Main content

The hunt for red mercury

Depending on whom you believe, red mercury has magical healing powers or can be used to make nuclear bombs. But it doesn’t actually exist. So why is it being sold online?

Some believe red mercury is a mystical elixir with magical healing powers that has survived from the time of the pharaohs in ancient Egypt.

Others fear that it is a dangerous nuclear material, which in the wrong hands could bring about the apocalypse.

However, red mercury doesn’t actually exist. So why is it being offered for sale on social media?

We go in search of the many amazing lives of this mysterious mythical material.

Presenter: Mike Wendling
Reporter: Sarah Myles
Producer: Ed Main

(Photo Caption: Illustration of a red splodge / Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Sun 26 Apr 202023:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 6 Sep 201921:06GMT
  • Sat 7 Sep 201904:32GMT
  • Sat 7 Sep 201910:32GMT
  • Sat 25 Apr 202004:32GMT
  • Sat 25 Apr 202008:32GMT
  • Sat 25 Apr 202017:32GMT
  • Sun 26 Apr 202022:32GMT
  • Sun 26 Apr 202023:32GMT

Podcast