Как сделать гомункула (Homunculus)

Summary

In this intriguing experiment, the video demonstrates the creation of a homunculus, an artificial living creature, following medieval methods by Paracelsus. The process involves using seminal fluid, an egg with a carefully made hole, and a sealed container. The egg is placed in a warm, dark, and undisturbed environment for 10 days. Upon retrieval, the egg shows signs of infection and rot, but there is some movement, suggesting a rudimentary life form. The experiment, while not highly successful, sparks curiosity about the alchemical recipes and the limits of medieval science.

Takeaways

• 🧪 The experiment aims to create a homunculus, an artificial living creature, based on medieval treatises by Paracelsus.
• 📦 A container, either plastic or glass, is needed to house the experiment, with the ability to close it tightly.
• 💉 Seminal fluid and an egg are the primary ingredients for the homunculus creation.
• 🥚 A hole must be made in the egg using a needle file, and it should be small to increase the experiment's success rate.
• 💧 Sperm is injected into the egg yolk through the hole, with care taken not to damage the yolk.
• 🛡️ After injection, the hole in the egg is sealed to minimize the chance of microorganism penetration.
• 🥚 The egg is then placed into the container, which is wrapped in a warm tissue to simulate a warm environment.
• 🌑 The container is kept in a dark, undisturbed place for 10 days to allow the homunculus to develop.
• 🕰 After 10 days, the experiment is checked, and the plaster has darkened due to an apparent infection.
• 🤔 The homunculus is alive but in poor condition, possibly due to the infection or lack of detailed instructions from Paracelsus.
• 🔬 Despite the unsuccessful outcome, the experiment is considered interesting and there are plans to repeat it in the future.

Q & A

What is a homunculus according to the script?

A homunculus is an artificial living creature, as described in medieval treatises by the scientist Paracelsus.

What type of container is recommended for creating a homunculus?

A plastic container is used in the script, but a glass container could also be chosen, provided it can be closed tightly.

What is seminal fluid in the context of the experiment?

In the context of the experiment, seminal fluid refers to human sperm, which is used in the creation of the homunculus.

Why is it necessary to make a hole in the egg for the homunculus experiment?

A hole in the egg is necessary to inject the sperm into the egg yolk, which is a critical step in the homunculus creation process.

How should the hole in the egg be made according to the script?

The hole should be made carefully with a needle file or any other method that ensures precision, and it should not be too big to increase the chances of success.

What is the importance of sealing the hole in the egg after injecting the sperm?

Sealing the hole is important to minimize the penetration of microorganisms into the egg, though full hermeticity is not required due to the egg's own immunity.

Why is it necessary to keep the container warm and dark?

The container needs to be kept warm and dark to simulate a suitable environment for the potential development of the homunculus, as per the medieval alchemical recipe.

What is the significance of not disturbing the container during the 10-day period?

The container should not be disturbed to maintain the necessary conditions for the experiment, including darkness and silence, which are believed to influence the outcome.

What happened after 10 days according to the script?

After 10 days, the plaster became dark and an unpleasant smell indicated an infection or rotting, suggesting that the experiment did not completely succeed.

What was the observed condition of the homunculus after the experiment?

The homunculus appeared to be in bad condition but was still alive, showing some movements, indicating that the alchemical recipe had some truth but the outcome was not as expected.

What could be the reasons for the experiment's lack of complete success?

The lack of detailed and exact instructions from Paracelsus, possible infection, and the roughness of the medieval description could have influenced the experiment's outcome.

Outlines

00:00

🧪 Homunculus Creation Experiment

This paragraph describes an attempt to create a homunculus, an artificial living creature, following the medieval treatises by Paracelsus. The experiment involves using a plastic container, seminal fluid as human sperm, and an egg. The egg is carefully punctured with a needle file to inject the sperm into the yolk without damaging it. After sealing the hole, the egg is placed in the container and wrapped in a warm tissue, such as a sports cap, to maintain warmth and darkness. The container is then placed in a dark, undisturbed location for 10 days. Upon retrieval, the experimenter notes a dark plaster and an unpleasant smell, indicating an infection and rot, but also observes some movement, suggesting that a living creature, albeit in poor condition, has been created.

