The discovery of elemental phosphorus by Hennig Brandt of Hamburg in 1669. He was an alchemist and it was left to Robert Boyle in London to investigate it scientifically. Boyle reported the behaviour and reactions of elemental phosphorus in a manner we now realise was that of a real chemist and rightly he is regarded as the father of chemistry.

Dr John Emsley is author of Vanity, Vitality & Virility (buy this book from Amazon(UK)) and Elements of Murder (buy this book from Amazon(UK)).