Scientists Unveil Hidden Element in Medieval Alchemist's Artifacts, Rewriting History
- The examination of glass and ceramic fragments from Tycho Brahe’s renowned observatory revealed that his interests extended beyond astronomy.
- Scientists found an intriguing combination of substances in his alchemical lab that included tungsten, a element unknown to science back then.
- This discovery might reveal why Brahe’s medications were so widely sought after.
In today’s terms, we’d refer to them as proprietary blends. However, during the late 1500s and early 1600s, they were individually alchemists referred to the medications developed in their laboratories as 'secrets.' Now, due to a recent study, published in Heritage Science As it turns out, we have learned a bit more about the secrets of one specific alchemist. Despite being primarily recognized for his work in astronomy, Tycho Brahe also maintained a personal underground lab where he concocted various medications.
Now we understand a bit more about the kind of elements he used.
Tycho Brahe’s renowned observatory, situated within his grand castle-like Uraniborg observatory on the island of Ven—which is part of present-day Sweden—was taken apart after his passing in 1601. However, a group of scientists from the University of Southern Denmark and the National Museum of Denmark recently examined five fragments retrieved from where the former garden once stood between 1988 and 1990. These pieces are thought to originate from the basement area used for alchemy. laboratory .
The researchers analyzed cross-sections of the fragments for 31 trace elements utilizing mass spectrometry, which involves transforming sample molecules into ions. ions While many anticipated components were present on the fragments (four being glass and one ceramic), including nickel, copper, zinc, tin, antimony, gold, mercury, and lead, an unexpected discovery caught the attention of the specialists: tungsten.
“ Tungsten "is extremely enigmatic," stated Kaare Lund Rasmussen, an archaeometry specialist from the University of Southern Denmark, statement Tungsten hadn’t been identified yet at that point, so what conclusions can we draw from its appearance in a fragment from Tycho Brahe’s alchemical laboratory?
That's a query without a straightforward response. Rasmussen indicated that although tungsten does appear naturally in specific areas, minerals And since it could have ended up in Brahe’s laboratory through those means, there’s an additional credible theory: Brahe possessed a clandestine substance to assist in formulating medications for Europe’s high society.
Not considered an element until the 1780s, tungsten probably first appeared in German chemistry under the name 'Wolfram,' with Brahe’s involvement. medicine Were influenced by German elements," "Perhaps Tycho Brahe came across this information and therefore was aware of tungsten's presence," Rasmussen hypothesized. "However, this is not something we can confirm or assert with certainty from my current analysis findings. This remains just one potential theoretical explanation as to why we observe tungsten within these specimens.
Most fascinating are the components present in greater quantities than anticipated," Rasmussen stated, "suggesting enrichment and offering insights into the materials utilized. Tycho Brahe’s alchemical laboratory.”
The process of developing medications was shrouded in secrecy. Similar to his contemporaries, Brahe did not disclose the composition of his recipes. He gained recognition for his plague cure—an extremely intricate formula that might have involved as many as 60 components, ranging from various substances. snake Flesh and opium transformed into copper, oils, and herbs. Was tungsten possibly incorporated as well in the final medicinal outcome?
It might appear odd that Tycho Brahe engaged with both astronomy and alchemy; however, once you grasp his perspective, it becomes clear," explained Poul Grinder-Hansen, a senior researcher and museum curator at the National Museum of Denmark, in an official statement. "Brahe felt there were evident links among celestial entities, primeval elements, and human anatomy. organs .”
Gold and mercury were frequently utilized by alchemists (such as Brahe) in their medicinal preparations, and these practitioners commonly associated the earthly elements with celestial attributes and bodily features. This connection led to an extensive array of associations. For instance, silver was linked to the Moon And the brain; gold served as a connection to the Sun And regarding the heart, Jupiter was linked with the liver via tin; Venus associated with copper through the kidneys; Saturn tied to the spleen using lead; Mars connected to the gallbladder by means of iron; and Mercury related to the lungs by utilizing mercury itself. According to these beliefs, gold served as a prevalent component in medications during those times, which included some taken by Brahe.
However, where tungsten fits into the equation remains unclear. For now, it stays a mystery.
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