Perhaps more than any of the other metals, stainless steel is such a key component of modern life that if it were removed, every aspect of living today would be drastically affected, from medicine and transportation to the home kitchens.

Most people know that the spectacular Art Deco spire of the Chrysler building in New York City is clad in stainless steel, but did you also know that the Saturn V rocket, which carried the first men to the moon, was also made largely of stainless steel? We’ve all appreciated the visual beauty of stainless kitchen appliances such as refrigerators, but did you realize the classic red telephone boxes in Great Britain are also made of stainless steel? This amazing metal is in our daily lives from the razors we shave with in the morning to the forks and knives we use at supper.

But what is stainless steel? And how was this versatile metal—so light, strong and durable it’s been called the Superman of metals—discovered?

Stainless steel, also known as inox steel, or inox, is an alloy that must have a minimum 10.5% content of chromium. Chromium is what gives the steel its amazing corrosion resistance properties, thus making it "stainless." The chromium content creates an invisible chromium-oxide film on the steel’s surface, making it impervious to water and air, and therefore highly corrosion resistant. Also, if the film is damaged or scratched it will repair itself, as long as there is any oxygen present.

There’s some controversy about who first made this amazing and useful discovery. For years, it was credited to Englishman Harry Brearley, who discovered in the course of researching metals for guns that steel alloy with more than 12% chromium added to it was remarkably resistant to corrosion. He called it "rustless steel." But other countries have claims as to the discovery—a French scientist named Leon Guillet researched the properties of various iron-nickel-chrome alloys in 1904. And, in 1911, German researchers Monnarz and Bortz were among the first to note the connection between a chromium content of more than 10% and a greatly increased corrosion resistance. As with so many things, the discovery of stainless steel probably happened somewhat simultaneously across the world, as people tested and studied different metals.

The various properties of stainless steel have made it a vital component in a wide array of applications. Its strength and lightness make it perfect for tools such as surgical instruments. Its corrosion resistance makes it likewise the best choice for transporting acidic liquids such as orange juice. Its luster and beauty have made it one of the metals of choice in hundreds of aesthetic applications, from jewelry to the hood ornaments on automobiles.

In addition to corrosion resistance, stainless steel is antibacterial, easy to clean and entirely recyclable, which makes it a very "green" metal. It is often used in the manufacture of water bottles today for people who want to avoid the toxins that plastic bottles can leach into drinking water.

Stainless steel is truly one of the wonders of our age and it’s difficult to even begin to imagine what our world would look like without it.