What do we know about francium?

Francium is one of the most radioactive elements in nature. Apart from being one of the least stable elements, it is also the second rarest naturally occurring element on Earth.

Marguerite Perey discovered francium in 1939. She chose to name the metal after France, the nation of its discovery. Francium is formed when uranium and thorium ores decay. It is usually made from radium in nuclear reactors.

Numerous experiments and calculations have been carried out since francium was discovered to study its basic physical and chemical properties. The half-life of this element is around 22 minutes.

Due to its high reactivity, francium is not used commercially. However, from experiments conducted on rats, scientists have proved that francium is a promising aid in the early diagnosis of cancer. This is because francium accumulates in cancerous tissues.

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