For centuries people have spoken of the Greek myths as of something to be rediscovered, reawoken. The truth is it is the myths that are still out there waiting to wake us and be seen by us, like a tree waiting to greet our newly opened eyes. (Calasso pg 280).
I felt this quote was necessary considering mythology plays an important role in everyday life, relating to nearly everything even though most people have no idea. After doing some quick research, I found a few examples of mythology being right underneath our noses.
Names in astronomy are pure mythology. Almost all the known constellations and the twelve signs of the Zodiac are named from mythological stories, as are the planets and their satellites.
Mercury, the swift messenger of the gods, also gave his name to a chemical element which is remarkable for its fluidity. The names of other chemical elements are also taken from mythology because of their characteristics. For instance, Tantalus was punished by having water just touch his lips while he starved eternally of thirst. So we have the chemical element tantalum, which cannot absorb acid. And Tantalus has a daughter Niobe. Thus we get the chemical element niobium - because it is found in connection with tantalum.
In psychology such designations as the Oedipus complex and narcissism are lifted directly from mythological stories. Geology contains such terms as pluton for a rock surface underground (Pluto was the god of the underworld) and neptunian rock which is produced by the action of water on a substance (Neptune was a god of the seas).
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