Steel: The Truth and the Laws of Genetics

"Carbon Element?"

Paul wore an exaggeratedly curious expression.

Tennyson came over to Paul and laid a stack of papers on the table.

Paul quickly skimmed through them. They were filled with dense writing, detailing the alchemists' experimental procedures.

What moved him was that they already showed the beginnings of laboratory science—new methods such as controlling variables and conducting controlled experiments.

"We conducted countless experiments and can finally confirm that your doubts about phlogiston were correct. In reality, no such thing as phlogiston escaping occurs when metals are calcined. Instead, certain substances in the air combine with the metal, which is why the metal ash becomes heavier."

Tennyson pointed at the papers and began explaining them to Paul section by section.

"We'll temporarily call this substance oxygen, but it still isn't the key substance that turns iron into steel."

"So we focused on the additive used in steelmaking—charcoal powder."

"During the process of turning iron into steel, something in the charcoal changes the properties of the metal."

"So we continued experimenting..."

Tennyson spoke so quickly that Paul had to listen with rapt attention.

"...We also studied other substances, such as coal and even diamonds. That cost us quite a bit of money, and we used the high temperatures produced by a Convex Lens to burn them."

"The gases produced in these experiments created the same reaction when mixed with limewater..."

"...In the end, we concluded that these substances, including charcoal, contain a certain common simple substance—a form of matter that cannot be decomposed into anything else. Given the breadth of your knowledge, it should be easy for you to understand what this means—or rather, an element. We'll call it Carbon Element."

"Carbon is the key factor in turning iron into steel."

Tennyson abandoned his earlier restraint and waved both arms excitedly.