The Episodic Table of Elements

93. Neptunium: Great Expectations Aug 22, 2024

To the person who said, "the episodes are never too long," I'm terribly sorry.

The Episodic Table Of Elements Holiday Special Dec 20, 2023

Time for the most traditional holiday celebration: A science lesson.

92. Uranium: Two Untold Tales (Live At Harvard) May 29, 2023

America's worst radioactive accident isn't Three Mile Island, and the Nazi nuclear physicist wasn't assassinated by the famous baseball player.

91. Protactinium: Decolonize Science Oct 19, 2022

Sometimes we need a quiet moment in order to step back and look at the bigger picture.

90. Thorium: Bright Lights, Big City Feb 22, 2022

Sure, thorium could provide practically limitless clean energy, but then we couldn't build weapons of mass destruction.

89. Actinium: The Windup… And The Pitchblende Nov 08, 2021

We all know that radioactive rocks glow in the dark, except they actually don't, except for when they actually do.

88. Radium: Several Sordid Affairs Oct 18, 2021

Out of all the characters who encounter radium in this episode, the only one to emerge unscathed is the guy who comes face-to-face with Satan.

87. Francium: Nothing To Do With Cats Sep 13, 2021

You don't have to have a degree to do science, but it helps.

86. Radon: It’s Coming From Inside The House Aug 23, 2021

You know something's amiss when you set off the radiation alarms while walking in to the nuclear power plant.

85. Astatine: Pathological Science Aug 02, 2021

The story of astatine takes us to Alabama, Dacca, Romania, Vienna, and California, but definitely not Switzerland.

84. Polonium: The Distinguished Alumna Of Warsaw’s Flying University Jul 05, 2021

Sadly, it's no longer possible to purchase this lethally radioactive element for fifteen cents and a cereal boxtop.

83. Bismuth: The Friendly Oddball Jun 14, 2021

The periodic table shows the natural patterns and trends among the elements. Bismuth does not abide.

82. Lead: Irrational Self-Interest May 24, 2021

We just can't seem to stop chasing the sweet, sweet taste of element 82.

81. Thallium: It Rides A Pale Horse Apr 26, 2021

In which we learn how reading mystery novels might very well save a life.

80. Mercury: Fatally Toxic And Probably In Your Mouth Apr 12, 2021

Even if you hate tuna, have flawless teeth, and only use digital thermometers, humans have historically not been shy about getting a mouthful of mercury.

79. Gold: Lump Sum Mar 29, 2021

All other metals step aside, because today we deal with the king of elements.

78. Platinum: A Tous Les Temps, A Tous Les Peuples Mar 15, 2021

Sometimes, being set in stone isn't permanent enough.

77. Iridium: T. Rex And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Mar 01, 2021

Alvarez noticed a great disturbance in the rocks, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

76. Osmium: It Stinks! Feb 08, 2021

This entire episode serves as cautionary advice to anyone seeking to add osmium to their element collection.

75. Rhenium: A Love Of Two Brains Jan 25, 2021

Witness an incredible, unbreakable bond between two who couldn't be more alike. We'll also learn about a married couple.

74. Tungsten: What Is The Atom We Love? Jan 11, 2021

All right, everybody settle down. Welcome to the weekly meeting of the National Association Of W Lovers.

73. Tantalum: Mystery Meat Dec 28, 2020

Once more, the periodic table drags us to hell -- this time by way of ancient Greece.

72. Hafnium: The Isomer Bomb Dec 14, 2020

The science suggests hafnium can't be used to create a gamma ray bomb, but that won't stop the U.S. government from trying.

71. Lutetium: Swampland Centaurs Nov 16, 2020

Let us ensure we remember the lanthanide series before we leave it behind once and for all.

70. Ytterbium: White Gold Nov 02, 2020

When Johann Bottger failed to turn lead into gold, porcelain made a pretty good consolation prize.

69. Thulium: Out Of The Way Oct 19, 2020

We'll go to the land of the ice and snow... and figure out exactly where that is, too.

