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| Illustration Credit: Justas Galaburda (https://dribbble.com/jucha) |
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When many people think of expensive substances and materials, the first thing that comes to mind is gold. But although gold is associated with luxury, it is by no means one of the most expensive substances. On the contrary - gold doesn't even make it into the top ten most expensive substances in the world.
The top ten most expensive substances in the world in the current ranking for 2021
10. Methamphetamine
The substance methamphetamine is a synthetically manufactured substance. Methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth, is considered to be one of the toughest drugs. One gram of the drug costs around $110 to $500 USD.
9. Cocaine
Another drug, cocaine, ranks ninth among the most expensive substances in the world. Everyone knows that cocaine is an expensive drug. The drug is obtained from the leaves of the coca bush. The white powder is only created from it through a chemical process. Cocaine in its pure form can cost up to $550 USD per gram.
8. LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, also known as LSD, is a psychedelic substance and is considered a non-marketable narcotic. In Germany and many other countries, the hallucinogen is banned and its use is punishable. Nevertheless, LSD is one of the most expensive substances in the world. In crystal form, one gram of the drug can cost up to $3,000 USD.
7. Plutonium
Plutonium ranks seventh among the most expensive substances in the world. It is produced from the uranium in the fuel elements in nuclear power plants and is therefore primarily used for military purposes. Plutonium is poisonous and radioactive. Alternatively, plutonium is also used to generate energy. One gram of plutonium costs around $4000 USD.
6. Taaffeite
The Taaffeite gemstone was discovered in 1945 by the Irish researcher Richard Taaffe. Taaffeite is mainly found in Sri Lanka, but it is an extremely rare gemstone. Depending on the purity of the gemstone, taaffeite can cost between $10,000 and 18,000 USD per gram.
5. Tritium
Tritium is a by-product of nuclear fission and is an integral part of atomic bombs. It occurs naturally only in the stratosphere. If gaseous tritium is sealed with a phosphor, it can glow on its own. That is why tritium is also used for emergency exit signs. In the event of a power failure, the sign will still be illuminated. One gram of the substance costs around $30,000 USD.
4. Diamonds
Diamonds are precious stones made of carbon. They are mostly colorless and can be extremely valuable. There are four important criteria to determine the price of a diamond. The so-called "four C" - carat (weight), color (color), clarity (purity) and cut (cut). Diamonds can cost up to $58,500 USD per gram, which is why they rank fourth among the most expensive substances in the world.
3. Painite
Painite is an extremely rare, red-brown-colored mineral. Up to 2001, only three painite crystals with a combined weight of fewer than 3.5 grams were known. Several thousand specimens have now been found. Nevertheless, the mineral is very rare and therefore has a proud price. One gram of painite costs up to $300,000 USD.
2. Californium 252
Californium 252 is an artificially created chemical element. It is produced in nuclear reactors. Californium 252 is also used in cancer treatments or oil drilling. One gram costs up to $27 million USD, which is why Californium 252 is the second most expensive substance in the world.
1. Antimatter
Since antimatter is only very short-lived and so far it has never been possible to produce stable quantities, the value of antimatter is a theoretical value. The short lifespan in combination with the difficulty of producing antimatter or capturing it in the long term drives the theoretical value up accordingly, which is why antimatter is one of the most expensive substances in the world. Because one gram of antimatter is said to be worth up to $62.5 trillion USD.