Discovered : by the Rev. William Gregor in 1791 Isolated in Creed, Cornwall, UK Origin : The element is named after the Titans, in Greek mythology the sons of Uranus the sky god and Gaia the Earth goddess. Description : A hard soft metal that makes lightweight alloys and is used in aircraft, replacement hip joints and chemical plants. Titanium dioxide is more important commercially because of this beautiful white material's excellent covering power in paints. Image : Titan.