Neon
John Emsley looks at the element that shines brightly and keeps cool but continues to puzzle
Neon is the fifth most common element in the universe, and is formed by helium and oxygen nuclei fusing. It is found both in our atmosphere and in Jupiter's. On Earth it is found in tiny quantities in the air (18 ppm), sea water (0.2 ppm), and in the crust (70 ppt). To find any in the crust is unexpected for a noble gas, but in 1909 the French geologist Armand Gautie collected gas bubbling up from fumaroles near Vesuvius and hot springs near Naples, that contained neon.
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