Beryllium

By John Emsley2015-11-06T00:00:00

Source: © Jan Sochor/Alamy Stock Photo

Sometimes beautiful, sometimes useful, always deadly

This element is a rarity in the universe. It wasn’t formed during the Big Bang and isn’t even formed in the nuclear furnaces of stars. In fact, beryllium is only made in supernova explosions. But being rare isn’t its only compelling feature – it’s also responsible for incredible treasure, a Nobel prize and glimpses into deep, dark space.

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