Month: May 2024

Secret of radioactive ‘promethium’ – a rare earth element with mysterious applications – revealed after 80 years of searching

Scientists have revealed the essential properties of a mysterious radioactive substance for the first time promethium — nearly eight decades after the elusive rare earth element was discovered. Promethium is one of the 15 lanthanide elements at the bottom of the periodic table. Also known as rare earths, these metals exhibit a number of useful properties, including …