# least useful chemical element **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2006, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078 "2006-05-02T08:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/21 "2006-05-02T22:32:06Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > What a spiffy little tune. I’ll have to file it alongside the Alphabet Song in my mind so that I can easily call up the name of any of the elements on demand. 😉 As the song says, “there may be many others, but they haven’t been discovered.” (or discahvered) Well, since the time that song was written, many others HAVE been discovered. Just so you know, it’s not a complete list. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/22 "2006-05-02T22:38:21Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > But **techentium** is an important radioactive tag in medical imaging. And so is **thallium** for that matter. [Here](http://www.webmd.com/hw/heart_disease/hw234936.asp). What can a technetium scan do that a thallium scan can’t? And why does Tc have to clutter up the periodic table with its radioactive presence in the midst of all those other stable elements? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/23 "2006-05-02T22:52:22Z")
Perhaps you’ve heard of the [Periodic Table table?](http://www.theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/index.html) It was made by one of the founders/creators of Mathematica. It’s an interactive website, that allows you to explore his collection of all the elements. He has a write up for each element, and what they are commonly used for in today’s industry. Fascinating site… and awesome table. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/24 "2006-05-02T23:15:17Z")
> [@Neidhart](#): > > Scandium (21) seems to exist only to take up space in the periodic table. Hey, don’t badmouth scandium! Used in aluminum alloys to give a bike frame a supposedly “steel like” feel (that’s a good thing). [http://www.ciclisport.com/index.php?option=com\_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=27](http://www.ciclisport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=27) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/25 "2006-05-02T23:15:52Z")
Is osmium useful for anything? Other than as the answer to the question “what’s the most dense element?” ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/26 "2006-05-02T23:21:19Z")
Osmium tetroxide is a common stain used in [electron microscopy.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_microscope) ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/27 "2006-05-02T23:24:23Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Is osmium useful for anything? Other than as the answer to the question “what’s the most dense element?” Iridium, bitch! (I’m just saying. They’re both candidates.) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/28 "2006-05-02T23:24:40Z")
OK, since we’re now touting our favourite versions of the periodic table, heres [mine](http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/lookaroundyou/series1/periodic.shtml) - from the BBC spoof schools science programme _Look Around You_. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/29 "2006-05-02T23:47:06Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Iridium, bitch! I’ve got iridium in the nib of my fountain pen. Next. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/30 "2006-05-02T23:52:38Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > I’ve got iridium in the nib of my fountain pen. Next. Huh? I wasn’t saying iridium wasn’t useful. I was saying it’s as dense as (or possibly denser than) osmium. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/31 "2006-05-03T02:02:12Z")
Anti-Hydrogen, which I beleive is created in supernova explosions, which we have no use for to date. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/32 "2006-05-03T02:04:43Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Perhaps you’ve heard of the [Periodic Table table?](http://www.theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/index.html) > > It was made by one of the founders/creators of Mathematica. It’s an interactive website, that allows you to explore his collection of all the elements. He has a write up for each element, and what they are commonly used for in today’s industry. Fascinating site… and awesome table. Ahem. See post #9. And it’s the _wooden_ Periodic Table table. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/33 "2006-05-03T06:22:09Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Anti-Hydrogen, which I beleive is created in supernova explosions, which we have no use for to date. I doubt that actual anti-hydrogen is produced in a supernova. Positrons and anti-protons, yes. But do they get together and form anti-hydrogen atoms? [Anti-hydrogen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-hydrogen) has been made at CERN in minute amounts. But the OP asked about naturally occuring elements, so I don’t think it counts. It certainly isn’t naturally occuring on Earth. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/34 "2006-05-03T06:45:52Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Is osmium useful for anything? Other than as the answer to the question “what’s the most dense element?” Osmic acid also makes vic-diols out of double bonds. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/35 "2006-05-03T07:04:12Z")
> [@chaoticbear](#): > > Osmic acid also makes vic-diols out of double bonds. Is that good? ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/36 "2006-05-03T07:25:00Z")
Yes. Industrial organic chemistry. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/37 "2006-05-03T13:37:18Z")
> [@chaoticbear](#): > > Osmic acid also makes vic-diols out of double bonds. I’m used to thinking of OsO4 cleaving double bonds to carbonyls first and then they wouldn’t be vicinal diols anyway. What’s the conditions for the formation of vic-diols? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/38 "2006-05-03T14:10:05Z")
Sorry, I’m an idiot and realized it in the shower. Of course. OsO4 creates the epoxide and then it’s popped open making the vicinal diol. It’s early and I was thinking of periodic acid. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/39 "2006-05-03T14:58:25Z")
[Europium](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europium) > [@](#): > > There are no commercial applications for europium metal > Europium oxide (Eu2O3) is widely used as a red phosphor in television sets That’s about it for europium. I think we could live without it. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078/40 "2006-05-03T15:12:36Z")
Back in 11th grade chemisty, I got randomly assigned Thulium (a blind pick out of a hat) in a “write a research paper about an element” assignment. It was _really_ hard to meet the length requirement. I can still remember many of the papers I wrote in high school (15 years on now), but I’ve blocked that one from my memory… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-useful-chemical-element/355078.md?page=3)