Bismuth is an unusual element that we don't encounter much in everyday life. But this pretty, iridescent metal, found near the bottom of the periodic table, exhibits some extraordinary properties.

(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of researchers at Princeton University's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center has observed electrons moving through a crystal of bismuth metal behaving like light.

An element that occurs native in small quantities, but is generally obtained as a by-product in the refining of lead, copper, tin, silver and gold ores (American Bismuth). It can also be extracted ...

LONDON (Reuters) -The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency is planning to buy more than five million pounds of bismuth metal over the next five years to secure supplies of the material last held in the ...

Bismuth is a very odd metal that you see in cosmetic pigments and as a replacement for lead, since it is less toxic. You will also see it — or an alloy — in fire sprinklers since it melts readily.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Mineral bismuth close-up, full size image above 4K. Bismuth is an unusual element that we don't encounter much in everyday life.