05:01

🔬 Reflection on the Homunculus Experiment Outcome

In this paragraph, the experimenter reflects on the outcome of the homunculus creation experiment. Despite some rotting, which Paracelsus noted as acceptable, the experimenter finds a living creature, albeit in a poor state, resembling an amoeba or jellyfish rather than a highly developed intellect. The experimenter speculates that the lack of detailed instructions from Paracelsus and possible infection could have affected the success of the experiment. Despite the partial failure, the experimenter finds the process interesting and considers repeating it in the future with more precise conditions.

Keywords

💡Homunculus

A homunculus refers to an artificial living creature, often depicted in medieval literature and alchemy as a miniature human being created through non-traditional biological means. In the video's context, the homunculus is the central subject of the experiment, aiming to be created through a combination of seminal fluid and an egg, following the medieval treatises by Paracelsus. The term is used to illustrate the video's theme of attempting to replicate historical alchemical practices.

💡Paracelsus

Paracelsus was a Swiss physician, alchemist, and astrologer of the 16th century, known for his pioneering approach to medicine and his contributions to alchemical thought. In the script, Paracelsus is mentioned as the source of the homunculus creation method, emphasizing the video's connection to historical alchemical practices and the attempt to apply his rough instructions to a modern experiment.

💡Sperm

Sperm, in the context of the video, refers to the seminal fluid containing human sperm, which is used as one of the primary ingredients in the homunculus creation process. The script describes the careful injection of sperm into the egg yolk, highlighting the biological aspect of the experiment and the attempt to initiate a form of artificial life.

💡Egg

The egg, in this script, is an essential component of the homunculus creation experiment. It is used as the vessel into which the sperm is injected, with the expectation that the combination will lead to the development of a new life form. The egg is carefully prepared by making a small hole, injecting the sperm, and then sealing it, which is a critical step in the alchemical process described.

💡Needle File

A needle file is a small hand tool used for shaping and smoothing metal, wood, or plastic. In the video, it is used to carefully make a hole in the eggshell to facilitate the injection of sperm. The use of a needle file exemplifies the delicate and precise nature of the experiment, as well as the attempt to adapt common tools for unconventional purposes.

💡Yolk

The yolk is the yellow central part of an egg, rich in nutrients and typically where an embryo would develop in natural reproduction. In the script, the sperm is injected directly into the egg yolk, indicating the experimental attempt to mimic the natural fertilization process and initiate the growth of a homunculus.

💡Sealing

Sealing, in the context of the video, involves closing the hole made in the eggshell after the injection of sperm, to minimize the chance of microbial contamination. The script mentions that while hermetic sealing is not strictly necessary, some form of sealing is important to protect the developing homunculus, reflecting the experimental attempt to control the environment for artificial life creation.

💡Infection

In the script, infection refers to the undesirable outcome where the egg becomes rotten and emits an unpleasant smell, likely due to microbial contamination. The mention of infection highlights the challenges and risks associated with the experiment, as well as the video's narrative of the homunculus creation process not being entirely successful.

💡Alchemical Recipe

An alchemical recipe, in the video, refers to the historical method or set of instructions for creating a homunculus, as described by Paracelsus. The script discusses the experiment's adherence to the alchemical recipe, suggesting a blend of scientific curiosity and respect for historical knowledge, even though the outcome is not as expected.

💡Amoebae

Amoebae are single-celled organisms that represent a very basic form of life. In the video, the homunculus that is created is compared to an amoeba or jellyfish, indicating that despite some movement suggesting life, the creature is far from having a highly developed intellect. This comparison underscores the limitations and challenges of the experiment.

💡Experiment

The term 'experiment' is used throughout the script to describe the process of attempting to create a homunculus. It encompasses the various steps taken, from selecting materials to observing the outcome after a period of time. The experiment is central to the video's narrative, illustrating the trial and error inherent in scientific inquiry and the pursuit of knowledge.

