98 episodes

A journey through the periodic table of elements with chemistry professor Allan Blackman, from AUT, and Alison Ballance

Elemental RNZ Originals

    • Science
    • 4.8 • 159 Ratings

A journey through the periodic table of elements with chemistry professor Allan Blackman, from AUT, and Alison Ballance

    Zirconium - shape-shifting time capsule

    Zirconium - shape-shifting time capsule

    Zirconium is a shape-shifting tough cookie, that is a tale of gemstones, medical implants and nuclear reactors, says Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 96 of Elemental.

    • 12 min
    Zinc - more useful than you realise

    Zinc - more useful than you realise

    Zinc is a very useful metal that turns up in everything from sunscreen to paint, & galvanised metals to cereals, as well as brass instruments, says Prof Allan Blackman in ep 95 of Elemental.

    • 12 min
    Yttrium - here's that village Ytterby again

    Yttrium - here's that village Ytterby again

    Yttrium is yet another element named after the village of Ytterby and is important in the development of high temperature superconductors, says Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 94 of Elemental.

    • 8 min
    Ytterbium - yet another element named after Ytterby

    Ytterbium - yet another element named after Ytterby

    Ytterbium is yet another lanthanoid named after the Swedish village of Ytterby, says Prof Allan Blackman in ep 93 of Elemental.

    • 8 min
    Xenon - a stranger in search of strange particles

    Xenon - a stranger in search of strange particles

    Xenon is a noble gas that turns up in various lights, gets used in xenon ion propulsion systems for spacecraft & plays a key role in the search for dark matter, says Prof Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 92 of Elemental.

    • 9 min
    Vanadium - Model T Fords, big batteries & sea squirts

    Vanadium - Model T Fords, big batteries & sea squirts

    Vanadium makes steel stronger & lighter, is being used in what will be the world's largest battery, and sea squirts are full of it, says Prof Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 91 of Elemental.

    • 9 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
159 Ratings

159 Ratings

JPL-Writer ,

More Please

No more elements? You're kidding! Oh well, I'll just have to go through the series again. And again. And ...

two-ears-one-mouth ,

Fantastic!

Each episode is nothing short of fascinating, and very entertaining too.

Chan Chan 48 ,

Great podcast 😀

So interesting and informative sad that its stopped though.

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