Phosphorus was first discovered by people looking for riches in urine, explains a video by the American Chemical Society’s Reactions series. Seventeenth century alchemists thought urine, with its golden color, might help them turn other substances into gold. When they boiled off the liquid, they got a white glow-in-the-dark substance: phosphorus. The element is a key component of organic molecules and of modern products such as matches and fertilizers.
(Video credit: American Chemical Society/Reactions)
Story source: bit.ly/1LDhexJ
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