The ductility of magnesium explained

22. Zhaoxuan Wu and William Curtin of the Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics Modeling (LAMMM) have solved the 40-year-old scientific riddle of the low ductility magnesium. Magnesium is the lightest metal found on earth; it is four times lighter than steel and a third lighter than aluminum. It is also abundantly available, being the eight most common element in the earth's crust. These features should make it the ideal material for all kinds of uses, particularly in the automotive industry where fuel efficiency is greatly improved by reduced vehicle weight. However, the use of this metal remains marginal. "Magnesium has low ductility, that is, it cannot be stretched very much before it breaks.