Episodes

  • Zirconium - shape-shifting time capsule

    Zirconium - shape-shifting time capsule
    Dec 22 2019
    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 98 of Elemental.
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    13 mins
  • Zinc - more useful than you realise

    Zinc - more useful than you realise
    Dec 19 2019
    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 97 of Elemental.
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    13 mins
  • Yttrium - here's that village Ytterby again

    Yttrium - here's that village Ytterby again
    Dec 15 2019
    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 96 of Elemental.
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    8 mins
  • Ytterbium - yet another element named after Ytterby

    Ytterbium - yet another element named after Ytterby
    Dec 12 2019
    Ytterbium is yet another lanthanoid named after the Swedish village of Ytterby, says Prof Allan Blackman in ep 95 of Elemental.
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    8 mins
  • Xenon - a stranger in search of strange particles

    Xenon - a stranger in search of strange particles
    Dec 10 2019
    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 94 of Elemental.
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    10 mins
  • Vanadium - Model T Fords, big batteries & sea squirts

    Vanadium - Model T Fords, big batteries & sea squirts
    Dec 8 2019
    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 93 of Elemental.
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    10 mins
  • Uranium - first radioactive element to be discovered

    Uranium - first radioactive element to be discovered
    Dec 5 2019
    Named after the planet Uranus & associated with Hiroshima & nuclear bombs, uranium is the highest-numbered element found naturally in significant quantities on earth, says Prof Allan Blackman in ep 92 of Elemental.
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    8 mins
  • Tungsten - highest melting point of any metal

    Tungsten - highest melting point of any metal
    Dec 1 2019
    Tungsten's very high melting point made it an ideal filament for incandescent light bulbs, & as it is in some enzymes it is the heaviest element used in nature, says Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 91 of Elemental.
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    9 mins