I'm a Scientist

Bismuth is represented by the symbol Bi and the atomic number 83. It was one of the first 10 metals to be discovered and has been known about since very ancient times, although it wasn’t named until about 1660. What took them so long?

Today, bismuth is used in cosmetics like lipsticks and nail varnish as it has a pearlescent (super shiny) finish, and can also be found in fire detection systems as it has such a low melting point. Interestingly, just like water, bismuth is more dense as a liquid than as a solid. This means bismuth icebergs would float… on a bismuth sea, of course.

This is a general science zone, with a mix of scientists from different backgrounds. You will meet a physicist developing technology that can look inside people’s hearts, brains and stomachs, a scientist researching why plant roots always grow down and why shoots always grow up, and someone who uses lasers and microscopes to reveal hidden information on things like counterfeit bank notes. There is also a scientist using a mutant mouse to find out how muscles renew themselves, and one who builds computer models of radiation around nuclear power plants.