If this works reliably, why are there not whole industries based on it?

My thought too, but is there anything wrong with the math?

What maths?

In the initial work he cites, done by John Baptist von Helmont, the narrator suggests the 75kg gained by the tree was from water alone!! He makes no mention of photosynthesis!!
Was this tree kept in a pitch dark cellar?
I am no biologist or chemist but the fact that photosynthesis was not mentioned as affecting the growth of the tree, leaves me wondering what other aspects relating to growth were coveniently missed out, in the other examples they cite.

Complete nonsense? — TiredThinker

Most probably. Plants and animals can die if not fed certain elements, like potassium or iodine and scores of others. Starve a plant of any of them and it will die, quickly or slowly depending on the element. This indicates that plants cannot transmutate one element into another. Otherwise they would do so to avoid or manage mineral deficiencies.

When he describes materials like sodium, potassium, silicone, etc changing proportions without it being clear where the extra stuff is coming from.

:up:

My bologna has a first name, it's b-i-o-l-o-g-i-c-a-l.
My bologna has a second name, it's t-r-a-n-s-m-u-t-a-t-i-o-n.
I love to listen every day.
And if you ask me why I'll say.
Cause biological transmutation has a way.
With b-o-l-o-g-n-a.

Another video you might be interested in.

They are most probably badly designed experiments. There's nothing to see here. Move along.

Banno got it right. Digging through the historical record to find scientists who agree with you isn't as hard as you might imagine. Scientists often believe false things.

That's why science is done collectively. It's easy to believe false things all on your lonesome.