Uranium

Uranium was discovered in 1789 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth, who named it after the planet Uranus, which had been discovered just eight years earlier. For over a century, uranium was mainly used as a yellow-orange coloring agent in ceramics and glass — vintage Fiestaware dishes from the 1930s and 40s are actually slightly radioactive because they contain uranium oxide glaze!

Uranium changed the world forever when scientists discovered nuclear fission in 1938. The splitting of uranium atoms releases enormous energy, leading to both nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons. A single kilogram of uranium can produce as much energy as about 20,000 kilograms of coal. Nuclear power currently provides about 10% of the world's electricity, with uranium as the primary fuel.

Uranium's symbol 'U' is a powerful single-letter element in Spellement. As a common English vowel, it fits naturally into countless words and provides maximum flexibility for word building. Single-letter vowel symbols are among the most valuable building blocks in element-based spelling.