How did alchemy originate?

The practice of alchemy appears to be quite ancient. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, and early Arab communities all engaged in alchemical investigations, and some exchange of information between these groups seems to have occurred as well.

Alchemy is often defined as a pseudo-scientific predecessor to chemistry that sought to transmute base metals into gold, produce an elixir to prolong life indefinitely, produce a panacea or universal remedy, and produce an 'alkhest' or universal solvent. Alchemy is actually about all possible transmutations (changes of state and form) of all matter.