Why did the CIA secretly buy Soviet metal to build the very plane designed to spy on them? How does a metal named after Greek Titans manage to fuse physically with living human bone? If titanium is the ninth-most abundant element on Earth, why is it still so expensive to produce? And how did common chlorinated tap water nearly destroy the manufacturing of the world’s fastest titanium jet?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: mattau93, bigaddam, barath_s, icowboy, justscottaustin, 1fresco, qininator and cheapseats91

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

[email protected]