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Philosopher's Stones

In medieval times as alchemy was practiced, the Philosopher’s Stone was the key to many of the practices. The idea was to alter base minerals into silver or gold by combining them with a legendary element. Another use for the Philosopher’s stone was that it could create youthful health or immortality for human beings. However, the element was never found throughout the centuries that alchemists have searched for the catalytic Philosopher’s stone.

In today’s world, we have many “Philosopher’s stones” that turn things from toxic to golden through processes of chemical interactions. One of the new terms is bio-remediation in which microbes, viruses, and bacteria are now being used to convert toxins in our biosphere. The Department of Energy in the United States has a very large problem that stems from the nuclear weapons industry as well as the processing of fuel for nuclear power plants. It’s been reported at many nuclear sites where nuclear waste exists that the presence of uranium 6 is a major concern.

Uranium 6 is water-soluble and has been found to be leeching into the aquifer, thus creating a hazard to the drinking water of many communities that surround these sites. The Department of Energy estimates that to clean up this situation with conventional methodologies would be $300 billion. Scientists have found a microbe that will alter Uranium 6 into Uranium 4 by siphoning off electrons from the radioactive toxin. Uranium 4 is still radioactive, but it will not leech into aquifer, which will allow for safe drinking water, water for crops, and water for other uses without being a danger to life in general. As of this writing, the microbes have been tested in selected areas with great success. It is estimated the use of this new set of Philosopher’s stones will be substantially less than the estimated $300 billion in clean up costs.

This is just one example of how chemists are converting toxins, refuse, and humanity’s own wastefulness into the “silver and gold” of a cleaner and greener world. In the 21st Century, chemists are seeking answers to help convert a wasteful world into a radically cleaner world where humans, rather than polluting, are working in harmony with nature.

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