Germanium is located on the fourth period and the fourteenth group in the periodic table of elements. It is a grayish white metallic solid with a melting point of 938 degrees Celsius. Germanium is a member of the metalloids. It can form up to 4 bonds. Germanium was identified in 1886 by Clemens Winkler as one of Mendeleev's 4 elements he predicted to exist.

During WWII, it was realized that Germanium was a useful semiconductor. Today it is sometimes used as a semiconductor in solar panels, fiber optics, an alloying agent, a catalyst, etc.