On the periodic table, lutetium is named after Lutetia, the ancient Roman name for Paris.
Lutetium is a rare-earth element with atomic number 71. It is a silvery-white metal in the lanthanide series and is found in very small amounts mixed with other rare-earth minerals. The name Lutetia was used by Julius Caesar for the settlement that later became Paris.
French scientist Georges Urbain discovered lutetium in 1907 while studying ytterbium compounds. The discovery was part of a difficult period in chemistry because rare-earth elements have very similar properties and are hard to separate. Urbain’s identification was accepted after disputes involving other researchers who had analyzed related material.
Lutetium is often confused with lutecium, an alternative spelling used in some historical sources. Modern English generally uses “lutetium.” It has applications in specialized catalysts, medical imaging detectors, and certain cancer treatments involving radioactive lutetium isotopes.