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ASK the scientists any questions you have about science.
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CHAT with the scientists in a 30 minute long text chat booked by your teacher.
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VOTE for your favourite scientist to win a €500 prize to spend on communicating more science.
Fluorine Zone
In its pure form, as a pale yellowish brown gas, fluorine is highly poisonous and one of the most reactive elements, yet we combine it with other elements to use in brushing our teeth! The discovery of fluorine was no easy task – many of the scientists who tried to study it ended up blinded or dead! After 74 years of effort (and horrible accidents) the scientist Henri Moissan finally isolated pure fluorine, earning him the Nobel Prize in 1906.
Despite a worrying tendency to burn things and kill people, fluorine does have many uses in the modern world. It’s found in many medical drugs, including anaesthetic, antidepressants and antibiotics. Some plastics such as the non-stick coatings on saucepans are made with fluorine, and fluorides are often added to drinking water to help keep teeth strong and prevent cavities.
This is a general science zone, where you will meet five scientists all working in different areas.