Alchemy

"Alchemy is the science of understanding the structure of matter, breaking it down, and reconstructing it as something else. It can even make gold from lead. But Alchemy is a science and so it must follow the natural law. To create, something of equal value must be lost. That is the principle of Equivalent Exchange." --Edward Elric

Alchemy is a very old science. In fact, people in the 1700s used to think it was magic. There were many great alchemists back then. One of them was Sir Isaac Newton. He was both a scientist and an alchemist. Alchemists were people that liked to "play around" with chemicals and other dangerous stuff. Their ultimate goal was to create the legendary Philosopher's Stone. Another one of their goals was to achieve ultimate spiritual status. As in, trying to achieve spiritual purity. One alchemist actually managed to make the legendary Philosopher's Stone. Alchemy also respects the flow of life, alchemist must learn to do so as well. An example would be Human transmutation, although there are many of this, I am referring to only one; bringing back the dead. When you attempt to transmute a human, the "Gate" will open and take you within it, leaving a humunculus in place of the human you tried to transmute.