The story of the first porcelain made in Europe gives some insight into the older threads, like alchemy, that are woven into modern chemistry, says Roald Hoffmann, a professor of humane letters in the ...

What has long been seen as a deluded effort to turn base metals into gold is being reassessed by researchers as a serious precursor to chemistry in which women were heavily involved. About 20 years ...

First steps: from alchemy to chemistry? -- Robert Boyle: chemistry and experiment -- A German story: what burns, and how -- An enlightened discipline: chemistry as science and craft -- Different kinds ...