In 1886, French chemist Henri Moissan attempted to isolate fluorine. Moissan made a full study of the properties of fluorine and its reactions with other elements. Fluorine, almost as small as hydrogen, forms a very strong bond with carbon and fluorocarbon compounds are highly stable. First hailed as a miracle of modern science, Freon propellant in spray cans has caused problems. Evidence is beginning to mount that Freons lost to the atmosphere are depleting the ozone layer.
Astronomers keep adding to the list of molecules found in interstellar space.
In 1996, the European Space Agency discovered trace amounts of hydrogen fluoride in a giant cloud of interstellar gas near the galactic center. This is the first time a molecule containing fluorine has ever been discovered in interstellar space. Fluorescence Fluorescence is the emission of visible light from a substance under the stimulation of radiation at a shorter wavelength. Stokes discovered fluorescence can be induced in certain substances by stimulation with ultraviolet light. The fluorescence in fluorite has been attributed to the presence of organic inclusions and unbonded fluorine.