Elemental
A journey through the periodic table of elements with chemistry professor Allan Blackman, from AUT, and Alison Ballance
Navigation for Elemental
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Tales from the periodic table
20 Feb 2019In the prequel to Elemental, AUT's Allan Blackman introduces us to Dmitri Mendeleev and chemistry's periodic table of elements. Read more Audio
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Actinium - rare & radioactive
22 Feb 2019The first alphabetical element in the periodic table is actinium. It is a heavy radioactive element, as we discover in episode 1 of Elemental, with Professor Allan Blackman from AUT. Read more Audio
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Aluminium - light & versatile
25 Feb 2019Aluminium is a light, well-known metal with lots of useful properties. Join AUT chemistry professor Allan Blackman for episode 2 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Americium - a radioactive, domestic do-gooder
27 Feb 2019Invented during war, radioactive americium has become a bit of a do-gooder that is in most homes. Find out more with AUT's Allan Blackman in episode 3 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Antimony - takes lives, saves lives
4 Mar 2019Antimony can be used to take lives - and to save lives. Check out episode 4 of Elemental with Professor Allan Blackman from AUT. Read more Audio
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Argon - every breath you take
8 Mar 2019Argon is in every breath you take and its inertness is its best feature, as we discover with AUT chemistry professor Allan Blackman, in episode 5 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Arsenic - the well-known poison
11 Mar 2019Arsenic is a well-known killer that was once dubbed 'succession powder'. Join Allan Blackman from AUT in episode 6 of Elemental, a journey through the periodic table. Read more Audio
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Astatine - awfully rare
15 Mar 2019No one has ever seen astatine, which shares the distinction of being one of the rarest naturally-occurring elements on earth. Find out more with Allan Blackman from AUT in episode 7 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Barium - never found on its own
18 Mar 2019Barium is never found on its own in nature, as it loves buddying up - but a version of it is found in hospitals. Allan Blackman from AUT reveals barium's secrets in episode 8 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Berkelium and the synthetic heavyweights
22 Mar 2019The heaviest elements on the periodic table have only ever existed fleetingly in the lab, so Allan Blackman from AUT has grouped them all together in episode 9 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Beryllium - sweet and precious, but deadly
25 Mar 2019You'll find beryllium in precious jewels and a space telescope mirror, but just don't inhale the dust - all in episode 10 of Elemental, with AUT's Professor Allan Blackman. Read more Audio
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Bismuth - an unusual heavy metal
29 Mar 2019Bismuth is a heavy metal that expands when frozen, and can be used to levitate trains and soothe upset guts, as Allan Blackman from AUT explains in episode 11 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Boron - made by cosmic rays, useful in the kitchen
1 Apr 2019Made by cosmic rays and supernovae, used in ovenproof cookware, and a key ingredient in the strongest acid ever made. Allan Blackman from AUT explores boron in ep 12 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Bromine - the colour purple and poison gas
5 Apr 2019The story of bromine is one of the color purple, the Dead Sea and an early poison gas used in the First World War, says Allan Blackman from AUT, in ep 13 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Cadmium - colour and quantum dots
8 Apr 2019Cadmium has featured in red traffic lights, rechargeable batteries and now has a role in quantum dots, according to Allan Blackman, from AUT, in ep 14 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Caesium - the time-keeper
12 Apr 2019A second, the basic unit of time, is defined by caesium, which is also useful for dating things. Find out more about caesium's role as a timekeeper, in ep 15 of Elemental with Allan Blackman from AUT.
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Calcium - strength and beauty
15 Apr 2019Calcium creates objects that are strong and beautiful, from caves, to teeth and bones, and coral reefs. Find out more in ep 16 of Elemental, with Allan Blackman from AUT. Read more Audio
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Carbon - life & times of the 'king of elements'
19 Apr 2019Carbon underpins life as we know it, fuels our world and gets its own branch of chemistry, according to AUT professor Allan Blackman, in ep 17 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Cerium - combustible and confusing
22 Apr 2019Cerium is the most abundant rare-earth element and pops up in self-cleaning ovens, cigarette lighter flints and spectacle glass. Find out more with Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 18 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Chlorine - good for health, bad for health
26 Apr 2019Chlorine is the culprit in the 'case of the exploding trousers'. It is also well-known as a disinfectant and chloride ions are essential for life, but as DDT & CFCs, chlorine is bad news. Allan… Read more Audio
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Chromium - colourful and shiny
29 Apr 2019Chromium is a transition metal that gives colour to precious jewels, the shine to your car fender and your kitchen bench, but can also be a killer. All this and more in ep 20 of Elemental with Allan… Read more Audio
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Cobalt - goblin of the periodic table
Famous as the colour of blue glass and important in red blood cells, cobalt can form a permanent magnet and is vital for livestock. Allan Blackman from AUT talks about his favourite element in ep 21… Read more Audio
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Copper - essential, in moderation
Copper is a soft metal that is an essential element for enzymes and life, gives octopuses their blue blood and was often used to make coins. Allan Blackman from AUT has the lowdown on copper in ep 22… Read more Audio
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Curium & meitnerium - in honour of two pioneering women
8 May 2019There are only two chemical elements on the periodic table named after women: curium, in honour of Marie & Pierre Curie, & meitnerium after Lise Meitner. Allan Blackman from AUT introduces the women… Read more Audio
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Dysprosium - hard to get
10 May 2019Dysprosium earned its name by being very hard to separate from other elements and has become very important in electric car motors. Join Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 24 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Erbium - through rose-tinted glasses
13 May 2019Erbium is named after a chemically famous Swedish village, and adds a rose-tinted glow to the periodic table, in ep 25 of Elemental with Allan Blackman from AUT. Read more Audio
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Europium - putting the security in the Euro
17 May 2019Europium is named after Europe and is responsible for a forgery-busting aspect of the Euro banknote, reports Prof Allan Blackman in ep 26 of Elemental. Read more Audio
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Fluorine - the non-stick element
20 May 2019Fluorine is a highly toxic green gas that is the main ingredient in non-stick teflon coatings. In ep 27 of Elemental, Prof Allan Blackman from AUT, says that fluorine has very different properties… Read more Audio
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Francium - final naturally-occurring element to be discovered
24 May 2019Francium was the last naturally-occurring element to be discovered and has never been seen, says Prof Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 28 Elemental. Read more Audio
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Gadolinium - plays a key role in MRI scans
27 May 2019Gadolinium has interesting magnetic properties and is used as a contrast agent in MRI scans, according to AUT's Prof Allan Blackman in ep 29 of Elemental. Read more Audio
Elemental
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