3 ms·
That doesn't make a lot of sense. People understandably though graphite and diamonds were different, because they seemed so different. Assuming 2 things are fun
by gweinberg 3y ago
That doesn't make a lot of sense. People understandably though graphite and diamonds were different, because they seemed so different. Assuming 2 things are fundamentally different because they differ in all observable properties makes sense. Assuming 2 things are fundamentally the same because they are they same color but in no other way similar really doesn't.
- roywiggins 3y agoI am not sure that the ideas about substances being fundamentally the same were very well developed at the time. Atomic theory didn't exist. What counted as "fundamental" and "the same" was not very well understood or, I'd eager, even broadly agreed upon. Turning lead into gold was considered a genuine possibility for a long time.
- toast0 3y ago> Turning lead into gold was considered a genuine possibility for a long time. And much later, it was found to be a genuine possibility with terrible economics. Just need a particle accelerator, and a lot of patience.