Gadolinium

Gadolinium is named after Johan Gadolin, the Finnish chemist who first investigated rare earth minerals (yttrium was in his sample too). It was discovered in 1880 by Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac. Gadolinium has a remarkable property: it is strongly attracted to magnets, more so than any other element except iron, cobalt, and nickel.

Gadolinium's most important use is in medicine — gadolinium-based contrast agents are injected into patients before MRI scans to make blood vessels and organs show up more clearly. About 30 million doses are used worldwide each year. Gadolinium is also used in nuclear reactor shielding because it absorbs neutrons better than any other element, and in some memory chips and high-performance magnets.

Gadolinium's symbol 'Gd' is a distinctive two-letter element in Spellement. While 'gd' is rare at the start of English words, partial emphasis allows spellers to use 'g' or 'd' individually. Both are common consonants that appear in countless words, making gadolinium a flexible tool for creative spelling.