Did you know that the same material that gives the wrought iron gates of the Palace of Versailles its golden finish is now rocketing into space on NASA astronauts' visors? Beyond art, architecture, and design, it also decorates gourmet dishes and confectionery, adding a touch of luxury.

Gold Leaf, typically 22-carat gold hammered into sheets thinner than a whisper, is the ultimate multi-tasker. This process, known as gold-beating, began 5,000 years ago when Egyptian artisans discovered the malleability of gold. They became the original goldbeaters, which is a pretty great job title by any standard.

If you’re looking for a career change, you’ll need to get good at transforming a single ounce of gold into sheets covering nearly 100 square feet.