The History of Chemistry
Chemistry is everywhere, and involves everything. But how did chemistry get to be what it is? I'm Steve Cohen, a chemist and writer, bringing you The History of Chemistry. This podcast explores the development of chemistry from prehistoric times to the present, including the people and societies who made chemistry what it is today. The History of Chemistry is for you, whether you hated chemistry in high school, or got a PhD in inorganic chemistry. We'll explore how chemistry affected art, music, language, politics and vice-versa. Whether it's ancient Greek philosophers, medieval alchemists, or modern laboratory apparatus, it's all here. Don't forget to support my series at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistry !
The History of Chemistry
20: The Element of Surprise
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Steve Cohen
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Episode 20
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The problem of the large and growing variety of elements perplexed chemists, who attempted to bring order to the chaos. We learn about Döbereiner's triads, Pettenkofer and Dumas's correlations of multiples of atomic weights, Newlands's Law of Octaves, and Chancourtois's Telluric Screw. Kekulé's Karlsruhe conference brought order to some chemical chaos, and was the launching point for Dmitri Mendeleev and his periodic table, while Lothar Meyer almost beat Mendeleev for bragging rights. Mendeleev's close friend Alexander Borodin was a chemist AND composer, and we hear from guest Alan Rothenberg on Borodin's life and music.
- Support my podcast at https://www.patreon.com/thehistoryofchemistry
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