Is alchemy, i.e. to create gold from other inexpensive materials, proven to be impossible or is it just so hard that it hasn't been possible to do it yet. I have close to none knowledge in chemistry so this might be a stupid question.. In many countries the monetary system is based on a stock of gol isn't it? And your 100 bil represents a very small portion of this gold. If one day it was possible to create gold from mixing iron and saffron, all money would be worthless in a way. right?
Good question, i think. Fools gold, the lure of the prospector-its amazing how many people thought they had a retirement fund of a nugget, and it turned out to be worthless crap. Alchemy, well............ a lot of the best minds in history set about that task, and didnt come up with much, more efficient smelting procedures maybe, but not much beyond that. Chemically, gold is impossible to replicate. However, if you follow the precious gem trade, you would know that rubies, emeralds, sapphires, certainly all of the crystalline structure stones, are entirely replicable by artificial means now, to the extent you would have to be a gemologist to tell the difference between natural and synthetic. (not that that wasnt the case before, but) Including opal, an amorphous structure gem, diamonds im not so sure about ,but if anyone is going to know, they would know it here. Uh, long story short, why go for alchemy, when all those cherries are ripe for the picking?