William R. Newman took part in NOVA/BBC filming of a documentary about Isaac Newton's alchemy and theology. With the aid of the Indiana University Chemistry Department, Newman replicated a number of Newton's laboratory processes, and built a working replica of one of his metallurgical furnaces. All of this was filmed for the documentary, which appeared in 2005 as "Newton's Dark Secrets." WGBH, producers of NOVA, have posted an accompanying interactive webpage which may be viewed at the following: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/newton/.
October 12, 2010 article in the "Science Times" section of the New York Times. The article, by Natalie Angier and entitled "Moonlighting as a Conjurer of Chemicals," provides a synopsis of Newman's work on the roots of Newton's pursuit of alchemical transmutation. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/science/12newton.html?pagewanted=all
Sir Isaac's Alchemy
Indiana University Research & Creative Activity Fall 2006
Volume XXIX Number 1
Alchemy: Isaac Newton's curse?
New Scientist April 8, 2006
Magazine issue 2546
Videos of recreated experiments featured on i09.com. Check it out at the io9 website under the title: Incredible videos recreate Isaac Newton's experiments with alchemy
William R. Newman presented a lecture titled Why did Isaac Newton Believe in Alchemy? at the The Perimeter Institute on October 2, 2010. See video at: http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/videos/why-did-isaac-newton-believe-alchemy or on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUhL1cli4ug
William R. Newman took part in NOVA/BBC filming of a documentary about Isaac Newton's alchemy and theology. With the aid of the Indiana University Chemistry Department, Newman replicated a number of Newton's laboratory processes, and built a working replica of one of his metallurgical furnaces. All of this was filmed for the documentary, which appeared in 2005 as "Newton's Dark Secrets." WGBH, producers of NOVA, have posted an accompanying interactive webpage which may be viewed at the following: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/newton/.