The Devil's Element

Phosphorus: The Devil's Element Phosphorus,

a vital plant nutrient, is also known as the 'Devil's Element'.

Its eerie glow, tendency to burst into

flames, and its toxic properties earn it this nickname.

In 1669, German alchemist

Hennig Brandt discovered phosphorus while seeking the philosopher's stone.

He didn't find the elixir of life, but he stumbled upon something remarkable.

He boiled his own urine and isolated a white, waxy solid.

In the dark, it glowed with an eerie green light.

Phosphorus comes in different forms, each assuming a unique color.

There's white phosphorus, red, violet,

black, and even pink. White

phosphorus was the first to be identified and is the

most reactive, volatile, and toxic of the allotropes.

Phosphorus has practical applications too.

A small amount of red phosphorus on a matchstick's hitting

surface ignites when lit. The

ease with which phosphorus catches fire led to its use

in matches, a major advancement in the 19th century.

But phosphorus has a dark side.

Its flammability and toxicity can be dangerous.

The first use of it in warfare was during WWI.

It can cause deep burns, penetrating even through to the

bone, it has been known to reignite even after treatment.

It has been used in the Vietnam war, Korean War,

and World War II, and even in Iraq.

Even though Protocol III of the 1980 Convention on

Certain Conventional Weapons prohibits incendiaries or

the use of other substances to attack civilian populations.

The Bush administration used White phosphorus during the assault

on Fallujah in 2004. Israel used

White phosphorus in 2008, 2013, and

again in 2023 in Southern Lebanon and in Gaza.

It is important to note that it is restricted under international humanitarian law.

It is permitted for use as a smokescreen.

The Chemical is not covered by the Convention on Chemical

Weapons which entered into force in 1997.

In 1972, the United Nations General Assembly

passed a resolution calling incendiary weapons a "category of

arms viewed with horror." In poorly

ventilated factories, workers exposed to phosphorus

fumes suffered from 'phossy jaw', a painful

condition that led to tooth loss, facial swelling, and

abscesses along the jaw.

Because Phosphorus is an essential part of life.

It holds our DNA together, strengthens our bones, and

carries out fundamental chemical reactions within our cells.

Yet, it's also a dangerous element, associated with

alchemists, glowing skulls, and spontaneous human combustion.

This duality makes phosphorus a fascinating, devilish, element.

Famous alchemists in modern history can be found at the

Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory in San Francisco, US.

They use a cyclotron, a particle accelerator, to make the

elements on a daily basis to conduct further experiments.

They are often found in the fields of nuclear and particle physics.

They can create elements within nuclear reactors by

irradiating either platinum, or mercury.

Because of its toxicity, many uses of mercury are being

phased out are under review.

However, in 1830 amalgam fillings were introduced

to the USA, numerous harmful effects were widely reported.

Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin, creating neurological

conditions, mental health disorders, autoimmune

conditions, allergic reactions and poisonings of organs.

Mercury the god of travelers, boundaries, luck, trickery, and thieves.

He also serves as the guide of souls to the

underworld and is often referred to as the 'messenger of

the gods.' He is often depicted holding the

caduceus in his left hand, (magic wand) intertwined with snakes.

Modern-day alchemy focuses on carrying out the ancient

alchemical practices on the human spirit rather than base metals.

Your spirit is much more valuable.

Are you still sleeping?