ScienceAugust 20, 2026

zirconium

zer-KO-nee-um

Definition

A strong, corrosion-resistant transition metal (atomic number 40) that researchers measure in stardust grains to understand the stellar history of those particles.

Etymology

The word is derived from the mineral zircon, which comes from the Persian 'zargun' meaning 'gold-colored.' It was named by chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth, who identified the element in 1789.

In the news

In this article, zirconium is listed as one of the heavy elements measured using resonant ionization mass spectrometry to identify the specific type of star that produced a presolar grain.

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