Discoveries from the remains of an ancient laboratory are unveiling the hidden practices of a renowned scientist. This astronomer, famous for his groundbreaking observations of supernovas and early support of the heliocentric model, also delved into the world of alchemy. Rather than pursuing the mythical transformation of base metals into gold, he focused on creating elixirs like the medicamenta tria – a blend of herbs and metals with mysterious healing properties. Despite his secrecy, chemist Kaare Lund Rasmussen of the University of Southern Denmark in Odense has shed light on these enigmatic concoctions. Through the analysis of artifacts found in Brahe’s lab on the Swedish island of Ven, Rasmussen uncovered traces of mercury, copper, antimony, and gold – key components of the medicamenta tria.
2024-08-02 10:00:00
Original article from www.sciencenews.org