More info:
The name of the element osmium is derived from the Greek word 'osme' which means 'smell' because of the ashy and smoky smell of osmium tetroxide. Osmium is the least abundant stable element in the Earth's crust and is therefore very expensive. It is an exceptionally hard durable metal and has been used in alloys for small items such as electrical contacts, nibs of fountain pens and instrument pivots. Some osmium compounds are useful catalysts for a variety of reactions and some have been shown to exhibit anti-cancer activity. Osmium has no known biological role and is not toxic in elemental form but its oxide, osmium tetroxide, is an extremely toxic and volatile solid.
More info about the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT) in crystals project:
This project (#IYPTCrystals) is part of the International Year of the Periodic Table celebration (#IYPT2019), read more about the project here. You can follow us on social media using #IYPTCrystals and learn more about the wonders of crystals by following the CCDC on Twitter @ccdc_cambridge on Facebook ccdc.cambridge, on Instagram ccdc_cambridge or on YouTube CCDCCambridge.
If you want to find out more about some of the terms and concepts we have a Frequently Asked Questions Page.