Barium
Ba
Atomic number : 56
Melting point: 725 degC
Boiling point: 1640 degC
Density: 3.5
Who discovered it?
Barium was first identified by Carl Scheele in 1774 and was extracted In 1808 by Sir Humphrey Davy, the most celebrated chemist of the 19th century. Sir Humphrey Davy had started experimenting with effects of electricity on chemical compounds. By running an electrical current through a number of substances, Davy was able to isolate metallic elements such as potassium, sodium, mangesium, calcium, and barium. AND THUS BARIUM WAS BORN!
(the studly Sir Humphrey Davy-->)http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Sir_Humphrey_Davy_gravure.jpg

General Properties
Barium is a silvery-white metal that can be found in the environment, where it exists naturally. It occurs combined with other chemicals, such as sulfur, carbon or oxygen. Barium oxidizes in air, reacts vigoroulsy with water to form the hydroxide, liberating hydrogen. Barium reacts with almost all the non-metals, forming often poisouning compounds.

Sources

Barium is only found combined with other elements, primarily in barite or heavy spar (sulfate) and witherite (carbonate).

Uses
Barium's compounds are used in pigments, paints, glassmaking, as weighting compounds, in the manufacture of rubber, in rat poison, and in pyrotechnics (fiya!)

Other Interesting Things
Barium (Greek bary, meaning "heavy") ohh fascinating!