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What is your favorite element on the periodic table and why?

Yeah, I know this is kind of a niche question but I love the elements... so much that I am writing a novel about them but we are not here to talk about my book. We are here to talk about the elements.

My favorite element is oxygen. I know what you are thinking, [i]Oh my god, how boring. This guy picks the most common element in the universe.[/i] Actually, the most common element in the universe is hydrogen but whatever. There are a lot of subtle, little-known facts about oxygen which makes it so awesome.

Like when you liquidize oxygen it becomes magnetic and is the color of the sky. Or the fact that there are two different forms of oxygen which make up our atmosphere. O2 which is what we breathe (along with a plethora of other gases) and O3 which is what helps protects us from dangerous solar flares from our sun. So, you can thank oxygen for keeping us alive in more than one way.

Also... oxygen is highly reactive. I relate oxygen to that kid in school who is quiet and minds their own business then when some jerk pokes them with a little fire they explode and everyone is like, "wow, I didn't know oxygen was like that."

Haha... so anyway, what is your favorite element and why?
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I like silicon. It is used as a substrate for semiconductors and used for its covalent bonding for stability.
Hikurai · 41-45, M
@SomeLikeItHot Damn that is a good one! I work in electronics, so I can totally respect semiconductors.
@Hikurai
I am very familiar with semiconductors so we share that!
I taught Industrial Electronics in HS during the 90s.
Hikurai · 41-45, M
@SomeLikeItHot Awesome! I was an aircraft electrician for 17 years. Now I am in engineering.
@Hikurai
Fantastic!
I retired as an ETC from the US Navy in 2002.
Hikurai · 41-45, M
@SomeLikeItHot Well, thank you for your service! I was an Avionics Mechanic in the US Army from 2000-2007. I still serve Spec Ops as a civilian.
@Hikurai
I was 79 to 02.
I went to Reserves in 87.
I like your post.
Hikurai · 41-45, M
@SomeLikeItHot thank you, sadly if I was still in, I would have 2 years left to retirement... but whatever! I am still happy with what I am doing :)
@Hikurai
You have a winning approach!
Hikurai · 41-45, M
@SomeLikeItHot Well, it is my job to be upbeat and a people's person, so I generally look at things from a positive side.
@Hikurai HS teachers do that too! 😊
Hikurai · 41-45, M
@SomeLikeItHot Oh, it takes patience to be a high school teacher... I don't know how I would do with that job.
@Hikurai
Engineering definitely has its challenges. I have a graduate degree but not anything solidly based on math/Calculus.
Hikurai · 41-45, M
@SomeLikeItHot Well, I actually have a degree in English... kinda fell into engineering.
@Hikurai
Mine is Voc/Tech Ed and 12 hours of grad in CS.