One of the scientists in this Element of Surprise segment calls boron a 'chemical chameleon.' It has a quality that allows it to make carbon-carbon bonds easily. Many parents and kids will be familiar with using boric acid to create slime. But boron has industrial uses too. It's found in pharmaceuticals, fibreglass, textile products, ceramics, food preservatives and more. Featured experts in this segment include Cathleen Crudden, Canada Research Chair, Queen's University, and Hriday Bhattacharjee, Chemist, Queen's University.

From the Curio.ca streaming audio-visual collection.