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Why is radium’s chemistry less thoroughly studied than the chemistry of other alkaline-earth metals?

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A color-coded periodic table of the elements displays each element's symbol and atomic number, with categories such as alkali metals, noble gases, halogens, transition metals, and actinoid elements distinguished by different background colors. — alkaline-earth metal Modern version of the periodic table of the elements (printable).

Radium’s chemistry is less thoroughly studied than that of other alkaline-earth metals primarily due to its intense radioactivity and the associated health hazards.1

Because all isotopes of radium are radioactive, handling the element requires extreme caution to protect researchers from harmful radiation exposure. This high level of activity complicates experimental procedures, as the radiation can interfere with chemical analysis and pose significant safety risks, such as those historically experienced by workers exposed to radium-containing materials. Furthermore, because radium is a scarce element that does not occur free in nature, obtaining and isolating sufficient quantities for detailed study is difficult and resource-intensive.123

While its chemical behavior is generally consistent with its position in the periodic table as the heaviest alkaline-earth metal, these practical challenges—combined with the fact that radium has been largely superseded in medical and industrial applications by less costly and more powerful artificial radioisotopes—have limited the extent of its chemical investigation compared to its more stable counterparts.1