Hmmm.... I sure wonder what this element was named after. In case you cannot figure it out, it is named after Europe and was discovered by Eugene-Antole Demarcay of France in 1896. The most reactive of all rare earth elements, it oxidizes rapidly in air and ignites in the air to temperatures about 150 degrees celsius. As if being the most reactive rare earth element wasn't enough, it is also the rarest and most expensive one as well- $36 per gram.
Europium is currently being studied for use in nuclear reactors, as it absorbs neutrons well. It is already currently used in:Down Syndrome Screening
Plastics to make lasers
TVs
Yttrium based phosphors
Anti-counterfeiting devices in Euro banknotes
Study of igneous rocks
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