFE,

A DEDICATED DEVOTEE
OF THE ALCHEMICAL QUEST.

THIS KNOWLEDGE HAS COME TO US
MAINLY SINCE THE 1930s,

WHEN A LARGE CACHE OF HIS
ALCHEMICAL PAPERS CAME TO LIGHT

AND STUDIES WERE MADE
OF THOSE PAPERS,

WHEREAS IN THE 19th CENTURY,
THIS ASPECT OF NEWTON

HAD BEEN SUPPRESSED
AS AN EMBARRASSMENT.

HOW COULD
THE FATHER OF MODERN SCIENCE

SULLY HIS HANDS
WITH THIS SUPERSTITIOUS NONSENSE

ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE?

WELL, ISAAC NEWTON
DID SULLY HIS HANDS

WITH THE SEARCH
FOR THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE,

AND HE SPENT
A GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS,

STARTING AROUND 1667,

AT HIS ROOMS IN CAMBRIDGE,
NOT IN ENTIRE SECRECY,

TRYING TO PRODUCE

A SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY
OF ALCHEMY.

NOW, THERE'S ONE MORE ASPECT
OF ALCHEMY

THAT I THINK
WE SHOULD SHOW YOU.

YEAH, THIS IS ONE THAT
I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT,

BECAUSE IT'S PERHAPS A LESSER
KNOWN DIMENSION OF ALCHEMY

THAT KICKS IN
AROUND THE 18th CENTURY.

THIS IS
PHILOSOPHICAL FIREWORKS.

RIGHT. OKAY.
THAT SOUNDS DRAMATIC.

WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?

AND, SO, WHAT WE HAVE HERE
IS A LITTLE MIXTURE

TO WHICH
I'M GOING TO ADD WATER.

YOU READY?

DO I NEED TO STAND BACK?

PROBABLY.

WHOA!

WAS THAT DRAMATIC?

WOW.

IT'S QUITE A FLASH,
ISN'T IT?

THAT'S MAGIC.
YEAH, YEAH.

WELL, AS ARTHUR C. CLARKE
ONCE SAID,

ANY SUFFICIENTLY ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGY

WILL ALWAYS LOOK LIKE MAGIC.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HEARING
A LOT ABOUT FLAMEL AND BOYLE

DURING THE COURSE OF
INVESTIGATING THIS WHOLE THING,

AND IT STRIKES ME

THAT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING
IS ALCHEMY, RIGHT?

WELL, IN THE SENSE THAT
WE'RE STILL TRANSFORMING MATTER,

THERE'S NO QUESTION.

BUT I'D LIKE TO THINK OF ALCHEMY
AS BEING A METAPHOR

RATHER THAN
AN ACTUAL PROCESS TODAY.

Narrator: THE ROYAL SOCIETY
OPENS THE VAULTS

AND BRINGS OUT

ONE OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON'S
SECRET ALCHEMICAL MANUSCRIPTS,

WHICH HAD BEEN LOCKED AWAY
FOR NEARLY 300 YEARS.

MORE ASTOUNDING REVELATIONS WHEN
"FORBIDDEN HISTORY" RETURNS."

Narrator:
JOURNALIST JAMIE THEAKSTON

IS ON A MISSION TO INVESTIGATE

WHETHER THE GREAT ALCHEMISTS
HAD SUPERNATURAL POWERS

OR WERE JUST EARLY PIONEERS
OF MODERN SCIENCE.

HE'S MET WITH SCIENTISTS
WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED

HOW IT'S POSSIBLE TO TURN
BASE METAL INTO A GOLD COLOR

WITH A BASIC EXPERIMENT.

HE'S MADE A STRONG HERBAL POTION
WITH A MODERN-DAY ALCHEMIST

USING INGREDIENTS
FROM HIS GARDEN.

AND HE'S MET AN AUTHOR
WHO THINKS SHE HAS PROOF

THAT A SECRET CABAL OF THINKERS,
PHILOSOPHERS, AND WRITERS,

INCLUDING WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE,

HAVE SOUGHT TO INTRODUCE
ALCHEMICAL SECRETS AND MAGIC

INTO SOCIETY

THROUGH BOTH ARCHITECTURE
AND THE WRITTEN WORD.

AND FINALLY, JAMIE HAS ENDED UP
AT THE ROYAL SOCIETY IN LONDON,

FACE TO FACE WITH

ONE OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON'S
SECRET ALCHEMICAL MANUSCRIPTS.

Theakston:
SO, TALK ME THROUGH.

WHAT IS THIS?
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE?

Moore: WELL, NEWTON,

WHEN HE LAUNCHED HIMSELF
AT A SUBJECT,

WHETHER IT WAS OPTICS
OR MECHANICS

OR, IN THIS CASE,
ALCHEMY,

HE WOULD TYPICALLY BEGIN
TO TAKE NOTES ON IT,

AND HE WOULD READ

AS MUCH AS HE COULD
AROUND A TOPIC.

AND THAT'S WHAT
HE'S DOING HERE.

THESE ARE NEWTON'S NOTES
OF PREVIOUS ALCHEMICAL AUTHORS.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE,
THEY'RE WRITTEN IN LATIN.

NEWTON
WOULD HAVE USED THAT.

THE PRINCIPIA MANUSCRIPT,
A GREAT WORK OF SCIENCE,

IS A WORK IN LATIN.

