Magnesium

By John Emsley2008-07-01T00:00:00

Source: Murray Robertson/Visual Elements

Once the destroyer of cities, magnesium is now an energy saver

The summer of 1618 saw England gripped by drought, but as Henry Wicker, a local cowherd, walked across Epsom Common he came across a pool of water from which his thirsty cattle refused to drink. The water tasted bitter and on evaporation yielded a salt which had a remarkable effect: it was a laxative. This became the famous Epsom's salts (magnesium sulfate, MgSO₄) and a treatment for constipation for the next 350 years.

From it's humble beginning, John Emsley explores the journey of Magnesium.

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