Steven A. Young is an author, musician, and alchemist known for his work as Hedflux and as the author of A Fool’s Wisdom (2024).

With a PhD in theoretical physics, he has built an eclectic career at the crossroads of science and spirituality, reframing modern science through an alchemical lens.

His book is a #1 Best-Seller in Philosophy of Science on Amazon, and he regularly publishes video presentations on YouTube and Substack.

His website: stevenyoung.uk 

His linktree: https://linktr.ee/steven_a_young 

Steve has a PhD in theoretical nuclear physics. He also thinks ancient alchemy is a superior science. In this conversation we dig into why — and the answers are more grounded than you might expect.

We cover the periodic table, nuclear power stations, sulfur’s role in both explosives and healing, and the alchemical principles that map surprisingly well onto modern biology and nutrition.

If you’ve ever felt that mainstream science leaves important questions unanswered, this one’s worth your time.

[00:00:00] Summary: Introduction and Importance of Asking Questions

The conversation opens by emphasising the value of dialogue and inquiry. It highlights the common fear people have about asking questions, worrying they may appear ignorant, but stresses that questioning is essential for understanding and dispelling misinformation. The speakers introduce their intention to discuss widely accepted “facts” that often remain unquestioned.

[00:01:00] Summary: Steve’s Background and Transition 

– Steve is the author of *A Fool’s Wisdom*, a book that critiques modern science and discusses ancient alchemy as a superior form of science.  

– His background includes a PhD in theoretical nuclear physics.  

– Post-academia, he worked for five years in IT consultancy before pursuing a decade-long music career as a producer and DJ starting in 2010.  

– During his music career, he researched conspiracies and questioned mainstream scientific teachings.  

– The COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse of his music career motivated him to speak openly about science, as musicians often avoid controversial topics to protect their fan base.  

– Steve received royalties from over 100 music tracks released since 2005, which sustained him financially post-COVID.  

– He expresses disillusionment with the music industry as a tool for state indoctrination, prompting his pivot to openly criticize modern science.

[00:05:00] Summary: Inspirations and Philosophical Influences  

– Steve was inspired by voices in the health freedom and no-virus movements, such as Dawn Lester, Andrew Kaufman, Tom Caron, and Alex Zek, who challenged mainstream COVID narratives.  

– These influences encouraged him to embrace outspoken scientific critique, seeing it as a necessary intervention during critical times.

[00:05:27] Summary: Alchemy Defined Beyond Popular Misconceptions  

– Alchemy is traditionally misunderstood as medieval greed-driven attempts to turn lead into gold or superstitious witchcraft.  

– Steve describes alchemy as the “science of transformation” or “science of transmutation”—a process modern chemistry teaches as impossible (changing one element into another).  

– He recognises transformation as fundamental not only in science but also in spirituality and personal development, linking the two domains through this shared principle.  

– Alchemy integrates scientific insight, spirituality, arts, and music into a holistic archetype, whereas modern disciplines fragment these aspects.

[00:09:30] Summary: The Great Work and Personal Transformation  

– The “Great Work” in alchemy symbolises the process of transforming an imperfect, common substance (lead) into a perfect, valuable one (gold). This is a metaphor for personal evolution, overcoming limitations, traumas, and societal conditioning.  

– The journey of transmuting the ‘leaden’ human self into an awakened or perfected self represents a universal human challenge.  

– The “Philosopher’s Stone” symbolises the state of awakened ability that enables one to catalyse transformation in others simply by presence or interaction, transcending mere chemical transmutation.

[00:13:58] Summary: Critique of the Periodic Table and Modern Scientific Orthodoxy

– The original periodic table by Dmitri Mendeleev (late 19th century) was truly periodic, organised like musical octaves, and began with the “ether” as the first substance, preceding hydrogen.  

– Ether was excluded from science after 1905 following the Michelson-Morley experiment and Einstein’s theories, radically altering the table’s structure and meaning.  

– Modern periodic tables are not periodic but irregular, and based on atomic masses—a calculated, not directly observable or measurable quantity.  

– Many elements past bismuth are unstable, artificially created, or merely short-lived states observed by flash experiments (e.g., Einsteinium, Laurencium, Copernicium), not elements existing naturally.  

– The modern table conceals transmutation possibilities by treating elements as fundamentally immutable and unique.  

– Transmutation is known to occur biologically, as exemplified by chickens producing calcium-rich eggshells without ingesting calcium — illustrating natural “alchemy” within living organisms.

[00:18:51] Summary: Nuclear Physics and Power Stations – Realities Versus Expectations

– Despite his PhD in nuclear physics, Steve learned little about practical nuclear power station operations during his education, which focused mainly on fundamental theoretical and experimental nuclear physics.  

– Experimentalists mostly examine matter structure with particle accelerators and lasers rather than applications like power generation or weapons.  

