Cobalt used to make miners sick, but they strangely blamed it on goblins instead. Its etymology comes from the German Kobalt, meaning “imp” or “demon.”

Cobalt in its pure metallic form is silvery-blue, lustrous, but decidedly brittle.

Cobalt is one of only three ferromagnetic metals at room temperature, with iron and nickel being the other two.

Cobalt-60 isotope is used to treat cancer through radiation and to sterilize medical equipment.

Much of the world’s cobalt is a byproduct of nickel and copper mining, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo being the world’s leading source of cobalt.

Your body gets much of its cobalt from vitamin B12.

Cobalt is sometimes used as a drying agent in paints, varnishes, and ink, helping them harden.

Ancient artisans created many shades of blue in their works thanks to cobalt.