Palladium Palladium Palladium is a chemical element with symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired by her when she slew Pallas. Palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium form a group of elements referred to as the platinum group metals (PGMs). These have similar chemical properties, but palladium has the lowest melting point and is the least dense of them. More than half the supply of palladium
USS Athene (AKA-22) USS Athene (AKA-22) USS "Athene" (AKA-22) was an named after the minor planet "881 Athene," which in turn was named after the Greek goddess "Athena." She served as a commissioned ship for 20 months. "Athene" (AKA-22) was laid down on 20 January 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1883) at Providence, R.I., by the Walsh-Kaiser Co., Inc.; launched on 18 June 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Emily Thornton; and acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 29 September 1944, Comdr. Edward R. Nelson, Jr., in command. On 10 October, the attack transport got underway for shakedown training in the