– The popular narrative about nuclear bomb explosions (atom splitting causing radioactive fallout) is challenged by alternative research (Michael Palmer’s *Hiroshima Revisited*), which claims no nuclear fallout nor long-term contamination occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the bombs allegedly used chemical weapons such as napalm and mustard gas.  

– The nuclear bomb and power station technologies differ fundamentally; nuclear plants run on “yellow cake,” a non-metallic uranium oxide powder visually identical to sulfur, not uranium metal as commonly believed.  

– Fuel rods are pellets of yellow cake encased in zirconium, heated to produce controlled thermal neutron reactions creating steam to drive turbines like a giant kettle.  

– The process is more an engineering control of heat and energy flow than true nuclear fission as portrayed, described better as “new clear” (clear energy) rather than nuclear.  

– Anti-nuclear movements, often assumed grassroots environmentalism, were influenced or funded by oil and gas industries aiming to suppress nuclear energy’s expansion.  

– Steve supports revealing genuine science and recognises conspiracy labels’ misuse to silence dissent, noting that theories supported by evidence evolve into probabilities or facts.

[00:32:08] Summary: Personal Encounter with Yellow Cake and Sulfur’s Alchemical Significance  

– Steve recounts receiving a piece of yellow cake uranium oxide from Missouri, notable for its bright yellow colour and significant weight but minimal detectable radiation and no harmful effect upon handling.  

– He equates yellow cake to sulfur, known in alchemy as “soul fire” or solar fire trapped in matter, critical to many explosive substances and medicines (e.g., napalm, sulfuric acid, and dimethyl sulfoxide for healing).  

– Sulfur, mercury, and salt constitute the alchemical tria prima, representing fiery, fluid, and fixed principles, respectively. These transcend mere chemistry as principles fundamental to life, art, spirituality, and healing.  

– Mercury symbolises fluidity and binding, salt represents structure and solidity, and sulfur embodies energy and transformation.  

– This trinity has parallels to the electron (negative), proton (positive), and neutron (neutral) in physics, and also religious trinities, suggesting a deep archetypal resonance.

[00:36:38] Summary: Alchemical Perspective on Diet and Nutrition  

– Steve relates the tria prima to macronutrients: sulfur relates to carbohydrates (fuel), salt correlates with proteins (building blocks), and mercury aligns with fats (lubrication, binding).  

– Carbohydrates (sulfurous fuel) produce carbonaceous metabolic waste expelled via breath, sweat, and excretions.  

– Proteins (salt) are necessary for muscle and tissue repair and growth.  

– Fats (mercury) serve for insulation, lubrication, and binding within the body.  

– Lower carbohydrate consumption or carnivore diets (protein + fat) may help reduce fat accumulation since they minimize carbon waste generation.  

– Steve acknowledges personal challenges in dieting and respects intermittent fasting and ketogenic approaches but remains cautious about extremes.  

– Weight loss can trigger detoxification symptoms because stored toxins concentrate in fat and are released slowly, sometimes causing severe reactions.  

– Detoxification complexity and pharmaceutical accumulation in fat tissue complicate obesity issues beyond diet alone.  

– The mainstream dietary narrative can often be inverted for fresh insight.

[00:43:49] Summary: Education Critique and Encouragement to Question Authority  

– The conversation critiques contemporary education as primarily pedagogical—not necessarily truth-focused but designed to keep children occupied and inculcate obedience.  

– Education often punishes questioning, favouring rote memorisation and hierarchical authority adherence over critical thinking.  

– Public education targets working-class compliance while private education trains future managerial classes with rhetoric and leadership skills, perpetuating class divides.  

– Elite private institutions emphasise networking and access to power over substantive learning.  

– Advanced degrees may deepen misguided understandings if foundational knowledge is flawed.  

– The speakers urge lifelong questioning and personal research beyond formal education to uncover deeper truths.

[00:48:22] Summary: Resources and Methods for Studying Alchemy 

– Good entry points into alchemy include classical texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus (thrice great sage), notably the *Corpus Hermeticum* and *Emerald Tablet*, which encapsulate alchemical secrets succinctly.  

– Modern but timeless treatises like *The Kybalion* (by the anonymous Three Initiates, possibly Edward Waite) offer eloquent discourse on alchemical and hermetic principles.  

– Historical figures such as Paracelsus and Robert Fludd are recommended for profound insights into nature and alchemy.  

– A revival of alchemical knowledge is underway, with many digitised sources and documentaries available.  

– The speakers emphasise active reading strategies—taking notes, summarising ideas, annotating physical books—as essential for deep learning, contrasting with passive consumption typical of digital media.  

– Books maintain longevity and ongoing influence through translation and repeated study, serving as foundational seeds for further creative output.

[00:53:43] Summary: Closing Remarks  

– The dialogue closes, emphasising the value of independent thinking and the pursuit of knowledge despite societal pressures or institutional narratives.  

– Both participants express appreciation for the wide-ranging and stimulating discussion and indicate openness for continued conversation beyond the formal end.