The Episodic Table of Elements

T. R. Appleton

A podcast about the fascinating true stories behind each element on the periodic table.

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98 episodes
Updated Sep 27, 2025

Episodes98

Newest first

Sep 27, 2025 · 36 min
95. Americium: Mundus Novus
Many episodes have incorporated geology, but this one is more about geography. (And amateur nuclear science.)
Mar 3, 2025
94. Plutonium: Weapons-Grade
Element 94 causes a bit of a crisis for our collections.
Aug 22, 2024 · 1 hr 7 min
93. Neptunium: Great Expectations
To the person who said, "the episodes are never too long," I'm terribly sorry.
Dec 20, 2023 · 26 min
The Episodic Table Of Elements Holiday Special
♪ O chemistry, o chemistry, the study of all matter ♫
May 29, 2023 · 45 min
92. Uranium: Two Untold Tales (Live At Harvard)
America's worst radioactive accident isn't Three Mile Island, and the Nazi nuclear physicist wasn't assassinated by the famous baseball player.
Oct 19, 2022 · 21 min
91. Protactinium: Decolonize Science
Sometimes we need a quiet moment in order to step back and look at the bigger picture.
Feb 22, 2022 · 18 min
90. Thorium: Bright Lights, Big City
Sure, thorium could provide practically limitless clean energy, but then we couldn't build weapons of mass destruction.
Nov 8, 2021 · 15 min
89. Actinium: The Windup… And The Pitchblende
We all know that radioactive rocks glow in the dark, except they actually don't, except for when they actually do.
Oct 18, 2021 · 33 min
88. Radium: Several Sordid Affairs
Out of all the characters who encounter radium in this episode, the only one to emerge unscathed is the guy who comes face-to-face with Satan.
Sep 13, 2021 · 15 min
87. Francium: Nothing To Do With Cats
You don't have to have a degree to do science, but it helps.
Aug 23, 2021 · 21 min
86. Radon: It’s Coming From Inside The House
You know something's amiss when you set off the radiation alarms while walking in to the nuclear power plant.
Aug 2, 2021 · 19 min
85. Astatine: Pathological Science
The story of astatine takes us to Alabama, Dacca, Romania, Vienna, and California, but definitely not Switzerland.
Jul 5, 2021 · 19 min
84. Polonium: The Distinguished Alumna Of Warsaw’s Flying University
Sadly, it's no longer possible to purchase this lethally radioactive element for fifteen cents and a cereal boxtop.
Jun 14, 2021 · 18 min
83. Bismuth: The Friendly Oddball
The periodic table shows the natural patterns and trends among the elements. Bismuth does not abide.
May 24, 2021 · 26 min
82. Lead: Irrational Self-Interest
We just can't seem to stop chasing the sweet, sweet taste of element 82.
Apr 26, 2021 · 24 min
81. Thallium: It Rides A Pale Horse
In which we learn how reading mystery novels might very well save a life.
Apr 12, 2021 · 22 min
80. Mercury: Fatally Toxic And Probably In Your Mouth
Even if you hate tuna, have flawless teeth, and only use digital thermometers, humans have historically not been shy about getting a mouthful of mercury.
Mar 29, 2021 · 28 min
79. Gold: Lump Sum
All other metals step aside, because today we deal with the king of elements.
Mar 15, 2021 · 21 min
78. Platinum: A Tous Les Temps, A Tous Les Peuples
Sometimes, being set in stone isn't permanent enough.
Mar 1, 2021 · 26 min
77. Iridium: T. Rex And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Alvarez noticed a great disturbance in the rocks, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

The Episodic Table of Elements

95. Americium: Mundus Novus

94. Plutonium: Weapons-Grade

93. Neptunium: Great Expectations

The Episodic Table Of Elements Holiday Special

92. Uranium: Two Untold Tales (Live At Harvard)

91. Protactinium: Decolonize Science

90. Thorium: Bright Lights, Big City

89. Actinium: The Windup… And The Pitchblende

88. Radium: Several Sordid Affairs

87. Francium: Nothing To Do With Cats

86. Radon: It’s Coming From Inside The House

85. Astatine: Pathological Science

84. Polonium: The Distinguished Alumna Of Warsaw’s Flying University

83. Bismuth: The Friendly Oddball

82. Lead: Irrational Self-Interest

81. Thallium: It Rides A Pale Horse

80. Mercury: Fatally Toxic And Probably In Your Mouth

79. Gold: Lump Sum

78. Platinum: A Tous Les Temps, A Tous Les Peuples

77. Iridium: T. Rex And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day