Polonium-210 is a rare radioactive metal discovered by Marie Curie in the late 19th century. ... If polonium-210 enters the body, through inhalation, swallowing, broken skin, the results can be fatal. By mass, polonium-210 is one of the deadliest toxins, around 250 billion times more toxic than hydrogen cyanide.

Is polonium the most poisonous?

Polonium is over 10,000 times more toxic than hydrogen cyanide and, alongside the botulinum toxin, it is one of the most toxic substances known.

How is polonium used today?

Polonium (Po) is a very rare and highly volatile radioactive metal. ... In commercial applications, polonium is occasionally used to remove static electricity in machinery or dust from photographic film. It can also be used as a lightweight heat source for thermoelectric power in space satellites.