Litmus Paper: The Alchemist's TestHow a simple tool connects us to a medieval innovator.

From the show

The Secret Life of Objects

That simple piece of litmus paper from high school chemistry has a surprisingly deep and strange history. It was developed around 1300 AD by Arnaldus de Villa Nova, a controversial Spanish physician and alchemist who navigated the worlds of popes, kings, and heresy. This story connects a common piece of lab equipment to its medieval inventor, revealing the fascinating origins of a foundational concept in modern chemistry.