In 1962, Canadian chemist Neil Bartlett mixed xenon with platinum hexafluoride — and created the first-ever compound of a noble gas. The chemistry world was stunned. An element that scientists had called completely inert for decades turned out to form real chemical bonds. Xenon shattered everything we thought we knew about reactivity.
Today xenon works in space and in operating rooms. Ion engines powered by xenon propel NASA's interplanetary probes. Xenon anesthesia is considered the safest in the world — it has zero side effects and actually protects the brain from damage.
Xenon is a heavy noble gas — colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It makes up just 0.000009% of Earth's atmosphere, making it the rarest stable gas in our air. It's extracted through fractional distillation of liquid air, which is why it's extraordinarily expensive.
Despite its rarity, xenon is indispensable across many fields. Its bright white light powers car headlights, movie projectors, and lighthouses. In medicine, xenon serves as an ideal anesthetic. In space exploration, it's the best fuel for ion propulsion engines.
Xenon is non-toxic and chemically inert. However, at high concentrations it displaces oxygen from the air and can cause asphyxiation. Under elevated pressure, xenon acts as a narcotic — causing intoxication and loss of consciousness. Liquid xenon (-108 °C) can cause frostbite. Certain xenon compounds, particularly XeO₃, are explosive.
In 1962, Neil Bartlett synthesized XePtF₆ — the first noble gas compound in history. This discovery overturned chemistry and proved that 'inert' gases can actually react.
Xenon is the rarest stable gas in Earth's atmosphere. For every 10 million liters of air, there is only 0.9 liters of xenon.
NASA's Dawn probe ran on xenon ion engines and accelerated to 11 km/s. The engine operated continuously for over 5 years.
Xenon is the only anesthetic gas that is not metabolized in the body. It leaves through the lungs completely unchanged and protects neurons from damage.
Xenon lamps produce light nearly identical to daylight — with a color temperature of 6,000 K. That's why IMAX theaters choose them for projection.
Hyperpolarized xenon-129 is used for MRI lung scans. Patients inhale the gas, and doctors can see the finest details of lung tissue.
| Isotope | Mass (u) | Abundance | Half-life | Decay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
124Xe | 123.905893 | 0.09% | stable | — |
126Xe | 125.904274 | 0.09% | stable | — |
128Xe | 127.903531 | 1.92% | stable | — |
129Xe | 128.904779 | 26.44% | stable | — |
130Xe | 129.903508 | 4.08% | stable | — |
131Xe | 130.905082 | 21.18% | stable | — |
132Xe | 131.904154 | 26.89% | stable | — |
134Xe | 133.905394 | 10.44% | stable | — |
136Xe | 135.907219 | 8.87% | stable | — |
Fractional distillation of liquid air