Elements

Magnesium (Mg)


Listen Later

This metal played a part in the worst car crash in history, the 1955 Le Mans disaster, helping to make the resulting inferno explosively dangerous. Yet despite its fiery reputation, and its proneness to corrosion, magnesium has regained its historic role in making planes and cars lighter and more efficient. Presenter Laurence Knight visits Magnesium Elektron, the company behind the alloy used in the ill-fated Le Mans car, to find out how a new breed of alloys has exorcised the demon's in this metal's past. We also hear from researcher Kristin Persson about an entirely new role magnesium could play in the car industry - as an even lighter and more compact replacement for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles.

(Picture: Magnesium alloy flame test; Credit: Magnesium Elektron)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

ElementsBy BBC World Service

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

136 ratings


More shows like Elements

View all
Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,986 Listeners

99% Invisible by Roman Mars

99% Invisible

26,253 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,766 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

891 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,066 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,474 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,823 Listeners

History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

History Extra podcast

3,249 Listeners

In Our Time: Science by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Science

738 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,799 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,049 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,071 Listeners

No Such Thing As A Fish by No Such Thing As A Fish

No Such Thing As A Fish

4,868 Listeners

Universe Today Podcast by Fraser Cain

Universe Today Podcast

564 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

979 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

816 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

360 Listeners

Twenty Thousand Hertz by Dallas Taylor

Twenty Thousand Hertz

4,200 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,224 Listeners

The Supermassive Podcast by The Royal Astronomical Society

The Supermassive Podcast

329 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

745 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,041 Listeners

Crash Course Pods: The Universe by Crash Course Pods, Complexly

Crash Course Pods: The Universe

506 Listeners