Question: How would discovering more elements benefit society?

Paul Stevenson answered on 17 Mar 2010:

One possible use of new elements would be as a tracer: These are elements that are not usually in a system that can easily be identified. For example, you can add a characteristic element to a medicine and then see where it goes in the body, or you can put it in a well to see where it goes to in the groundwater to understand how to find new sources of freshwater in dry places. It is always necessary to use an element that does not occur naturally, so that it is obvious to detect that it was definitely one that you put there. A new element would be ideal for that.