Osmium

super dense · rare metal · platinum group · chemistry

Heaviest element. Osmium is the densest naturally occurring element in the world. A piece of osmium the size of a marble would weigh as much as a bowling ball!

Stinky oxide. When osmium combines with oxygen to form osmium tetroxide, it creates a terrible smell. The scientist who discovered it in 1803, Smithson Tennant, named the element after this characteristic stench.

Super rare. Osmium is one of the least abundant elements in Earth's crust, making it incredibly hard to find. It usually appears mixed with other platinum group metals in ores of copper and nickel.

Hard and brittle. Osmium is a tough, bluish-white metal that breaks easily if you bend it the wrong way. This makes it tricky to work with, even though it's so strong.