68. Erbium: Hyperlink Oct 05, 2020

Element 68 plays an important role in stitching together the World Wide Web -- for better or for worse.

Upcoming Schedule, Part II Sep 14, 2020

Hello, Listener. Under better circumstances, you would be learning about erbium right about now. Unfortunately, that episode is not quite ready yet. Between my day job and the possibility of a very big move in my near future, I simply haven't had enough time to create a quality episode according to my usual schedule -- and I probably won't be able to for the next couple weeks, either. However, I didn't want to just fall off the face of the earth. So I hope you'll accept my apologies for the delay in our regularly scheduled programming. Instead, today and for the following two Mondays, I'll post reviews of chemistry books that might interest an element enthusiast like yourself. It's not the same as a new episode, but I hope it counts for something while you wait for me to give erbium the attention it deserves and produce a proper episode. That episode will be published on Monday, October 5, by hook or by Crooke's tube. In the meantime, thank you for your patience and for being a listener.

67. Holmium: This Magnet Moment Aug 24, 2020

Holmium: Equally beloved by theoretical physicists and Jedi Knights.

66. Dysprosium: Hard To Get Aug 10, 2020

You spin me right round, baby, right round, like a windmill, baby, right round round round.

65. Terbium: The Joy of Tedium Jul 27, 2020

For more than one reason, element 65 makes the short list of "most annoying elements."

64. Gadolinium: Three Wise Men Jul 13, 2020

Like Luke Skywalker, today's tale takes a farmboy to greatness.

Cast Your Vote Jul 06, 2020

If you enjoy The Episodic Table Of Elements, please consider nominating the show for a Podcast Award.

63. Europium: The Age Of Enlightenment Jun 22, 2020

As element collectors, may we all one day be as fortunate as Frank Harold Spedding.

62. Samarium: Eponymous Honorarium Jun 01, 2020

We hear all sorts of incredible stories on this podcast, but today we'll meet the most unbelievable character of all time: A friendly bureaucrat.

61. Promethium: What A Friend We Have In Prometheus May 18, 2020

We've met mythological light-bearers before, but this one possesses a decidedly nobler spirit.

60. Neodymium: Anarchy And Order May 04, 2020

Decades of complex geopolitical chaos ultimately result in one afternoon's rather embarrassing hospital visit.

59. Praseodymium: Grandiloquent Sesquipedalianism Apr 20, 2020

Sometimes, the most interesting aspect of an element has nothing to do with chemistry at all.

58. Cerium: Light My Fire Apr 02, 2020

It's the most common flint you'll find, except it's not actually flint at all.

57. Lanthanum: Hidden In Plain Sight Mar 23, 2020

Let's uncover element 57, and find out why the "rare earths" are neither rare nor earths nor an empire.

56. Barium: Glow-Getter Mar 09, 2020

When you really want to suck all the air out of a room, barium will help you out.

55. Caesium: A Brief History Of Time Feb 24, 2020

We'll trace the history of the most important caesium-based technology all the way back to its original roots: a stick.

54. Xenon: Ignoble Gas Feb 10, 2020

Truly strange things start to happen when you breathe this rarefied air.

53. Iodine: Purple Haze Jan 27, 2020

We'll pull in our elemental haul from the sea while Lady Jane Davy spits in the ocean.

52. Tellurium: To Hell You Ride Dec 30, 2019

Collecting elements can be risky business. Tellurium is one of those elements that poses a dire threat -- not to one's health, but to the element collector's reputation in polite society.

51. Antimony: Can You Return An Inheritance? Dec 16, 2019

It's like an Everlasting Gobstopper, but Willy Wonka is a fratricidal German monk.

50. Tin: Your Metal Pal Who’s Fun To Be With Nov 25, 2019

We've palled around with tin for thousands of years, but you should know that it's a fair-weather friend.

49. Indium: The Spectre Of Isaac Nov 11, 2019

The story of indium is pretty straightforward, but its namesake is practically impossible to pin down.

48. Cadmium: Don’t You Know That You’re Toxic? Oct 28, 2019

Cadmium will let you choose among a range of orange-ish hues, but it's some pretty awful news if you contract the "cadmium blues."

