One of history's leading 16th-century astronomers, Tycho Brahe, was also an alchemist who kept the secrets of that pursuit under wraps. Researchers found that Brahe regularly consumed gold and wanted to learn more about the chemical substances he used in his laboratory on the Swedish island of Ven. Shards of glass and ceramic from the lab's remains were examined to uncover the elements and elixirs Brahe was working with.
While many typical alchemical elements were found, the presence of tungsten was particularly puzzling. Tungsten, a metal not isolated until nearly 200 years later, was a surprising discovery in Brahe's possession. Brahe, unlike all alchemists, was focused on the medical applications of elements. He had medicines for treating various diseases, but his recipes and research were kept secret.
