Atomic number 29, copper, gets its name from the Latin word for Cyprus, where the Roman empire sourced most of its copper. Due to its high ductility, malleability and high thermal and electrical conductivity, copper has a wide range of industrial applications. It has been used by humans since the earliest recorded civilizations, at least ten thousand years ago, to make everything from jewellery to weapons. It can be alloyed with zinc to make brass or with tin to make bronze. The majority of copper produced today is used to make electrical wire for everything form household appliances to electric motors. Some copper alloys have biomedical applications due to their antimicrobial properties. It is also an essential nutrient to all higher plant and animal species, though overexposure may be toxic.