Bismuth

About Bismuth

The active half of Pepto-Bismol, soothing stomachs as bismuth subsalicylate. Unusually gentle for a heavy metal. Grows spectacular rainbow stair step crystals as its oxide layer bends light. Long thought to be the heaviest stable element until 2003, when it was found to be faintly radioactive with a half-life a billion times the age of the universe. Its low melting point suits fusible alloys and fire sprinkler triggers.