cobalt

While opening more facilities in California would help, the program uses cobalt to produce high-energy radiation to sterilize the bugs — which is expensive and requires the lab to take extensive safety and security measures.

Instead of using cobalt or other radioactive materials, Wilson’s team uses an X-ray machine to irradiate the pests.

Today’s battery technology — necessary for electric vehicles and energy storage — relies on minerals including cobalt, magnesium, nickel and graphite.

Of course, in the fashion world, an item of clothing can't just be blue, so Laws says he thinks cornflower and cobalt blue will make a particular appearance across shows.

At New York Fashion week, coloured mascara was all the rage and the cobalt blue mascara was a particular stand out at LaQuan Smith's catwalk.