We Apologize For The Inconvenience

I’ve written this as a comment below, but it feels important enough to add to the top of the post, too:

It would feel a little self-indulgent to respond individually to everyone’s comments here, but I just wanted to mention how blown away I am by everyone’s kind comments. I can’t tell you how much it means to hear all your well-wishes, and it gladdens me to know that my little passion project has attracted the ears of such thoughtful people. Thank you all.

I’m not out of the woods yet, but whatever comes next health-wise, I’m nonetheless making steady progress on the next episode’s script, Thorium.


Hello, listener!

Boy howdy, it sure has been a long time since we’ve had a new episode, hasn’t it? Unfortunately, I’m afraid it may still be a while yet before we get to hear the stories behind thorium.

A new and rather unexpected health issue has cropped up for me recently, and it’s going to be an issue for the foreseeable future. It’s nothing terribly worrisome, but it is taking up a lot of time and energy. I’m not sure what kind of schedule I’ll be able to stick to for the next couple weeks or possibly months.

The good news is — knock on wood — all this should be well behind me a few months from now.

Actually, the real good news is that walking the halls of medicine allows for new opportunities to collect chemical elements! A friendly MRI tech let me keep my bottle of contrast agent, pictured above, which allowed me to add gadolinium to my personal collection! (Granted, the bottle is empty, but there’s still a little bit of gadolinium slime stuck to the walls of this vessel.)

Anyway, I’m sorry for the loss in momentum. I would much rather be pumping out episodes at a rapid clip! I’ll be back at it as soon as I can, and as always, thank you for listening.

Happy Monday

Hi folks,

I know it’s been a while since our last episode, Actinium. I would’ve liked to post Thorium tomorrow, November 29, but alas, the fates decided against that. Even for a year that’s been more hectic than usual, the past few weeks have been especially full.

Truly, it would be impossible for 2022 to be more disruptive to the podcast schedule than this year has been! (Famous last words, I know…)

Thanks for hanging in there. When we do get around to thorium, we’ll hear tales of another lady pioneer of chemistry, hopes for the green fuel of tomorrow, and New York City’s trendiest Superfund site.

Podcast Playlist

Exciting news! The CBC Radio program Podcast Playlist has just featured The Episodic Table Of Elements as recommended listening, alongside the esteemed company of Darts & Letters, The Big Story, Star Trek: The Pod Directive, and ars PARADOXICA.

If you’ve found you way here thanks to those folks, welcome! I’m delighted you’re here. Podcast Playlist featured an excerpt of Episode 84, Polonium. Please do check out the rest of the episode to hear how that element sees use by vinyl record enthusiasts and state-sponsored murderers. And take a look at The Periodic Table Of Episodes to explore elements 1 – 83. (We’ve also visited element 85 and beyond now!)

Marie Curie will return in Episode 85, Radium, in which we’ll learn why not one but two duels were fought over Mme. Curie’s love and honor. 

The program has been on a bit of a hiatus recently, with my attention having been devoted to contractors, doctors, mechanics, clients, bosses, brides, and grooms. So I’m pleased to say that radium’s episode will finally air on Monday, October 18. Use the links in the right-hand sidebar to subscribe (or use your podcatcher of choice) to be notified when new episodes post.

A huge thank-you to everyone who’s waited patiently for the new episode, and for those of you visiting for the first time, I hope you enjoy discovering The Episodic Table Of Elements.