47. Silver: Our Own Image Oct 14, 2019

Silver is more than just a precious metal. It's also a reflection of ourselves.

46. Palladium: The Old Razzle Dazzle Sep 23, 2019

Those people who've been involved with palladium's history seem to harbor a dubious predilection for stretching the truth.

45. Rhodium: The Most Precious Metal Sep 09, 2019

For some people, rhodium's most important aspect is its high price. For others, it's absolutely priceless.

44. Ruthenium: The Glow Cloud Aug 26, 2019

Element 44 is technically not named for Russia... but perhaps it should be.

43. Technetium: Naturally Synthetic Aug 12, 2019

It's only after we gave up searching for this element that we found it out in the universe.

42. Molybdenum: Conventional Weapons Jul 29, 2019

Before we talk about one big gun, let's discuss 1,500 years of military technology.

41. Niobium: No More Tears Jul 15, 2019

We delve into elemental etymology today, and get to investigate a chemical phenomenon.

40. Zirconium: Burning Up, Melting Down Jul 01, 2019

Today, we reach the last element on the periodic table -- but only alphabetically speaking.

39. Yttrium: It’s A Quiet Village Jun 17, 2019

Welcome to the sleepy Swedish town of Ytterby. I hope you like it, because we'll be spending an awful lot of time there later in the series.

38. Strontium: Little Town Jun 03, 2019

Let's look past the bad reputation this element has to learn how it's an essential part of an idyllic childhood.

37. Rubidium: What’s Cooler Than Being Cool? May 20, 2019

Rubidium is more explosive than the alkali metals above it on the table, but it's much more interesting when it's standing almost perfectly still.

36. Krypton: It’s A Metric May 06, 2019

Like argon, today's noble gas coincidentally features prominently in science fiction -- albeit in name only. But krypton also takes a place in the science factual story of international weights and measures.

35. Bromine: Come At Me Apr 22, 2019

Don't get too excited, because bromine is an element that brings the hammer down on both extreme emotions and extreme actions.

34. Selenium: A Fit Of Heat And Light Mar 25, 2019

Throughout history, copying information has been arduous, messy, and even dangerous -- until one bored, depressed man figured out the secrets of selenium.

33. Arsenic: It’s Not Easy Being Green Mar 11, 2019

Considering how synonymous this episode's element is with "poison," it's shocking how eager people have historically been to ingest the stuff.

32. Germanium: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger Feb 25, 2019

Silicon gets all the press, but germanium was the real trailblazer of the Information Age.

31. Gallium: The Wet Bandits Feb 11, 2019

Meet one of the periodic table's lesser-known liquid metals -- and beware some dangerous competition from a few felonious element collectors.

30. Zinc: The Lecture Circuit Jan 28, 2019

Learn about some of Italy's most renowned chemists and how they inspired a most gruesome quest to conquer death.

29. Copper: Wires Crossed Jan 14, 2019

We get lost in the woods with a couple of little guys in today's episode, and learn about a lesser-known American Civil War.

28. Nickel: Face Value Dec 31, 2018

From religion to money to politics, nickel finds itself at the center of all kinds of awkward conversations.

27. Cobalt: Mischief Managed Dec 17, 2018

Cobalt is a tricksy little element, which means the scientists who've dealt with it the most are some of the cleverest people to have ever walked the Earth.

26. Iron: As Above, So Below Dec 03, 2018

Is iron a metal that's more valuable than gold, or are we forever trapped in its "hated shadow?"

25. Manganese: Undercover Operations Nov 19, 2018

From giant prehistoric sharks to clandestine Cold War projects, manganese is an element that has concealed a lot of secrets.

24. Chromium: I’ll Be Your Mirror Nov 05, 2018

It might be tempting to speed right on by, but it's worth stopping for a moment to gaze at element 24.

23. Vanadium: Beauty In The Background Oct 22, 2018

From freeways to firefights to unfathomable depths, vanadium can often be found quietly doing the hardest work.

