Many take aluminum for granted since the material is used in a wide variety of consumer goods like soda cans, smart phone bodies, kitchenware, wires, sculptures, and furniture. However, in the 19th century, aluminum cost more than gold and silver because it was so expensive to refine. Over the last 150 years, scientists have worked [...]

These metals were known to the Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Greeks and the Romans. Of the seven metals, five can be found in their native states - gold, silver, copper, iron (from meteors) and mercury. However these metals were not abundant, and the first two metals to be used widely were gold and copper. Gold, circa [...]