Polonium is an element with atomic number 84 and is part of the chalcogen group on the periodic table. It occurs naturally in trace amounts in uranium ores and decays through a series of alpha and beta emissions. Due to its alpha radiation, polonium can cause significant damage to living tissue and has been used as a poison in several high-profile cases. However, it also has a few specialized industrial applications, such as a heat source for thermoelectric power generators and in nuclear physics experiments.