Highlights

Introduction to the experiment of creating a homunculus, an artificial living creature.

Reference to Paracelsus, medieval scientist, who described the creation of a homunculus.

Selection of a container for the experiment, with preference for a tightly closable plastic or glass container.

Use of seminal fluid, essentially human sperm, as a key component in the homunculus creation.

Necessity of making a careful hole in an egg for the experiment.

Technique of using a needle file to create a hole in the egg without damaging the yolk.

Injection of sperm directly into the egg yolk through the created hole.

Sealing the hole in the egg to minimize the chance of microbial penetration.

Placing the egg into the container and addressing the issue of egg cracking.

Wrapping the container in a warm tissue to maintain a suitable temperature for the experiment.

Storing the container in a dark, undisturbed place for the incubation period.

Duration of the incubation period set at 10 days for the experiment.

Observation of the container after 10 days revealing signs of infection and rot.

Paracelsus' acceptance of minor rotting in the homunculus creation process.

The homunculus, although in bad condition, shows signs of life with some movements.

Acknowledgment of the alchemical recipe's validity but the homunculus' limited intellectual development.

Speculation on the experiment's partial failure due to infection and lack of detailed instructions.

Intention to repeat the experiment in the future with possible improvements.

Conclusion of the experiment and teaser for upcoming interesting experiments.

Transcripts

Hello. Today we are going to do an experiment on creating a homunculus.

A homunculus is an artificial living creature. The creation of a homunculus is described in the medieval treatises by the scientist Paracelsus.

So we need a container, I took this plastic container.

If you want you can chose a glass container, but it's important to be able to close it tightly.

This is seminal fluid. Basically human sperm.

And an egg.

For creating a homunculus It is necessary to make a hole in the egg.

I'm using a needle file for that

Basically it's OK if you find other method to make a hole in the egg.

But it's important that you make the hole careful enough.

And don't make it too big.

The smaller you make it, the bigger is the chance of a success in the experiment

Now,

In the hole we made we have to...

wait a second...

We have to inject the sperm.

Try to hold the needle straight.

It is important to prevent damage to the yolk.

The injection should be made exactly into the egg yolk.

Now we put the egg into the plastic container.

But firstly we have to seal the hole.

It's not so necessary to do it very hermetically.

But it's important, because the chance of penetration of microorganisms in the egg should be minimal

It's not so necessary to reach the full hermeticity.

Because the egg has got its own immunity.

So, some small openings do not matter.

The main thing is, that the openings should not be too big.

But because our egg cracked.

We just seal the crack.

So, I think it's enough.

Now we place the egg into our plastic container.

So, and now...

And now we wrap the container in a warm tissue. I'm using my sports cap.

I do it to keep that thing in a warm and dark place.

And now I place it in a dark closet.

It can be also placed in any other enough dark place.

And the main thing is, the place should be not disturbed by anone.

Because it is NECESSARY to keep it in a dark place you should not touch or even looked at.

In the course of 10 days the whole thing will be in a dark and silent place.

And then we will see what'll come out.

So, 10 days have passed.

We took it back from our dark place.

And we can see that the plaster became dark. Apparently an infection appeared.

It rotted.

Yes, an unpleasant smell.

In principle Paracelsus wrote, that a small rotting is acceptable. But it should not be very intensive

Let's see the result.

So

So

There is something.

It seems he is in a bad condition.

But he is still alive. Because there were some movements.

So, what can I say now

Alchemical recipe is actually true.

But this creature can not have any highly developed intellect.

At its best it's like an amoebae or jellyfish.

It's hard to say why the experiment has not turned succesfully

Perhaps because of the infection.

Besides that, Paracelsus was a medieval scientist.

And of course he described the experiment very roughly.

For example :" Put it in a warm place". The place should be dark"

So, there are no detailed and exact instructions.

And of course it could somehow have influence.

And that's why our exeperiment is not completely successful.

But it is very interesting.

Maybe we will repeat this experiment in the future.

I will make a new attempt.

There will be other interesting experiments.

Bye.