Favorite Scientist #1
Karl Scheele. A poor Swedish pharmacist who moonlighted as a chemist, Scheele would have rocked the world of science if he spoke english. Instead, he discovered eight elements (and some of them real superstar elements including Chlorine, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and the ever popular Tungsten) without getting any credit. Scheele also pioneered the use of phosphorus matches and chlorine as a bleach. Karl's real tragic flaw wasn't his lack of ability to publish his findings in english, his true foible was his desire to taste a little of all the chemicals he worked with... Including mercury, and several kinds of acid. At the age of 43 (in 1786) he was found dead in his makeshift lab, surrounded by a plethora of chemicals, any one of which could have done him in as they were each lethal to the drop.