A Tale of Seven Elements

By: Eric Scerri

Narrated by: Barry Campbell

Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1913, English physicist Henry Moseley established an elegant method for "counting" the elements based on atomic number, ranging them from hydrogen (#1) to uranium (#92). It soon became clear, however, that seven elements were mysteriously missing from the line up - seven elements unknown to science. In his well researched and engagingly narrative, Eric Scerri presents the intriguing stories of these seven elements - protactinium, hafnium, rhenium, technetium, francium, astatine and promethium. The book follows the historical order of discovery, roughly spanning the two world wars, beginning with the isolation of protactinium in 1917 and ending with that of promethium in 1945. For each element, Scerri traces the research that preceded the discovery, the pivotal experiments, the personalities of the chemists involved, the chemical nature of the new element, and its applications in science and technology. We learn for instance that alloys of hafnium - whose name derives from the Latin name for Copenhagen (hafnia) - have some of the highest boiling points on record and are used for the nozzles in rocket thrusters such as the Apollo Lunar Modules. Scerri also tells the personal tales of researchers overcoming great obstacles. We see how Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn - the pair who later proposed the theory of atomic fission - were struggling to isolate element 91 when World War I intervened, Hahn was drafted into the German army's poison gas unit, and Meitner was forced to press on alone against daunting odds. The book concludes by examining how and where the 25 new elements have taken their places in the periodic table in the last half century. A Tale of Seven Elements paints a fascinating picture of chemical research - the wrong turns, missed opportunities, bitterly disputed claims, serendipitous findings, accusations of dishonesty - all leading finally to the thrill of discovery.

©2013 Eric Scerri (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Interesting history of elements not taught in schools

The author seems to have done his research into these seven elements and presents a well rounded history of their discovery. Parts of the book are repetitive at times with the factoids regarding discovery and scientists.
The narrator mispronounces several elements and common scientist terms which is very jarring and distracting to the overall narration.

Insight into historical chemistry and physics

This is a very insightful journey through some of the history of science, enlightening us on how difficult it can be to make new discoveries and how human factors, like pride, nationalism, and poor communication, affected the progress of filling in the periodic table. This book also discusses various options for what constitutes a discovery. At times this book can be quite technical, and requires your full attention, but is worth the read/listen.