Vanadium is represented on the periodic table by the V symbol and it has an atomic number of 23. This element is silvery-gray, soft and ductile. How much do you know about vanadium? Well, we’re about to find out. Below, you’ll find 10 interesting facts about this element that you probably do not yet know.

We’re not keeping track, but you are more than welcome to do so yourself.

1. Andres Manuel del Rio is credited with the discovery of vanadium in 1801. A mineralogist of Spanish descent living in Mexico, Del Rio was able to extract this element from vanadinite. However, his discovery was challenged in 1805 by Hippolyte Victor Collet-Descotils who was backed by Alexander von Humboldt. Both declared, albeit incorrectly, that the element Del Rio found was simply impure chromium. Del Rio made the decision to accept this and his claim was retracted.

2. Nils Gabriel Sefstrom, a Swedish chemist, rediscovered vanadium in 1831 when he was working on iron ores. Friedrich Wohler ended up confirming Del Rio’s work later that year; however, it was Sefstrom’s name for the element that stuck.

3. Vanadium comes from Vanadis, which is one of many names of Norse Vanr goddess Feyja. The goddess was believed to bring fertility and beauty. The name was chosen by Sefstrom due to the wide variety of colorful chemical compounds produced by it.

4. Vanadium metal wasn’t isolated until 1867 by Henry Enfield Roscoe.

5. Vanadium is not only soft and ductile, but it also has good corrosion resistance, remaining stable against hydrochloric and sulfuric acids, as well as alkalis. It oxidizes at 660 degrees Celsius, but at regular room temperature it will form an oxide layer.

6. Vanadium does not occur freely in nature; however, it does exist in more than 60 minerals. The most significant examples are vanadinite, carnotite and patronite. The majority of vanadium comes from magnetite.

7. China, Russia and South Africa are the leading producers of vanadium. Combined, these countries produced over 98% of the world’s vanadium.

8. The majority of the vanadium that is produced, a whopping 85%, is used for steel additives. This strengthens steel considerably and makes steel great for axles, crankshafts, bike frames, gears and a variety of other components. However, vanadium is also used in cladding, as a catalyst, an oxidizer, for color induction, and to prevent corrosion.

There is a growing awakening to the possibility of a real estate bubble in Australia. Although not universally accepted, there are classic signs that house prices are overvalued: high annual growth rates over many years; no adjustment of prices after the 2008 financial crisis; one of the worlds highest ratios of average house price to average salary.

Since the 1970s property prices have increased by approximately 3% per annum, a figure broadly in line with inflation. From the 1990s however the yearly increase has been closer to 6% per annum, close to double the rate of inflation.

From 2003 to 2010 house prices in capital cities, excluding Sydney, doubled in value. Sydney saw growth of 17%, after tremendous (and singular) growth during the 1990s. Thus the 2003 to 2010 figures represent other cities catching up rather than Sydney slowing down for any intrinsic reasons. With prices increasing so far above inflation the real cost of housing has been going up, well beyond increase in wages.

Australia is far from the only country to have high real estate inflation through the 1990s and 2000s. Similar over heating occurred in the UK, USA, Netherlands, Ireland and Spain, among others. However all of the aforementioned countries experienced significant price devaluation after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, in some cases by as much as 25%.

Australia saw a slight dip in prices in 2007/2008, followed by very strong increases in 2009. The 2008 to 2010 period saw growth of around 15%. In this respect the Australian real estate market is unique.

The median multiple is a measure of the ratio between the median house price and the median income. A measure of three for instance means that the median house price is three times the median income. Three is in fact considered the benchmark of affordable housing, and historically Australian capital cities had median multiples close the three.

Today the capital city median multiples in Australia are 6.6. Sydney and Melbourne are the highest at 7.1 and 7.0. These numbers show that prices are far from affordable, and there are grave social implications arising, where home ownership becomes out of reach for typical workers.

If you are thinking about purchasing a motorcycle, there are many things you will need to do before you bring your motorcycle home with you. Purchasing a motorcycle involves quite a bit more these days then simply shopping around for the best deal – you will also need to make sure you have appropriate licensing and training, insurance and safety gear before you can ride your bike home from the store.

One of the first things you will need to look for is appropriate insurance for your motorcycle. Every state has some regulations regarding the minimum amount of insurance you must carry as a motorcyclist, and you will also find a wide variety of choices with different insurance carriers as well. How much you pay for insurance will be determinate on how you ride your bike. Will you be using it to commute to work or school, or just for occasional weekend trips? What kind of driving record do you have and what kind of experience do you have with riding motorcycles in particular. You should be prepared to answer these questions when shopping around for insurance rates for your motorcycle.

You will also, of course, need to make sure you are properly licensed in your state to ride a motorcycle as well. Many states require that you take certain motorcycle riding safety courses before you can obtain a Class M license. You will also need to take a road skills test and well as a written test before you will be legally able to ride your motorcycle on the road.

However, even if the state you are living in does not require an extensive motorcycle safety course prior to being licensed, it is still a very wise idea to take such a class before you purchase you motorcycle. Beginning motorcycle classes will give you the necessary skills you need to ride defensively in traffic as well as properly operate your motorcycle on the road. In addition, you may want to look and see if there are any courses on motorcycle maintenance as well that you can take, so that you can be sure to maintain your motorcycle in proper and safe working condition. You need to know the basics of making sure your braking system, oil and tires are all safe for riding!