What is a universal solvent sought in alchemy?

The universal solvent is known as a hypothetical substance that has the ability to dissolve any other substance. It was an important goal of alchemists to find a universal solvent, which they believed could have tremendous transformational power.

According to alchemists, the universal solvent was supposed to dissolve metals and other substances to their core essence, which they believed would allow them to transmute those substances into other materials, such as gold. This was seen as one of the ultimate goals of alchemy.

However, despite the intense efforts of alchemists to find a universal solvent, it never actually existed. This is because many substances are not soluble in water, which is often what alchemists thought the universal solvent should be. In modern times, we know that there is no single substance that can dissolve everything, making the quest for a universal solvent a purely alchemical pursuit.

Overall, the search for a universal solvent was a central focus of alchemy, but it was ultimately an unattainable goal. Nonetheless, the alchemists' quest for transformation and transmutation of materials played an important role in the development of modern chemistry.