22. Titanium: Dignity Over Dentures Oct 08, 2018

Titanium is an element valued as much for its beauty as its strength -- provided you can find a genuine sample of the stuff.

21. Scandium: Spoiling For A Fight Sep 24, 2018

From jet fighters to sporting events to Low Earth Orbit, scandium seems to find itself at the center of conflict.

20. Calcium: Stone and Bone Sep 10, 2018

Stories of turning flesh to stone -- and vice versa -- are common in mythology. With calcium, we see how those same transitions can happen in the real world.

19. Potassium: An Undeserved Reputation Aug 20, 2018

There's no avoiding discussing the banana in this episode, even though it really doesn't deserve its strong association with Element 19.

18. Argon: More Than Meets The Eye Aug 06, 2018

Today's element gets called "lazy," but that's actually a terrible misnomer.

17. Chlorine: Too High Or Too Low, There Ain’t No In-Betweens Jul 23, 2018

Chlorine is an element that causes some extreme reactions, and occasionally inspires some pretty extreme reactions in humans, too.

16. Sulfur: No Mistakes, Only Happy Accidents Jul 09, 2018

From Vulcan to vultures, today's element brings stories of unintended consequences.

15. Phosphorus: Dealing With The Devil Jun 11, 2018

The history of phosphorus is largely a tale of people getting their hands dirty. Very, very dirty.

14. Silicon: Tool Of All Trades May 28, 2018

From prehistoric times right through today, our hand-held tools have been made of silicon.

13. Aluminium: War Of The Words May 14, 2018

Listen to some of the pointless arguments caused by element 13, and take a look at the argument-filled history of one sharp aluminum point.

12. Magnesium: White Light/White Heat Apr 30, 2018

Magnesium makes for quite a fireworks display, whether inside your body or out.

11. Sodium: What’s In Na? Apr 16, 2018

Turns out ancient sages and seers might've actually known a thing or two. Also, is there a good reason for sodium's chemical symbol? Na.

10. Neon: A Sign Of The Times Apr 02, 2018

Neon may no longer be "the new one," but it might have a better claim to the name than any other element on the periodic table.

9. Fluorine: Tyger Tyger, Burning Bright Mar 19, 2018

Just *try* to tally the body count behind the periodic table's most reactive element, and learn why you should drink it.

8. Oxygen: Take What You Can Get Mar 05, 2018

Element 8 brings us two different stories about a population that gets a little too swept up in the latest craze, happening to commit mass murder in the process.

7. Nitrogen: Taking The Good With The Bad Feb 19, 2018

Today we meet one man who's responsible for the death of millions -- and the survival of billions.

6. Carbon: The Circle Of Life Feb 12, 2018

Learn why carbon is the foundation of all life on Earth as we investigate a chemist's suicide, death by air pollution, and one very, very cold murder case.

5. Boron: Working Hard, Or Hardly Working? Feb 05, 2018

Today, we look past boron's hard exterior to get to know its softer side. Its confusing, gooey, softer side.

4. Beryllium: The Modern Sisyphus Jan 29, 2018

As we try to dive deep into beryllium, we discover its irritating tendency to send us back to the beginning.

3. Lithium: The Element Of Surprise Jan 22, 2018

We cautiously approach this explosively reactive element and learn about its surprising ability to stabilize moods, with a brief foray into Bolivian economics along the way.

2. Helium: Above All That Jan 15, 2018

This week, we try to interact with helium, even though it really doesn't want to. Plus, we explore the occult side of chemistry as described by the theosophists.

1. Hydrogen: Close To The Sun Jan 08, 2018

As we investigate our first element, we'll meet warring balloonists, witness mass media's first major tragedy, and see how the tiniest mistake can cost a lot of money. Plus, we'll try to pin down where hydrogen belongs on the periodic table.

0. Everything The Light Touches Jan 01, 2018

In our inaugural episode, we'll cover the creation of the periodic table before we start exploring each element one-by-one.

Preview The Episodic Table of Elements Dec 14, 2017

Wondering what sorts of things you might here on The Episodic Table of Elements? I've produced this brief teaser so you can get an idea of what kinds of stories you'll hear.

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