Palladium is a vital metal for automotive and chemical industries as the catalyst of choice. It is a great hedge against gold for those who study the charts, and has far more interesting features than just looking pretty. In addition to its catalytic properties, it can absorb up to 70% its molar mass in hydrogen at normal pressures, and is vital in high-end hydrogen and deuterium isolation/purification apparatus. Some have even claimed to achieve cold fusion with palladium hydride or deuteride.