The price of diamonds can vary greatly depending on size, cut, color, and other factors, including whether they have a history. But because of the rarity of blue boron diamonds, they often fetch more money than gems of similar quality. Sam Kean blueboroncolor share on social
Scientists have continued to tinker with different elements and have learned new ways to store and deliver energy. Sam Kean continuedeliverelement Change image and share on social
Your body thinks radium is a great thing to pack into bone - where it kills some cells outright and scrambles the DNA of others, causing problems like cancer. Sam Kean bodybonecancer Change image and share on social
Most stars just fuse hydrogen into helium, but larger stars can fuse helium into other elements. Still larger stars, in turn, fuse those elements into slightly bigger ones, and so on. Sam Kean bigelementfuse Change image and share on social
Despite the disreputable company it keeps, bismuth is harmless. In fact, it's medicinal: Doctors prescribe it to soothe ulcers, and it's the 'bis' in hot-pink Pepto-Bismol. Overall, it seems like the most out-of-place element on the periodic table, a gentleman among scoundrels. Sam Kean bismolbismuthcompany share on social
Most people, even most doctors, learn that the placenta is a nice, tight seal that prevents anything in the mother's body from invading the fetus, and vice-versa. That's mostly true. But the placenta doesn't seal off the baby perfectly, and every so often, something slips across. Sam Kean babybodydoctor share on social
Atoms of Element 118 fill an outer shell with electrons, creating a special type of element called a noble gas. Noble gases are natural turning points on the table, ending one row and pointing to the next. Sam Kean atomcallcreate share on social
America was probably Europe's equal scientifically by the end of World War I and certainly surpassed it after the chaos of World War II. Sam Kean americachaosend Change image and share on social
Most mutations involve typos: Something bumps a cell's elbow as it's copying DNA, and the wrong letter appears in a triplet - CAG becomes CCG. Sam Kean appearbumpcag Change image and share on social
The amygdala is one of those brain structures that a lot of people know a little bit about, and there's a definite tendency to conflate the amygdala and the fear response itself - as if the amygdala, and the amygdala alone, 'causes' fear. Sam Kean amygdalabitebrain share on social
