Frequent show guest Joseph Farrell returns with what Whitley describes as a 'blockbuster of an interview.' Ever assume that alchemy was some sort of arcane pre-scientific nonsense from the middle ages? Well, think again as Joseph Farrell takes us on what will be one of the most astonishing journeys you will ever hear. It turns out that alchemy is nothing less than the remnant of an ancient lost science of immeasurable power, and not only that, the cutting edge of modern physics is beginning to look more and more like this ancient and supremely powerful art. You will, quite simply, never have heard anything like this before. So listen as Whitley and Joseph Farrell trace not only the secret history of this powerful hidden science, but also discuss what is happening behind closed government doors as researchers strive to rediscover its power in terms of modern science. The philosophers' stone or stone of the philosophers (Latin: lapis philosophorum) is a legendary alchemical substance said to be capable of turning base metals such as lead into gold (chrysopoeia) or silver. It was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality. For many centuries, it was the most sought-after goal in alchemy. The philosophers' stone was the central symbol of the mystical terminology of alchemy, symbolizing perfection at its finest, enlightenment, and heavenly bliss. Efforts to discover the philosophers' stone were known as the Magnum Opus ("Great Work"). History Mention of the philosophers' stone in writing can be found as far back as Cheirokmeta by Zosimos of Panopolis (c. 300 C.E.). Alchemical writers assign a longer history. Elias Ashmole and the anonymous author of Gloria Mundi (1620) claim that its history goes back to Adam who acquired the knowledge of the stone directly from God. This knowledge was said to be passed down through biblical patriarchs, giving them their longevity. The legend of the stone was also compared to the biblical history of the Temple of Solomon and the rejected cornerstone described in Psalm 118. The theoretical roots outlining the stone's creation can be traced to Greek philosophy. Alchemists later used the Classical elements, the concept of anima mundi, and Creation stories presented in texts like Plato's Timaeus as analogies for their process. According to Plato, the four elements are derived from a common source or prima materia (first matter), associated with chaos. Prima materia is also the name alchemists assign to the starting ingredient for the creation of the philosopher's stone. The importance of this philosophical first matter persisted through the history of alchemy. In the seventeenth century, Thomas Vaughan writes, "the first matter of the stone is the very same with the first matter of all things".

• published: 29 Jan 2014
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