periodicvideos-ABC-News

Here's the first main video from our adventure India, covering the main highlights of the trip.



An even shorter video about The Professor giving away his tie is here...



There are more videos to come from the trip coming soon, and a collection of photos can be found at this Flickr link.

It's funny how almost anything can be fascinating...

I've always liked the concept of Russian dolls, but didn't know the story behind them until making this video for Words of the World.

They're much more recent than I imagined, and made their "debut" at the World Fair in Paris in 1900.

I like to check our web statistics when I have time... The joys of Google Analytics!

A quick glance shows that yesterday (Sept 13) was the biggest day of 2010 for The Periodic Table of Videos website.

We almost beat our all-time record from 2008.

It's worth noting more people watch our videos on the YouTube channel... But the website is still very important.

It seems the main reason was people on Twitter and a few glowing recommendations from popular websites.

Thanks guys!

We're offering a chance to win some Periodic Table of Videos memorabilia...

The prize includes the "gold watch" created in our recent gold video. And "The Professor" will donate one of his periodic table ties (personally autographed!)



We'll also include a certificate signed by the Periodic Table of Videos team – including Neil, our silent technician!

So how do you win them?

We'd like you to design a "Periodic Table of Videos" poster.

We don't mind how you do it - pencils, crayons, computer?

However we'd like it to be in the "style" of movie posters seen in cinemas (I've chosen one of my personal favourites as an example!).

We'll accept any size (within reason) and you can submit the designs by email or post.

The best posters will be decided by the periodicvideos team. Runners-up will also receive small prizes.

A selection of entries - not just winners - will feature on our website and Flickr page.

Remember the competition is only fun – but our decision will be final!

The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2010. Details of winners will be posted on our website.

Be creative!

Entries can be emailed to:
periodicvideos@gmail.com

Or by post to:
Periodic Posters
c/o Mrs D Mann
Room B13a
School of Chemistry
The University of Nottingham
Nottingham
NG7 2RD
United Kingdom

There's been plenty of interest in a video we posted about a periodic table mistake.

We came across the table during our trip to Turin, in a lecture theatre dedicated to the chemist and writer Primo Levi.

Here is a picture of me under the table:


Our hosts sheepishly admitted it contained an error and challenged us to find it.

After a quick scan we hadn't seen it, so the error was explained.

We thought it would make a fun challenge for Periodic Table of Videos viewers, so here's the video:

(SPOILER WARNING - DON'T SCROLL BELOW THIS VIDEO IF YOU DON'T WANT THE ANSWER REVEALED)



We'd never have guessed how many responses we'd receive and how many theories would be put forward!

The main thing people have pointed out is the incorrect order, names and symbols for elements 104 to 108.


HOWEVER THIS WAS NOT INCORRECT WHEN THE TABLE WAS PRINTED.

Between 1994 and 1997 the officially proposed names for the elements were:

104: Dubnium
105: Joliotium
106: Rutherfordium
107: Bohrium
108: Hahnium

It wasn't until 1997 that we had the more familiar names and ordering:

104: Rutherfordium
105: Dubnium
106: Seaborgium
107: Bohrium
108: Hassium

So if that can't really be considered a mistake, then what is it?

Well, the error pointed out to us was the symbol for element 110. It should be Uun (Ununnilium, since named Darmstadtium), but on the Primo Levi table it is Unn (a typo, we were told).


Many people identified this and our congratulations to them.

However many people have pointed out other "errors" - some real and some humorous.

They include minor rounding errors in the atomic masses and debates about the style and classification of elements. You can read them all in the comments section of the video - we have enjoyed everyone's contributions.

I was also impressed by people who noted the date on the table does not match the anniversary of Primo Levi's death.

I personally doubt this is an error and more likely results from the table being "unveiled" at a later date - but who knows?

Once again, we'd like to thank COST for supported our trip to Turin. Below I've included a couple of other videos from the trip.

Two new additions to the Words of the World project, both starting with the letter I.

We have Judith Still talking about "Iroquois" and Monica White on the topic of "Icons".

Meanwhile the main website itself is taking shape nicely, with the "crossword" design really filling out.


Here are the two latest videos:

What are the concepts in physics and astronomy that pose the most questions?

It seems most of them revolve around light, time and energy - at least if this rather non-scientific study is a guide.


You can get a better look at it here on Flickr.

It's a "word cloud" of the questions we've been asked by viewers. The bigger the word, the more often is comes up!

The questions were posed in response to the video below.



I've been putting some of the questions to our Sixty Symbols team... Their responses will be coming soon.