Smithson Tennant

In 1803 Smithson Tennant, in London, looked at the black residue left when platinum dissolves in acid, which others took for graphite, and found two new metals. He named one osmium, from the Greek for smell, for the sharp odour of its oxide.

In 1803 Smithson Tennant found two new metals in the black residue left when platinum dissolves in acid. He named one iridium, after Iris, goddess of the rainbow, because its salts came in so many colours.