Molecular Notes

Definition

Molecular Notes is a compositional note-taking methodology that organizes knowledge into three escalating tiers: atoms (single, self-contained ideas), molecules (analytical compositions of multiple atoms), and alloys (narrative syntheses that span multiple molecules). The framework was introduced by Robert Andrew Martin and extended by Wanderloots, who added the alloy tier and demonstrated the system's application inside Obsidian. At its core, the method is an application of Zettelkasten principles to the problem of knowledge management at scale — rejecting top-down taxonomies in favor of emergent structure built from small, well-formed parts.

Sources

• raw/AI/2026-03-21-magnus919-molecular-notes.md