Although ytterbium was named by the Swiss chemist Jean de Marignac in 1878, his ‘element’ was subsequently split into two in 1905: ytterbium and lutetium. The atomic weight of the ‘new’ ytterbium was later published in 1907 — so when was ytterbium actually discovered? The story begins on 13 June 1726, more than 150 years before it first received its name. On that date an agreement was signed al...