OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — Scientists with the Oak Ridge National Lab have discovered some properties of a rare element: promethium. It was first discovered 80 years ago at the very same laboratory.
Promethium was discovered in 1945 at Clinton Laboratories, now ORNL, and was named after the mythological Greek Titan who gave fire to humans.
This element's new properties can lead to new pathways in medicine and space travel. Some of its properties have remained tricky despite the rare earth element’s use in medical studies and long-lived nuclear batteries, according to a release from ORNL.
“The whole idea was to explore this very rare element to gain new knowledge,” Alex Ivanov, an ORNL scientist who co-led the research, said. “Once we realized it was discovered at this national lab and the place where we work, we felt an obligation to conduct this research to uphold the ORNL legacy.”
You can read more on the element here.