The observation, in a substance called samarium hexaboride, is still not understood.

China produces nearly two-thirds of the world's samarium cobalt rare earth magnets, according to U.S. government estimates.

Despite those geological riches, only two useless elements on the periodic table were discovered in Russia, ruthenium and samarium.

Tin barely makes it into the top fifty, eclipsed by such relative obscurities as praseodymium, samarium, gadolinium, and dysprosium.

Luminescence studies of 1 show very bright visible and near-IR samarium(III)-centered emission upon direct excitation of the uranyl moiety.