Selenium
A chemical element named after Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon, chosen because of its chemical similarity to the previously discovered element tellurium, which was named after the Earth
The Meaning of Selenium
Selenium was discovered in 1817 by the Swedish chemist Jons Jacob Berzelius, who named it after Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon. The name was chosen for a clever reason: selenium was found to be chemically similar to tellurium, which had been named after Tellus, the Roman goddess of the Earth. Since the moon is the celestial companion of the earth, Berzelius paired the two elements through their mythological namesakes. In Greek mythology, Selene was the Titan goddess who drove her silver chariot across the night sky, illuminating the darkness. She was the sister of Helios (the Sun) and Eos (the Dawn). Her most famous myth involves her love for the mortal shepherd Endymion, whom she caused to fall into an eternal sleep so she could visit him nightly without his aging. Selenium is essential to human biology in trace amounts, serving as a component of important enzymes and antioxidants. It is also used in electronics, glassmaking, and solar cells. The mythological pairing of selenium and tellurium — moon and earth — remains one of the most elegant naming choices in the history of chemistry.
Parents
None recorded
Symbols
Fun Fact
Berzelius deliberately paired selenium with tellurium as moon with earth — one of the most poetic naming decisions in the entire periodic table
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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