How was phosphorus first discovered?
Phosphorus was discovered by the German alchemist Hennig Brand in 1669. Brand was attempting to make the Philosopher's Stone, a mythical substance believed to be capable of turning base metals into gold and providing eternal youth.

Brand believed that the key to creating the Philosopher's Stone lay in urine, which he believed contained a vital life force. He collected large quantities of urine and let it sit until it putrefied, and then distilled the resulting liquid in search of the "life force."

During one of his experiments, Brand observed a waxy substance that glowed in the dark and burned brightly. He called the substance "cold fire" and sent samples to other alchemists for analysis. One of these alchemists, Robert Boyle, recognized the importance of Brand's discovery and named the substance "phosphorus" after the Greek word for "light-bearer."

Phosphorus quickly became a subject of great interest to scientists and alchemists, who believed it held the key to many mysteries of the natural world. Today, phosphorus is an important element in many industrial and agricultural applications, including fertilizers, detergents, and explosives.