Historian of science Bill Newman says that Isaac Newton's
alchemical notebooks are like a gigantic jigsaw puzzle. But as
you'll see as you peruse the 300-year-old manuscript at left,
this puzzle is no child's play—more like an enigma
wrapped in a mystery riddled with a number of misleading
clues. With Bill Newman's help, we've "decoded" a page from
one of these manuscripts. To orient yourself to the
bewildering world of 17th-century alchemy, we recommend you
first read our
interview with Bill Newman
before plunging into the manuscript.—Susan K. Lewis
