The Conversation: Deciphering the Philosophers’ Stone
Institute fellows Megan Piorko and Sarah Lang help crack a 400-year-old alchemical cipher.
The work of Science History Institute fellows Megan Piorko and Sarah Lang is featured in an article in The Conversation, a nonprofit news network that publishes stories written by academic experts and researchers. The article talks about how Piorko (a second-year Allington Postdoctoral Fellow) and Lang (a short-term Herdegen Fellow) contributed to the decryption of a 400-year-old cipher written by alchemists John Dee and his son, Arthur Dee. As suspected, the ciphertext contained an alchemical recipe for the fabled philosophers’ stone, an elixir that is supposed to prolong the owner’s life and grant the ability to produce gold from base metals.
Read more on theconversation.com >>
Alchemical emblem in Sloane MS 1876 f1v. © British Library Board, Author provided (no reuse).
More News
‘Flash! Bang! Boom!’ Exhibition Opening Lights Up the Night
Launch party attendees explore the history and science of fireworks with rare books, stunning artworks, set pieces, pyrotechnic-themed objects, a curator’s talk, and alfresco dining.
Science History Institute Announces 2026 Othmer Gold Medal, Bolte Award Winners
UConn professor Sir Cato Laurencin and Alexandria Real Estate founder Joel Marcus will be honored this May in Old City Philadelphia.
Explore the Explosive History of Fireworks with Institute’s New ‘Flash! Bang! Boom!’ Exhibition Opening April 10
Part of America’s 250th celebrations, visitors will discover the origins of and science behind these universally loved pyrotechnics.