Civilization is the process of setting man free from men.
—Ayn Rand. The Fountainhead. 1943
Aqua regia (from Latin “royal water”), a mixture of three parts of hydrochloric acid and one part of nitric acid, is the only chemical substance with a unique and remarkable ability to dissolve precious metals such as gold and platinum. I am sure there are a lot of amusing tales related to aqua regia, but there is one interesting story that I think is somewhat related to our topic, not directly, of course.
When the Nazis occupied Denmark ...
