Californium

In 1950, they developed Californium at the University of California, Berkeley. It has the second-highest atomic mass of any element and is located at position 98 on the Periodic Table of Elements. It is created in particle accelerators and nuclear reactors and is actually in fairly high demand.

Because it emits neutrons, Californium is useful for igniting new nuclear reactors. Additionally, it is helpful for practical scans of a variety of materials and for various forms of radiation therapy, such as for the treatment of brain cancer.

In order to examine the innards of something like delicate weapon systems or just rocks in order to hunt for things like gold or groundwater, you can bombard something with California neutron emissions, which are a very powerful alternative to x-rays. California has a price tag that corresponds to all of its useful applications. Californian uranium presently sells for about $27 million per gram.

• Cost: $27 million per gram