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ScienceSurprise 4/5Difficulty 4/5Reviewed on October 17, 2026

Osmium is the densest natural element: a litre of it would weigh more than 22 kilograms.

Why it is true

At about 22.6 grams per cubic centimetre, it is twice as dense as lead and slightly denser than iridium. It is a rare, hard and brittle metal, used in high-quality pen tips and electrical contacts.

Source: Royal Society of Chemistry

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