It happens all over the periodic table. The chemical symbol for lead is Pb. For mercury, Hg. For antimony, Sb. My chemistry teacher in high school cracked up every time she referred to the symbol for ...
Sometimes it's clumsiness—astronauts have fumbled away pliers, spatulas, and gloves while on spacewalks. Sometimes it's laziness—jettisoning bags of garbage or frozen urine saves astronauts the hassle ...