According to Chemical Elements, 2010, the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks and Romans knew about mercury. It has been purified since the ancients. Philosophers like Aristotle and Theophrastus wrote or mentioned mercury in their writings giving us proof that they knew a lot about mercury. Between 372 and 287 BC Theophrastus described a rudimentary method for purifying mercury. The oldest pure sample of mercury dates back to the 15th or 16th century BC. Scientists found the sample sealed in a glass jar in an Egyptian tomb in Kurna (Newton, 2010). Mercury was supposedly discovered as an element by Jabir ibn Hayyan, a Persian polymath who studied alchemy and chemistry (Schlager & Lauer, 2001). He "is widely recognized as the father of chemistry" and discovered mercury as a simple substance between c. 722 AD and 804 AD(Schlager & Lauer, 2001). The only liquid metal at room temperature, mercury is a unique element of its kind. Its chemical symbol, Hg, comes from the Greek word hydrargyrum meaning quicksilver or watery. Its name "Mercury" comes from the Roman god Mercury, "the swift messenger of the gods" and the planet Mercury which is the fastest moving planet, having been named after the god Mercury. Mercury's boiling point is 365°C and its melting point is -38°C. The density of mercury is 13.59 g/cc, just over 13 and a half times that of water, making mercury an extremely dense liquid. Having extremely high surface tension, mercury forms beads that roll and collide with each other when poured onto a smooth surface. When poured onto a surface, the beads leave the surface completely dry without traces of mercury. This phenomenon occurs because all the molecules stick to the pearl as it moves, unless... half of the paper......they used a mercury compound in the preparation of their hats. After years of exposure, hat makers began exhibiting symptoms of mercury poisoning, making them appear crazy. Thus the phrase “mad as a hatter” was born. Mercury is considered “hazardous waste” and must be disposed of carefully. The best way to dispose of mercury-containing products, such as a used fluorescent light bulb, thermometer, and thermostat, is to return them to a certified mercury recycler. Most hardware stores will accept used products and dispose of them safely. The reason why mercury should not be thrown into the environment is because it easily contaminates soil and groundwater. Soon humans drink the contaminated water and become ill with mercury poisoning. Furthermore, this water can contaminate fish eaten by humans. In other words, mercury always ends up in humans if it is released into the environment.