Alchemy Memes

Remember when chemistry was just four elements and you didn't need a PhD to understand what you were made of? Medieval scientists be like: "Hmm yes, this rock has too much Earth energy, better balance it with some Fire." 🔥 Modern chemists need 118 elements and counting, while ancient Greeks were vibing with just Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. No wonder they had time to philosophize all day - their periodic table fit on a napkin! Next time someone tries to explain quantum chemistry to you, just point at this and say "I prefer the classical approach, thank you very much."

This brilliant parody merges modern particle physics with medieval alchemy! The "Standard Model of Alchemy" organizes elements exactly like our current particle physics charts, but with a delightful medieval twist. Instead of quarks and leptons, we've got planetary metals (lead, iron, gold), classical elements (air, earth, fire, water), and the philosophical tria prima (sulfur/soul, quicksilver/spirit, salt/body). Plus "aether" as the quintessential element! What makes this truly genius is how it highlights how humans have always tried to organize and systematize nature - from alchemists trying to transmute lead into gold to physicists smashing particles in the LHC. Different symbols, same scientific instinct!

The ultimate alchemist's dream! "Fe" is iron and "S" is sulfur on the periodic table, and when combined as FeS₂, you get pyrite—aka "fool's gold." It looks like gold but it's chemically worthless compared to actual gold. The stonks meme guy is basically saying "I've turned worthless elements into something that LOOKS valuable and tricked everyone!" It's medieval chemistry meets modern finance fraud! The perfect scheme until someone with basic mineral knowledge shows up to your gold rush and ruins everything with actual science.