1858-1929

Austrian chemist who invented the gas lantern mantle, discovered an alloy of cerium and iron (mischmetal) used in cigarette lighter flints, and invented the osmium lamp. The gas lantern mantle, commonly used in camping lanterns, uses metals impregnated into cloth fibers to give a brilliant light when heated by burning gas. All of these inventions use the properties of metals for illumination of some sort.