Iridium (Ir) Fun Facts
"The Dinosaur-Slayer, the hero from space whose presence in the Earth's crust is the smoking gun for the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs."
The true essence of Iridium (Ir) on the molecular frontier.
Iridium is a very hard, brittle, silvery-white metal.
Iridium is found in the tip of a premium, long-lasting spark plug.
Iridium is the element marking the �Iridium Layer,� key evidence for the asteroid impact that ended the dinosaurs.
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Did You Know?
It is considered the most corrosion-resistant metal known; it is not attacked by any acid, including aqua regia.
The global discovery of a thin layer of iridium-rich clay in geological strata from 66 million years ago is the key evidence for the massive asteroid impact that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
It is the second-densest element, just slightly less dense than osmium.
The tips of high-performance spark plugs are often made with iridium because of its hardness and high melting point.
The standard meter bar, which defined the length of a meter from 1889 to 1960, was made from a platinum-iridium alloy.