This is our first gadolinium cube, another member of the rare earth group of metals. While remarkably unremarkable so far, gadolinium's prospects of breaking out into fame and fortune brightened considerably when it was discovered that the metal makes for an ideal ingredient in magnetic refrigerators. Yes, some day the old noisy compressor fridge in your kitchen might be replaced with one that runs on whisper-quiet, environmentally friendly gadolinium!

For this entry we’ll select a nice piece of pure gadolinium showing the fibrous knots as shown - a beautiful texture!