Molybdenum is a silvery-gray metal that most people have never heard of, yet it plays a crucial role in making steel stronger and helping your body work properly.

Steel mills add small amounts of molybdenum to steel to make it incredibly tough and able to withstand extreme heat. This molybdenum steel goes into drill bits, aircraft parts, and the tools that build skyscrapers. During World War I, molybdenum steel proved so superior for armor plating and weapons that countries rushed to secure supplies of this strategic metal.

Your body also needs tiny traces of molybdenum, though far less than you need of minerals like calcium or iron. It helps enzymes break down proteins and other substances. You get enough from normal foods like beans, grains, and nuts without even thinking about it.

Scientists use the chemical symbol Mo for molybdenum. On the periodic table, it sits among the transition metals, the central block of elements that includes familiar metals like iron, copper, and silver. While molybdenum doesn't look particularly special, its ability to strengthen steel and resist corrosion makes it invaluable for building everything from oil pipelines to jet engines.