The Man Behind the Flame

While the Bunsen burner bears his name, Robert Bunsen actually hated the device. He preferred the spectral analysis of starlight and elements, leading to his discovery of two new chemical elements.

Bunsen famously insisted that the burner was invented by his laboratory assistant, Peter Desaga, rather than himself. His true scientific obsession was light, which he studied by burning chemicals to identify their unique colors. This breakthrough allowed him and Gustav Kirchhoff to discover cesium and rubidium by spotting their signature hues. It is a strange irony that a man who unlocked the secrets of the stars is now known primarily for a simple piece of school lab equipment.