Name       : Curium
Symbol     : Cm
Atomic #   : 96
Atom weight: 247
Melting P. : 1340
Boiling P. : 
Oxidation  : +3, +4
Pronounced : KYOOR-i-em
From       : Named in honor of Pierre and Marie Curie
Identified : Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph A. James, and Albert Ghiorse in 1944
Appearance : Silvery, malleable, synthetic radioactive metal
Note       : This element was discovered before the previous element,
             americium, element 95.
             
[Properties]

  Curium has some characteristics that are similar to the rare-earth 
element, gadolinium.  It is an actinide metal in Group VIII on the
periodic table.  Although there are presently no commercial applications
for curium, there is some hope that it could be developed into a fuel for
a portable, lightweight thermoelectric power generator; a sub-miniature
atomic power plant, so to speak.