Elements
From the primeval density of carbon to the untarnished lustre of gold and the dazzle of potassium, elements are the wonderful stuff of which the world around us is made.
This is their story.
Without our understanding of elements, the world around us would look totally different. Everything we have built, forged or crafted is based on our knowledge of elements: the tables we sit at, the clothes we wear, let alone the buildings we live in.
Once the elements had been isolated they could be combined and
manipulated in ways the early chemists could only have dreamed
of.
In this fascinating and original series, Professor of Theoretical
Physics Jim Al-Khalili goes on a journey to find out how the
mysterious, sensuous world of the elements was discovered and
mapped. He revels in their glorious textures and astonishing
behaviour and unravels the stories of the chemical pioneers who
plumbed their secrets and moved us into the modern age.
Jim put his chemistry studies on hold when he came to England from
Iraq, and this is a very personal journey for him.
Now, as a highly successful physicist, he wants to find out what he missed. Hes lived in an abstract world of theories now hes ready to get his hands dirty in the immensely colourful, tangible and sumptuous world of chemistry, paying homage to the genius pioneers and their stories.
Whether its Boyles ingenious experiment to show air is tangible,
not ethereal; Lavoisiers astonishing breakthrough which proved why
things burn; or
Mendeleevs heartbreaking determination to see patterns and meaning
in seemingly chaotic arrays of elements, Jim brings a genuine
freshness and a
passionate curiosity to a story that is in itself full of great
dramatic moments and visual treats, as everyday objects are
transformed and metals and vapours made marvellous.
Experience the burning yellow of sulphur, catch the dazzle of
potassium and glimpse the unique beauty of a crystal. Whats more,
find the meaning behind them and where they and we fit into the
astonishing intellectual creation that is the periodic table.
Did you know? Jim Al-Khalili was awarded the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for science communication in 2007 and elected an Honorary Fellow of the British Association for the Advancement of Science .
