People walking by graveyards at night have often reported sighting strange lights there. Many superstitions have originated out of such phenomena in the past. Such visions would certainly frighten people, if they did not know what caused it. White phosphorus deposited on the ground due to the decomposition of bodies is what causes this scary sight.
Phosphorus has many crystal structures. White and red phosphorus structures are the most common among them. White phosphorus has a special characteristic: it glows in the dark. It will spontaneously ignite producing a peculiar glow when it comes in contact with air. And for this reason, it is used in fireworks and explosives.
Phosphorus was the thirteenth element to be discovered. Number 13 being considered inauspicious, the element is sometimes called the ‘devil’s element’. Its glowing nature also adds to it notoriety.
According to a study conducted in 2013 in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, phosphorus may have been brought to the Earth by meteorites. The study concluded that around 3.5 billion years ago, the element was abundant on Earth.
Phosphorus is never found on Earth as a free element, because it is highly reactive. It is generally found in minerals. Phosphorus has an important role in the life of organisms as it is found in living cells, including nervous tissues, and bones. Its atomic number is 15, and the symbol is P.
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