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

Feb 8, 2021 · 19 min
76. Osmium: It Stinks!
This entire episode serves as cautionary advice to anyone seeking to add osmium to their element collection.
Jan 25, 2021 · 13 min
75. Rhenium: A Love Of Two Brains
Witness an incredible, unbreakable bond between two who couldn't be more alike. We'll also learn about a married couple.
Jan 11, 2021 · 22 min
74. Tungsten: What Is The Atom We Love?
All right, everybody settle down. Welcome to the weekly meeting of the National Association Of W Lovers.
Dec 28, 2020 · 13 min
73. Tantalum: Mystery Meat
Once more, the periodic table drags us to hell -- this time by way of ancient Greece.
Dec 14, 2020 · 16 min
72. Hafnium: The Isomer Bomb
The science suggests hafnium can't be used to create a gamma ray bomb, but that won't stop the U.S. government from trying.
Nov 16, 2020 · 14 min
71. Lutetium: Swampland Centaurs
Let us ensure we remember the lanthanide series before we leave it behind once and for all.
Nov 2, 2020 · 14 min
70. Ytterbium: White Gold
When Johann Bottger failed to turn lead into gold, porcelain made a pretty good consolation prize.
Oct 19, 2020 · 14 min
69. Thulium: Out Of The Way
We'll go to the land of the ice and snow... and figure out exactly where that is, too.
Oct 5, 2020 · 19 min
68. Erbium: Hyperlink
Element 68 plays an important role in stitching together the World Wide Web -- for better or for worse.
Aug 24, 2020 · 12 min
67. Holmium: This Magnet Moment
Holmium: Equally beloved by theoretical physicists and Jedi Knights.
Aug 10, 2020 · 9 min
66. Dysprosium: Hard To Get
You spin me right round, baby, right round, like a windmill, baby, right round round round.
Jul 27, 2020 · 14 min
65. Terbium: The Joy of Tedium
For more than one reason, element 65 makes the short list of "most annoying elements."
Jul 13, 2020 · 18 min
64. Gadolinium: Three Wise Men
Like Luke Skywalker, today's tale takes a farmboy to greatness.
Jun 22, 2020 · 14 min
63. Europium: The Age Of Enlightenment
As element collectors, may we all one day be as fortunate as Frank Harold Spedding.
Jun 1, 2020 · 13 min
62. Samarium: Eponymous Honorarium
We hear all sorts of incredible stories on this podcast, but today we'll meet the most unbelievable character of all time: A friendly bureaucrat.
May 18, 2020 · 18 min
61. Promethium: What A Friend We Have In Prometheus
We've met mythological light-bearers before, but this one possesses a decidedly nobler spirit.
May 4, 2020 · 20 min
60. Neodymium: Anarchy And Order
Decades of complex geopolitical chaos ultimately result in one afternoon's rather embarrassing hospital visit.
Apr 20, 2020 · 24 min
59. Praseodymium: Grandiloquent Sesquipedalianism
Sometimes, the most interesting aspect of an element has nothing to do with chemistry at all.
Apr 2, 2020 · 16 min
58. Cerium: Light My Fire
It's the most common flint you'll find, except it's not actually flint at all.
Mar 23, 2020 · 14 min
57. Lanthanum: Hidden In Plain Sight
Let's uncover element 57, and find out why the "rare earths" are neither rare nor earths nor an empire.

The Episodic Table of Elements

76. Osmium: It Stinks!

75. Rhenium: A Love Of Two Brains

74. Tungsten: What Is The Atom We Love?

73. Tantalum: Mystery Meat

72. Hafnium: The Isomer Bomb

71. Lutetium: Swampland Centaurs

70. Ytterbium: White Gold

69. Thulium: Out Of The Way

68. Erbium: Hyperlink

67. Holmium: This Magnet Moment

66. Dysprosium: Hard To Get

65. Terbium: The Joy of Tedium

64. Gadolinium: Three Wise Men

63. Europium: The Age Of Enlightenment

62. Samarium: Eponymous Honorarium

61. Promethium: What A Friend We Have In Prometheus

60. Neodymium: Anarchy And Order

59. Praseodymium: Grandiloquent Sesquipedalianism

58. Cerium: Light My Fire

57. Lanthanum: Hidden In Plain Sight