M.J. Rose

Oddly, as we advance scientifically it seems as if science itself is becoming more esoteric. For example, Alchemy may be be in the process of “reincarnating” as modern science (see the article below). String theory, chaos theory, and my favorite: Regenerative Medicine (recently a man was able to grow back a fingertip by applying a powder made from pig bladder!) are modern sciences that are nothing short of magical. So, where do we draw the line separating magic from science? Are these two seemingly at odds disciplines actually THE SAME THING?

Good as gold
What alchemists got right
By Stephen Heuser  (The Boston Globe)

THREE HUNDRED YEARS ago, more or less, the last serious alchemists finally gave up on their attempts to create gold from other metals, dropping the curtain on one of the least successful endeavors in the history of human striving.

Centuries of work and scholarship had been plowed into alchemical pursuits, and for what? Countless ruined cauldrons, a long trail of empty mystical symbols, and precisely zero ounces of transmuted gold. As a legacy, alchemy ranks above even fantasy baseball as a great human icon of misspent mental energy.

But was it really such a waste? A new generation of scholars is taking a closer look at a discipline that captivated some of the greatest minds of the Renaissance. And in a field that modern thinkers had dismissed as a folly driven by superstition and greed, they now see something quite different.

Alchemists, they are finding, can take credit for a long roster of genuine chemical achievements, as well as the techniques that would prove essential to the birth of modern lab science. In alchemists’ intricate notes and diagrams, they see the early attempt to codify and hand down experimental knowledge. In the practices of alchemical workshops, they find a masterly refinement of distillation, sublimation, and other techniques still important in modern laboratories…[the rest]

Very compelling evidence, indeed!

Do these mysterious stones mark the site of the Garden of Eden?
By Tom Knox
For the old Kurdish shepherd, it was just another burning hot day in the rolling plains of eastern Turkey. Following his flock over the arid hillsides, he passed the single mulberry tree, which the locals regarded as ‘sacred’. The bells on his sheep tinkled in the stillness. Then he spotted something. Crouching down, he brushed away the dust, and exposed a strange, large, oblong stone.

The man looked left and right: there were similar stone rectangles, peeping from the sands. Calling his dog to heel, the shepherd resolved to inform someone of his finds when he got back to the village. Maybe the stones were important.

They certainly were important. The solitary Kurdish man, on that summer’s day in 1994, had made the greatest archaeological discovery in 50 years. Others would say he’d made the greatest archaeological discovery ever: a site that has revolutionised the way we look at human history, the origin of religion – and perhaps even the truth behind the Garden of Eden… [the rest, here]

M.J. has sold a pilot for a one-hour drama to Fox (to be directed by the director of “House”), based on The Reincarnationist! Let’s cross our fingers that the show will be chosen – then we will be able to get our reincarnationist fix on T.V. as well as online…

Here are a couple of links to news about the pilot:

From Fancast –

“Richard Schiff is joining drama “The Reincarnationist,” about investigators solving present mysteries caused by past-life traumas. Schiff will play a scientist who is a legend in the field of reincarnation.”

From Baltimore Sun –

“Reincarnation pilot filming here has good shot at Fox

While most pilots never see the light of a network’s prime-time schedule, there’s one that began filming today in Baltimore that looks like a strong candidate to make the Fox lineup next season.

The reason for the optimism: the pilot for the as-yet-untitled series about reincarnation is the work of a writer of quality drama, and the series seems to fit with what some network programmers see as the next big theme.

The pilot, which follows a team of investigators who use the concept of reincarnation to solve present-day problems in their clients’ lives, is being directed by Deran Sarafian (House) and features actors Kelli Giddish (All My Children), Nic Bishop (Home and Away) and Ravi Patel (Scrubs). But the name that matters most in this production is that of David Hudgins, who wrote the script and serves as executive producer. Hudgins most recently worked as writer and supervising producer of the NBC drama Friday Night Lights.” [the rest, here]

I will keep us all updated on news about the pilot. Stay tuned.