The Episodic Table of Elements
- Episodes
- 99
- Released
- irregularly
- Latest episode
- Nov 3, 2026
About the podcast
A podcast about the fascinating true stories behind each element on the periodic table.
Episodes 99
96. Curium: The Nature Of Discovery
In this episode, we learn how science itself has dramatically changed -- and we coin a new word.
95. Americium: Mundus Novus
Many episodes have incorporated geology, but this one is more about geography. (And amateur nuclear science.)
93. Neptunium: Great Expectations
To the person who said, "the episodes are never too long," I'm terribly sorry.
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.
91. Protactinium: Decolonize Science
Sometimes we need a quiet moment in order to step back and look at the bigger picture.
90. Thorium: Bright Lights, Big City
Sure, thorium could provide practically limitless clean energy, but then we couldn't build weapons of mass destruction.
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.
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.
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.
85. Astatine: Pathological Science
The story of astatine takes us to Alabama, Dacca, Romania, Vienna, and California, but definitely not Switzerland.
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.
83. Bismuth: The Friendly Oddball
The periodic table shows the natural patterns and trends among the elements. Bismuth does not abide.
82. Lead: Irrational Self-Interest
We just can't seem to stop chasing the sweet, sweet taste of element 82.
81. Thallium: It Rides A Pale Horse
In which we learn how reading mystery novels might very well save a life.
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.
78. Platinum: A Tous Les Temps, A Tous Les Peuples
Sometimes, being set in stone isn't permanent enough.
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.
76. Osmium: It Stinks!
This entire episode serves as cautionary advice to anyone seeking to add osmium to their element collection.
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.
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.
73. Tantalum: Mystery Meat
Once more, the periodic table drags us to hell -- this time by way of ancient Greece.
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.
71. Lutetium: Swampland Centaurs
Let us ensure we remember the lanthanide series before we leave it behind once and for all.
70. Ytterbium: White Gold
When Johann Bottger failed to turn lead into gold, porcelain made a pretty good consolation prize.
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.
68. Erbium: Hyperlink
Element 68 plays an important role in stitching together the World Wide Web -- for better or for worse.
These are the latest 40 of 99 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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