Dr. Seung-zeon Han at the Korea Institute of Materials Science, a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of

Science and ICT, published Korea's first material science book, “Modern Alchemist.” The book interprets the origins of matter

and the history of materials with easy scientific principles for the general public to better understand. Dr. Han provides the

knowledge and experiences accumulated for a lifetime as a researcher in materials science from the perspective of the general

public, who are high school students or older.

Starting with the most fundamental understanding of materials, the book is structured to imagine the most advanced future.

Chapter 1, The Origins of Matters, looks through the history of matter from the beginning of the universe and when, where,

and how matter came from. Chapter 2, Matters and Life, explains that the human is also composed of matter and presents

what physical and chemical rules are applied for the activities of life. Chapter 3, Discovery of Matters, explains what materials

humans have used and what principles were applied to expand the purpose of materials as they evolved. The last chapter,

Matters Evolved into Materials, presents the achievements of pioneering researchers as examples of how the matters around

us have changed and developed into various materials.

The author emphasizes that science can be fun if we look into the background story of what, why, who, when, and how it was

discovered, just as national and world history, which everyone found boring in school, becomes interesting over time. He

also pointed that as you research, you get to know more and more things and when there are many things you don't know

can be a good opportunity to experience the joy of getting to know.

Jung-hwan Lee, the President of KIMS, said, “Dr. Han talks about the matters and materials that might be difficult to

understand in the easiest terms and an interesting style. I applaud the efforts of the author to inform readers of the

knowledge that can shape the future through the potential of materials.”

The author, Dr. Seung-zeon Han, said, “I sincerely hope that readers can experience the joy of getting to know which has 

more significance than knowing.” He also mentioned that the book is written in an easy way to understand the joy of knowing

the matters and materials that make up our lives.

Modern Alchemist was selected as a recommended book by the Korean Institute of Metals and Materials on December 2. The

academic group, founded in 1946, has over 15,000 members from academia, research, and industry in the field of metals and

materials, representing Korea. It is the only Korean academic society that publishes 3 SCI(E) journals.