Catalyst of the Week
Cobalt
Co
Atomic Number 27
32 Neutrons
Cobalt found in the Earth is only found mixed with other elements, usually in Iron. You must reduce it down to it's elemental form using a technique called smelting. It is then a silver, hard metal.
People in the past have used Cobalt for dying. Hence the term "Cobalt Blue".
Discussion Write Up
Science without social responsibility is a huge discussion these days because we are living with the repercussions. There are many reasons how this happened; in fact I feel like I could spend hours talking about the human psyche, privilege, money, and Colonialism and how it relates to where we are now environmentally because I think it's all related. The one thing I can't figure out, is how are the people who are making this chemical waste and doing the extreme extractions of our Earth's elements not scared out of their minds?! I just feel like there has to be a lot of running away from one's own conscience. Or did they really not know how bad it was? I don't know, but either way it's mind blowing to me. It makes no sense.
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