Catching Up with the Elements

What's up, Br(o)?
Bromine is a Halogen, atomic # 35, group 17. It is the only liquid nonmetallic element, and only one of 6 liquids (at or close to room temp) in the periodic table. It is heavy, volatile, red. Its red vapor has an unpleasant odor that inspired its name, from the Greek, 'bromos'- stench of he-goats. (lovely!) It was discovered in 1825, in the south of France, in the ash of seaweed. The bromide in seawater is oxidized to bromine by chlorine gas.
Ironic that its main application is in fire retardants- we read the article about the 'disappearance of the Arctic boys' (wk.1) where flame retardant chemicals were found in birds, seals and polar bears of the Arctic. Seems bromine may have found its way back into the water in an unwelcomed way-along with a host of hormone-mimicking chemicals. As a result, many industrial bromine compounds were or are being discontinued for use.
One more note- bromine is also used in production of 'brominated vegetable oil' which I've noticed on a label of Mountain Dew before. (Mountain Eww)