Tungsten

metal · element · strong · industrial

Element number 74. Tungsten is a chemical element with the symbol W. Scientists figured out it was its own special element way back in 1781, and they first managed to isolate it as pure metal just two years later in 1783.

Lightbulb champion. Tungsten's claim to fame is that it has the highest melting point of any metal on Earth. This means it can handle extreme heat without melting, which is perfect for making the glowing filaments inside old-fashioned lightbulbs.

Found in nature. You can't find tungsten lying around by itself. It's always locked up in compounds with other elements, hidden away in ores like scheelite and wolframite in the ground.

Super strong and useful. Because tungsten is one of the strongest metals we know, it gets used in all sorts of tough jobs like cutting tools, welding rods, and even parts of rockets and missiles that need to survive extreme conditions.

Named after Swedish rocks. The name tungsten actually comes from a Swedish term meaning 'heavy stone,' but scientists also call it by its alternative name that comes from wolframite, one of the main minerals where it's found.