The Elements : Ponderables

100 Breakthroughs That Changed the World

In 1869 Dmitri Mendeleev presented the world with the Periodic Table. It contained 63 elements, many more than the four elements established in the ancient world, but less than half the total in our modern table. Mendeleev believed there were many elements still to come. He was right.

This gloriously illustrated essential guide to the Periodic Table tracks the history of a powerful yet elegant tool that lays bare the building blocks of the Universe. The journey begins just as the first cities are forming, and follows the contributions made by philosophers, alchemists, industrialists, and great scientists.

From the ancient Greek philosophers to the alchemist who boiled urine until it glowed in the dark, the discovery of the elements is a story with many chapters. The thoughts and deeds of great thinkers always make great stories and here are a hundred of the most significant.

Each story relates a confounding puzzle that became a discovery and changed the way we see the world. We call these Ponderables.

About the Author

Tom Jackson is a science writer based in the United Kingdom. Tom specializes in recasting science and technology into lively historical narratives. After almost 20 years of writing, Tom has uncovered a wealth of stories that help create new ways to enjoy learning about science and math. He studied at the University of Bristol and still lives in the city with his wife and three children.