Chemical analysis reveals hidden elements from Renaissance astronomer Tycho Brahe's alchemy laboratory

Alchemists of the Middle Ages were notorious for their secrecy, and Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe was no exception. Not much is known about the activities that took place in Brahe's alchemical laboratory, which was located beneath his combined residence and observatory, Uraniborg, on the Swedish island of Ven. Despite the demolition of Uraniborg after Brahe died in 1601, some remnants of his laboratory were discovered during an excavation in 1988-1990 in the garden of Uraniborg.

Among the findings were pottery and glass shards believed to originate from Brahe's alchemical laboratory. In a recent study, five of these shards, four glass, and one ceramic, underwent chemical analysis to determine the elements with which the original containers came into contact. The analyses, conducted by Professor Emeritus Kaare Lund Rasmussen from the University of Southern Denmark and overseen by Senior Researcher Poul Grinder-Hansen from the National Museum of Denmark, revealed enriched levels of trace elements in four of the shards.

The intriguing discoveries include elements such as nickel, copper, zinc, tin, antimony, tungsten, gold, mercury, and lead, found either on the inside or outside of the shards. While the presence of gold and mercury was to be expected in an alchemical laboratory, the appearance of tungsten puzzled the researchers. Tungsten was not described until more than 180 years later by the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. One theory suggested that the mineral was processed in such a way that Tycho Brahe unknowingly separated the tungsten.

Another speculative possibility is that Brahe had knowledge of tungsten's existence from German mineralogist Georgius Agricola's description of "Wolfram" in tin ore in the 1500s. However, there is no concrete evidence supporting this theory.

Tycho Brahe was part of a branch of alchemists who focused on developing medicines for various diseases. He closely guarded his recipes, sharing them only with select individuals, such as Emperor Rudolph II. Brahe's plague medicine was known to be complex, containing numerous ingredients like theriac, copper or iron vitriol (sulfates), oils, and herbs. The medicine was believed to have connections between heavenly bodies, earthly substances, and the body's organs, a concept that aligned with Brahe's worldview.

Previous analysis of hair and bones from Tycho Brahe has revealed the presence of gold, suggesting that he may have taken medicine containing potable gold. This further supports the connection between Brahe's alchemical pursuits and his medical practices.

The findings from the chemical analysis of these shards offer valuable insights into the substances used in Tycho Brahe's alchemical laboratory. They provide a glimpse into the secretive world of Renaissance alchemy and the enigmatic practices of one of history's influential astronomers.

Earlier, SSP wrote about new findings that shed light on the earliest European hominids.