# Most Useless Element **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 4, 2001, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763 "2001-12-04T02:41:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/21 "2001-12-04T08:31:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WEW \* > \*\*I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t remember the last time I knowingly used Tantalum. \*\* They make the best capacitors! ---
**Author:** ![Ace\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Ace\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace_Face)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/22 "2001-12-04T08:33:28Z")
Maybe sulfur is useful for something… but damn it smells _bad_. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/23 "2001-12-04T08:44:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Popup \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by WEW \* > > I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t remember the last time I knowingly used Tantalum. > > They make the best capacitors! Used in cellphones, laptop computers, pagers, and PDAs. Now you know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ogmios](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/58956e/32.png) [@ogmios](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ogmios)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/24 "2001-12-04T09:23:42Z")
Disqualifying artificial elements and those that are incredibly rare (Francium, Protactinium), I propose Holmium. -og ---
**Author:** ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/25 "2001-12-04T10:00:17Z")
[Administratium.](http://www.laughnet.net/archive/career/newelem.htm) ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/26 "2001-12-04T11:18:57Z")
Since there’s no single right answer, I’ll move this to MPSIMS bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/27 "2001-12-04T14:37:16Z")
Gold. Completely worthless. Send whatever you’ve got to me and I’ll make sure it’s disposed of properly. Or silver, that’s pretty useless too… ---
**Author:** ![Kwyjibo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kwyjibo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kwyjibo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/28 "2001-12-04T14:56:09Z")
**Lawrencium** Rarest of the rare elements. With your 103 protons/electrons and 159 neutrons. What’s that? You want me to _eat_ you? But I’m in the middle of a post! * * * Hello, Ghiorso? I’m feeling tempted again… ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/29 "2001-12-04T16:38:57Z")
My vote is for **Protactinium**. Toxic and radioactive and no known use as far as I can tell. It is naturally occurring, but incredibly rare and expensive. It is obtainable in gram quantities if you’ve got enough money. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/30 "2001-12-04T17:08:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rowrrbazzle \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Popup \* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by WEW \* > > > I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t remember the last time I knowingly used Tantalum. > > > > They make the best capacitors! > > Used in cellphones, laptop computers, pagers, and PDAs. Now you know. 🙂 \*\* And lots of people are [dying](http://thinker.mytoday.de/Tantalum-STimes.htm) because of it. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763/31 "2001-12-04T21:31:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*Gold. Completely worthless. Send whatever you’ve got to me and I’ll make sure it’s disposed of properly. > > Or silver, that’s pretty useless too… \*\* /Burl Ives voice/ Silver and Gold… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-element/96763.md?page=1)