For millions of years, nature has basically been getting by with just a few elements from the periodic table. Carbon, calcium, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, magnesium and potassium are the building blocks of almost all life on our planet (tree trunks, leaves, hairs, teeth, etc). However, to build the world of humans—including cities, health care products, railways, airplanes and their engines, computers, smartphones, and more—many more chemical elements are needed.
  • s_s@lemm.eeEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Me, holding a fountain pen tipped with iridium alloy and plated in rhodium, “ah yes, interesting.”

  • p1mrx@sh.itjust.works
    1·
    1 year ago

    It’s not like these elements are disappearing into the void. If we start running out of something, the price will increase, and we’ll either find alternatives or put more effort into recycling.

    For example, see the increasing use of LiFePO4 batteries, without nickel or cobalt.

    • Deconceptualist@lemm.eeEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      The health and pollution risks unfortunately don’t scale the same as the economics. We could potentially poison ourselves or destroy major biomes before certain elements “run out” in their accessible forms.