Origins & Early Life

Carl Wilhelm Scheele (German: [ˈʃeːlə], Swedish: [ˈɧêːlɛ]; 9 December 1742 – 21 May 1786) was a German-Swedish pharmaceutical chemist. Scheele discovered oxygen (although Joseph Priestley published his findings first), and identified the elements molybdenum, tungsten, barium, nitrogen, and chlorine, among others. Scheele discovered organic acids tartaric, oxalic, uric, lactic, and citric, as well as hydrofluoric, hydrocyanic, and arsenic acids. He preferred speaking German to Swedish his whole life, as German was commonly spoken among Swedish pharmacists.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Doctors said that he died of mercury poisoning, having spent his life working as a chemist. Scheele was born in Stralsund, in western Pomerania, which at the time was a Swedish Dominion inside the Holy Roman Empire. Scheele's father, Joachim (or Johann) Christian Scheele, was a grain dealer and brewer from a respected Pomeranian family. His mother was Margaretha Eleanore Warnekros. Friends of Scheele's parents taught him the art of reading prescriptions and the meaning of chemical and pharmaceutical signs.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Then, in 1757, at the age of fourteen, Carl was sent to Gothenburg as an apprentice pharmacist to another family...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Edmond Halley — Contemporary (Died in 1742) (1742): Pioneering astronomer, mathematician, and physicist known for comet prediction.
• Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher — Contemporary (Born in 1742) (1742): Prussian Field Marshal renowned for his leadership against Napoleon at Leipzig and Waterloo.
• Georg Christoph Lichtenberg — Contemporary (Born in 1742) (1742): Pioneering German physicist, satirist, and discoverer of Lichtenberg figures.
• Bernardo de Gálvez — Contemporary (Died in 1786) (1786): Spanish military leader and colonial governor instrumental in securing Spanish territories.
• Frederick the Great — Contemporary (Died in 1786) (1786): King of Prussia, military genius, and Enlightenment patron who transformed his nation.
• Kim Chŏnghŭi — Contemporary (Born in 1786) (1786): Master calligrapher and epigraphist of the late Joseon Dynasty.
• Al-Biruni — Shared historical date (12-09 · Died) (1048): Khwarazmian polymath, pioneering in science, history, and comparative religion.
• Alexandros Papagos — Shared historical date (12-09 · Born) (1883): Greek military leader and politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece (1952-1955).
• Alasdair MacIntyre — Shared historical date (05-21 · Died) (2025): Influential Scottish-American philosopher known for virtue ethics and political theory.
• Albrecht Dürer — Shared historical date (05-21 · Born) (1471): Master of the German Renaissance, renowned painter, printmaker, and theorist.
• 1742 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1742
• December 9 (12-09) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 9
• 1786 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1786
• May 21 (05-21) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 21