EPISODE · Dec 25, 2025 · 10 MIN
Phosphorus, Alchemy, and the Periodic Table of Death and Mystery (Part 1)
from Periodic Table of Death and Mystery · host Carol Potenza's monthly podcast, hosted by Laura Haas
In this episode of the Periodic Table of DEATH and Mystery, we will initially immerse ourselves in 12th-century urine (sorry), then “hops” (beer will be involved) forward to 1669 and the Alchemist, Hennig Brant, who was searching for the philosopher’s stone using urine from a biergarten, and accidentally discovered the element phosphorus (P), which he THOUGHT was the philosopher’s stone because it glowed in the dark and caught fire a lot when exposed to air.
What this episode covers
In this episode of the Periodic Table of DEATH and Mystery, we will initially immerse ourselves in 12th-century urine (sorry), then “hops” (beer will be involved) forward to 1669 and the Alchemist, Hennig Brant, who was searching for the philosopher’s stone using urine from a biergarten, and accidentally discovered the element phosphorus (P), which he THOUGHT was the philosopher’s stone because it glowed in the dark and caught fire a lot when exposed to air.
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Phosphorus, Alchemy, and the Periodic Table of Death and Mystery (Part 1)
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