Over the centuries, in his quest for riches, man has tried various and sundry means in an attempt to “get rich quick”. It is an inherent trait of man to attempt to achieve as much wealth as possible through as little effort as possible. Take, for example, the science of alchemy which dates back possibly as far as ancient Egypt and was a driving force during the Middle Ages. Alchemy was a quest to discover the means by which base metals such as lead could be changed – or transmuted – into gold or silver. According to historians, alchemists were motivated more by the quest for scientific knowledge and spiritual enrichment than by profit since alchemy was heavily rooted in philosophy and religion.
