About the chemical element Cobalt, its symbol, atomic number and weight, who discovered it and when.
Discovered by Georg Brandt of Sweden in 1735. In 1450 B.C. the Babylonians used cobalt-rich substances to make glass deep blue in color. Until the 1940s, when the element's limited supply and varied uses escalated its price, it was commonly used by glass manufacturers for pharmaceutical bottles. Paper impregnated with cobalt chloride can be used to test humidity: Blue indicates dry air and fair weather; purple indicates a condition of change; and pink means high humidity and the possibility of rain. Cobalt is necessary as a trace element for the formation of vitamin B12.It can be obtained from roots and leafy green vegetables in the diet. The radiation emitted from a cobalt isotope is used to destroy cancerous tissue.