Sodium: Violently explosive, yet essentially beneficial
The alkali metal sodium is so full of contradictions. Yes, it’s a metal. But, it’s one of those soft ones, about as soft as...
Boron – Not boring, but complex and versatile
Boron, the fifth element of the Periodic Table, is one of its unsung heroes, but a hero all the same. Unfortunately, overshadowed by its...
Phosphorus – Critically life-essential, alarmingly poisonous
Aspooky element. That’s what phosphorus, the fifteenth element of the periodic table, is for many. In the early days after its discovery, some even...
Lithium – Powering today’s technology
Once an element with limited known uses, today lithium, the first metal of the periodic table and also its lightest metal (density around half...
Oxygen – The life-sustaining element
The first element of Group 16 of the periodic table, oxygen is the element on which our very existence on earth depends. Humans and...
Mercury – Shiny liquid metal with a dark side
Mercury, the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature, has fascinated people right from ancient civilisations and alchemists to the scientists of...
Nitrogen – The life-essential element
Much like Oxygen and Carbon, the seventh element of the periodic table – Nitrogen – is also a crucial, life-supporting substance. Nitrogen is a...
Silicon – High-tech element of the information age
First, we had the stone age. Then came the bronze age, followed by the iron age. And now, we’re in the information age. Or...
Gallium – The smart metal
Guess what would happen if you held a small piece of the silvery metal gallium in your hand? In a few minutes, it would...
Carbon – The multi-faceted wonder element
Carbon, the wondrous element with amazing properties, forms the foundation for all known life forms on earth. Carbon atoms are the major component of many important substances...
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