In the Middle Ages, alchemists were notoriously secretive and didn't share their knowledge with others. Danish Tycho Brahe was no exception. Consequently, we don't know precisely what he did in the alchemical laboratory located beneath his combined residence and observatory, Uraniborg, on the now Swedish island of Ven. Only a few of his alchemical recipes have survived, and today, there are very few remnants of his laboratory. Uraniborg was demolished after his death in 1601, and the building materials were scattered for reuse. However, during an excavation in 1988-1990, some pottery and glass shards were found in Uraniborg's old garden. These shards were believed to originate from the basement's alchemical laboratory. Five of these shards - four glass and one ceramic - have now undergone chemical analyses to determine which elements the original glass and ceramic containers came into contact with. Tycho the Psycho? Meet One of History’s Maddest Scientific Minds Ever! Who was Tycho Brahe? Astronomy with a Naked Eye (and a Missing Nose) Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyHistoryFamous PeopleRead Later