11 Fascinating Fun Facts About the Mercury Element You Won't Believe!

1. Metal Thermometer Party

Mercury isn't just an ex-member of the A-Team, a legendary queen frontman, or a speedy Roman god; in its metallic element, it's the life of every thermometer party, making fellow metals go, "Well, that escalated fluidly": Among metals that can be liquid at room temperature, mercury sure steals the spotlight, but it's not alone as the alkali metals, like sodium and potassium, can also be found partying liquid-style, thanks to their low melting points.
Source => royalsociety.org.nz

2. Mercury's Planetary Runway

If Mercury were to strut its tiny little self onto the planetary runway, it would make even the tiniest of moons blush with envy: Being the smallest planet in our solar system, it proudly sports a modest diameter of 4879 kilometers, outshining some moons in size, and boasting the highest density of heavy metal-rocking elements like iron and nickel. As a true rock star, Mercury rocks a surface covered in craters, boldly showing off its lack of protection from its non-existent atmospheric entourage.
Source => coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu

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=> Fun Facts about Magnesium

3. Quicksilver Heartthrob

Mercury, the quicksilver heartthrob of the periodic table, casually making metalhead Iron and stony-faced Stone weep with envy: This silvery superstar is so dense that it can support the weight of solid objects like stone and iron, allowing them to float on its surface, thanks to being a whopping 13.6 times heavier than an equal volume of water!
Source => nature.berkeley.edu

4. Fahrenheit's Feverish Invention

Feeling feverish? Blame Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit and his 1714 invention: the once-common mercury-in-glass thermometer has since been ditched by many countries due to its toxic tendencies, with a complete ban on mercury thermometers for medical use in place as of 2012.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Mad Hatter's Mercury Madness

Did you know the infamous "Mad Hatter" might have been mad about mercury? This liquid metal's craze for making fabulous top hats once caused quite a stir among hatmakers: Nowadays, mercury poisoning in the U.S. is mainly due to consuming large quantities of certain fish, rather than stirring fancy hats with heavy metals.
Source => healthline.com

6. Kissing Syphilis Goodbye

Before Cupid's deadly arrows were treated with "penicillin potions", people tried to kiss syphilis goodbye with a side of Hg: Mercury once served as a medication for this notorious sexually transmitted infection, causing immense suffering and even fatalities, eventually replaced by the life-saving discovery of penicillin in the mid-20th century.
Source => pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

7. Matchmaker Mercury

Mercury, the element known for frequenting thermometers and being a hoot at parties, has a lesser-known hobby: it loves playing matchmaker for the likes of gold, silver, and aluminum, creating cute little stable couples we scientists call amalgams: Surprisingly, this metal Cupid is quite choosy with its own relationships and is less reactive, having a tough time giving up its valence electrons, making it an oddly reserved elemental ambassador of love and chemistry.
Source => education.seattlepi.com

8. Cool Pool Party Avoider

Ever wonder why Mercury doesn't attend pool parties? It's just too cool to dive right in! Unlike your average party dipper, this metal proudly struts its superior surface tension: Mercury's bonds are so fiercely strong that they make its surface tension a stunning 15 times higher than water's, effortlessly forming a "skin" that deters crashing objects and maintaining a spherical shape. Talk about making a splash—without even touching the water!
Source => chem.libretexts.org

9. Mercury's Medicinal Side

Whoever said "laughter is the best medicine" clearly never met our metallic buddy Mercury; turns out, they've got their own healing ways: Mercury can be found in some medical devices, along with batteries and fluorescent light bulbs, making proper disposal of these items essential for preventing environmental contamination.
Source => epa.gov

10. Beethoven & Lincoln's Toxic Mishap

Little did Beethoven and Lincoln know, playing with mercury wasn't exactly a rocking good time: Mercury was historically used as a treatment for syphilis but led to unintentional mercury poisoning in many, including these famous figures.
Source => sciencemadness.org

11. Liquid Metal Man Superhero

If Mercury were a superhero, it would be "Liquid Metal Man": the only metallic element that remains liquid at room temperature! This fascinating shapeshifter has been used in thermometers, barometers, and even funky, fluorescent lamps, but as they always say, with great power comes great responsibility: its pesky toxicity has led to a slow-motion breakup with some of its favorite applications.
Source => en.wikipedia.org