the.com/beryllium
the spacecraft metal so toxic that breathing its dust can kill your lungs decades later
means A lightweight, stiff, steely-grey metallic element (symbol Be, atomic number 4) prized in aerospace and X-ray equipment, but dangerous to inhale.
from Named in the 19th century after the mineral beryl, from which it was first isolated. "Beryl" comes through Latin beryllus and Greek beryllos, a term for the blue-green gemstone, and is thought to trace back to an Indian source language—possibly related to the Sanskrit vaidurya, the name of a precious stone. Curiously, the same beryl root gives us the German Brille and the word "brilliant," since early eyeglass lenses were ground from clear beryl.
- transparent to X-rays
- used as windows in X-ray machines
- lighter than aluminum
- yet stiffer than steel by weight
- gemstone family
- emeralds and aquamarine are beryllium crystals
- webb telescope
- its 18 mirrors are gold-coated beryllium
- chronic disease
- inhaled dust causes incurable berylliosis
beryllium copper alloys — used in aerospace and electronics; beryllium content typically 1-2% increases strength and conductivity
beryllium oxide ceramics — thermal conductivity of 218 w/m·k makes it ideal for heat sinks in high-power electronics
beryllium in the sun — formed in the big bang and stellar processes; makes up about 0.00000006% of solar mass