Polonium's atomic number is 84 and its symbol is Po. It is a rare and highly radioactive metal with no stable isotopes; its natural occurrence is limited to tiny traces of the fleeting polonium-210 (with a half-life of 138 days) in uranium ores. Due to its intense radioactivity, which results in the radiolysis of chemical bonds and radioactive self-heating, its chemistry has mostly been investigated on the trace scale only. Discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie and named after their homeland, Poland. It was extracted from the uranium ore and identified solely by its strong radioactivity; it was the first element to be discovered this way. Polonium has few applications, and those are related to its radioactivity: heaters in space probes, antistatic devices, sources of neutrons and alpha particles, and poison. This display is contained within crystal clear Lucite acrylic. Please note this product is US-only. International shipping is unavailable for the time-being.
