Alchemy

Alchemy is the term given to any transformative science that involves things of the natural world, whether that be plants, animals, minerals, or even vaguer concepts such as life. There are a few stricter forms of alchemy, each with a different focus of research:  

Biological Alchemy:

Technically, the study of all things living, however, most who say that they are biologists are really focused on that of animals. The study of plants is called Botanical Alchemy, which focuses more on researching the alchemical uses for plants, such as for potions or spell components.
Biological Alchemy is a wide subject, covering dozens of different fields and goals, such as evolution, mutagenics, and even psionics.    

Material Alchemy:

The study of materials, whether it be their formation, or their practical uses. Material Alchemy can be as mundane as metallurgic alloys, like creating bronze or steel, or more advanced things like creating animated golems from clay or stone. A particular point of intrigue amongst these alchemists is that of the mudders, living creatures, made entirely of earth and stone. Though, there is a taboo that, if someone begins studying the mudders, they will inevitably fall into Formational Alchemy.  

Formational Alchemy:

The study of creation. Formational Alchemy is banned in most places, due to the occult and taboo nature of it. The goal of formatists is generally to either unlock the powers of creation for themselves, or to find out what created the Tellurian plane. The methods which these formatists will use to achieve their goals are oftentimes nonsensical to others, things such as hanging themselves upside down for hours on end, or depriving themselves of all their senses. Formatists generally either die from their own experiments, or go mad before ever nearing their goal, though there are horror stories told of those that, at the brink of breakthrough, simply cease existing, along with their homes and belongings.