SO, THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST
SCIENTISTS OF ALL TIME,

THE GRANDFATHER
OF MODERN SCIENCE,

AND HE HAD A KEEN INTEREST
IN ALCHEMY.

HE DID, YES.

THE MEN OF THAT PERIOD
WHO WERE INTERESTED IN SCIENCE

WOULD HAVE CALLED THEMSELVES
NATURAL PHILOSOPHERS,

AND THEY WERE INTERESTED
IN EVERYTHING,

NOT JUST WHAT WE WOULD THINK
OF AS BEING SCIENCE NOW.

Felix: NEWTON WAS
A VERY SECRETIVE MAN.

BUT, YES,
HE WAS DEFINITELY AN ALCHEMIST.

BUT I THINK HE,
FOR WANT OF A BETTER WORD,

TRANSMUTED INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

A SCIENTIST AND A CHEMIST.

WHY DO WE STILL HAVE,
THOUGH,

THIS GREAT FASCINATION
WITH ALCHEMY?

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

I THINK IT'S THE SECRECY
SURROUNDING IT.

I MEAN, ALCHEMY HAD...

ALCHEMISTS HAD
ONE OR TWO SUCCESSES.

I MEAN, THE DISCOVERY
OF PHOSPHOROUS

WAS BY AN ALCHEMIST
ABOUT THIS PERIOD.

BUT THAT'S
PRETTY MUCH IT.

SECRET KNOWLEDGE IS FASCINATING
IN WHATEVER FORM IT COMES IN.

SCIENCE, THOUGH, IS
HOW WE UNDERSTAND THE UNIVERSE.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE
OF THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE?

IT'S A NICE STORY.

AND IT'S IN "HARRY POTTER,"
OF COURSE,

BUT THAT'S
AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

[ LAUGHS ]

Narrator: SO, WHAT'S THE TRUTH
ABOUT ALCHEMY?

WAS IT REALLY A DARK ART

PRACTICED BY
A SMALL CABAL OF INITIATES

DOWN THROUGH THE AGES?

WAS THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
A MAGIC HOLY GRAIL

THAT COULD CONFER IMMORTALITY

ON THOSE WHO WERE ABLE
TO ACHIEVE IT?

AND DID MEN LIKE DEE,
FLAMEL, AND NEWTON

HAVE A HAND
IN DESIGNING BUILDINGS,

EVEN WHOLE CITIES,

ALONG SACRED, GEOMETRIC,
AND CABALISTIC LINES?

I THINK THAT THE FUNCTION
THAT ALCHEMISTS PROVIDED

IS NOW FAR OBSOLETE.

THEY WERE
THE SHAMANS OF THEIR DAY

THAT BRIDGED OUR REALM
WITH OTHERS.

THEY WERE THE FIRST SCIENTISTS
AND CHEMISTS

WHO EXPLORED WITH THINGS
THAT, TODAY,

ARE INTERESTING
BUT RELATIVELY MUNDANE.

MANY OF THEM, SUCH AS
EDWARD KELLY, FOR INSTANCE,

ARE NOW RENDERED SIMPLY
PRACTITIONERS OF HOCUS POCUS.

TODAY, IN A WORLD OF FACEBOOK
WHERE EVERYONE'S A LIGHT WORKER

AND HAS ACCESS TO THE WISDOM
OF THE AGES ON THE INTERNET,

THE ROLE OF THE ALCHEMIST
HAS CLEARLY BEEN MADE OBSOLETE.

Felix: I'M CONVINCED

THAT ALCHEMY WAS THE FOREFATHER
OF MODERN CHEMISTRY.

THESE GUYS WERE TREATED WITH
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DISRESPECT.

THEY WERE REFERRED
TO AS QUACK DOCTORS.

ONE PHRASE
THAT I USE FREQUENTLY...

TODAY'S MAGIC
WILL BE TOMORROW'S SCIENCE.

AND THESE GUYS IN THOSE DAYS
WERE TREATED AS MAGICIANS.

SOME OF THE STUFF
THEY GOT WAS WRONG.

SOME OF THE STUFF
THEY GOT WAS RIGHT.

BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY THE BASIS
OF MODERN-DAY CHEMISTRY,

MEDICINE,
AND, I THINK, MODERN SCIENCE.

MANY THINGS ARE BEING DONE
IN OUR LABORATORIES

WHICH NOBODY...

ANYBODY LISTENING
TO THIS PROGRAM

WILL KNOW
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT,

AND FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.

KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

AND POWER-TRIPPERS LIKE NEWTON
KNOW THAT PARTICULARLY WELL.

Narrator: AFTER HIS DEATH,

SIR ISAAC NEWTON'S
PRIVATE ALCHEMICAL PAPERS

WERE FOUND BY THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

AMONG THEM
WAS A HANDWRITTEN LETTER

TO HIS FRIEND AND FELLOW
ALCHEMIST ROBERT BOYLE,

IN WHICH HE WARNED HIM
TO MAINTAIN A HIGH SILENCE

ABOUT THE MYSTICAL KNOWLEDGE
THEY HAD LEARNED.

"IT CANNOT BE COMMUNICATED,"
SAID NEWTON,

"WITHOUT CAUSING
IMMENSE DAMAGE TO THE WORLD."

MAKE OF THAT WHAT YOU WILL.