Tycho Brahe literally had GOLDEN hair: Famed astronomer's exposure to the metal in his lab transformed his locks - but did it kill him?

• Tycho Brahe died suddenly in 1601, but the cause remains unknown 
• A new analysis shows that he had high amounts of gold in his hair 
• Researchers think it may have come from the lab where he worked
• But they say the precious metal is probably unrelated to his death 

Famed as the founder of modern astronomy, Tycho Brahe truly lived a gilded life, according to researchers who have analysed his hair.

Traces of gold have been discovered in Brahe's hair, in quantities of up to 100 times higher than would be expected in a typical person.

Researchers had hoped that their study would give clues as to how the astronomer died, but say that the gold content in his hair was unrelated.

Traces of gold have been discovered in Tycho Brahe's hair, in quantities of up to 100 times higher than would be expected in a typical person

WHO WAS TYCHO BRAHE? 

Tycho Brahe was born in Denmark in 1546.

His work in developing astronomical instruments and in measuring and fixing the positions of stars paved the way for future discoveries.

His observations - the most accurate possible before the invention of the telescope - included a comprehensive study of the solar system and accurate positions of more than 777 fixed stars.

Brahe died suddenly in 1601, and the cause of his death remains unexplained today. 

Tycho Brahe lived in Denmark in the 16th century, and spent his career charting the laws of planetary motion.

With his precise measurements, the astronomer destroyed centuries-old theories on such phenomena as celestial spheres and comets.

Little was known about his sudden death in 1601, until 2010, when a team of international scientists began the exhumation of his body from its tomb in the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn near Prague's Old Town Square.

Now, researchers from the University of South Denmark have analysed Brahe's hair, in the hopes of obtaining clues on his death.

The team analysed pieces of hair from Brahe's scalp, beard and eyebrows, and discovered traces of gold - 20-100 times higher than a normal person.

Natural sources of gold, such as soil or water, do not provide this high a level of exposure, which the researchers say means that Brahe must have been regularly exposed to gold in his everyday life.