Tracking the World, One Axis at a Time
A focused exploration of the fundamental building blocks of matter, presenting each chemical element with detailed explanation and context.
Sulfur (S, atomic number 16), the bright yellow nonmetal in group 16 (below oxygen and above selenium), has been known to humanity since antiquity—called brimstone (“burning stone”) in the Bible…
Nitrogen (N, atomic number 7), the colorless, odorless, tasteless diatomic gas that makes up 78.08% of Earth’s atmosphere, is the element that both sustains and threatens life. Discovered in 1772…
Vanadium (V, atomic number 23), a hard, silvery-grey transition metal in group 5 of the periodic table, is renowned for its remarkable ability to strengthen steel and its vivid color-changing…
Polonium (Po, atomic number 84), the rarest and most toxic naturally occurring element, is a silvery-gray, highly radioactive metalloid in group 16 (below tellurium and above livermorium). Discovered in 1898…
Strontium (Sr, atomic number 38), a soft, silvery-white alkaline earth metal in group 2 (below calcium and above barium), is best known for its brilliant crimson-red flame that has lit…
Actinium (Ac, atomic number 89), the first element of the actinide series and the namesake of the entire 5f-block, is a silvery-white, highly radioactive metal that glows in the dark…
Molybdenum (Mo, atomic number 42), a lustrous, silvery-gray transition metal in group 6 (below chromium and above tungsten), is one of the most critical refractory metals in modern industry. Discovered…
Curium (Cm, atomic number 96), a silvery, radioactive actinide metal in the f-block (below americium and above berkelium), is one of the heaviest elements producible in macroscopic (though tiny) quantities.…
Caesium (Cs, atomic number 55), also spelled cesium in American English, is a soft, silvery-gold alkali metal in group 1—below rubidium and the most electropositive stable element known. Discovered in…
Moscovium (Mc, atomic number 115), a synthetic superheavy element in group 15 (the pnictogen group, below bismuth), is one of the most unstable and elusive members of the periodic table.…