Question

what can Dr. Seuss esque element do?

Answer 1

If you've never heard of bismuth, get ready to meet your new favorite element. Bismuth crystals look like they were designed by M.C. Escher, forming kaleidoscopic staircases of glittering silver, pink, and gold. But the element isn't just a pretty face: It's used in everything from cosmetics to ammunition to the bottle of Pepto-Bismol in your medicine cabinet. It also may be the answer to rising carbon dioxide levels. New research shows that bismuth has a particularly fascinating property that we can use to turn CO2 directly into liquid fuel.