Isaac Newton, the man who invented calculus, described the law of universal gravitation and built the first reflecting telescope and is rightfully considered one of the most influential scientists in history, also practiced alchemy for three decades, says Indiana University professor William Newman.

No surprise, many scientists dabbled in alchemy.    Alchemy was an offshoot of chemistry, to some, though centuries before literary geniuses like Chaucer ridiculed alchemists as charlatans.

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