Element number 4 on the periodic table happens to be the lightest structural metal and it would make for an absolutely fantastic building option if it wasn't so outrageously rare and expensive. To fantasize a bit, it would be possible to make a skyscraper ten times taller than the Empire State if it was made of Be as it is stiffer than steel yet lighter than aluminum. Some 30 years ago a hi-tech firm took the trouble to make a bike frame out of beryllium; a record-holder when it came to weight and stiffness but at the heady sum of $25,000 each (in 1990 dollars) they ended up being little more than a publicity stunt. In any case, imagine what a load-bearing beam for a bridge would cost!

You can now score a sample of this truly exotic metal to decorate your desk or as a representation of the element. Each piece is uniquely shaped and has been selected to highlight the most beautiful textures available. All of it, of course, cast in museum-grade acrylic 5cm to a side that will never yellow or become hazy!