From Alchemy to Chemistry back to Alchemy

October 11, 2011 10:15 AM

In this three part series from the BBC, Professor Jim Al-Khalili discusses the history of the elements.

Part One: Discovering the Elements - The demise of the Phlogiston theory, and how alchemy became chemistry.

Part Two: The Order of the Elements - Mendeleev and Moseley, the birth of the periodic table and the spectrograph

Part Three: The Power of the Elements - Modern alchemists, 92 elements and beyond, radioactivity.

[previously]

posted by quin (4 comments total)

Also previously
posted by Wolfdog at 11:06 AM on October 11, 2011

he missed breaking, MC'ing, DJ'ing and graffiti.
posted by GuyZero at 11:59 AM on October 11, 2011

This was on Science Channel the other night. Very good series, especially the parts about the failed quest to find "phlogiston" and the work of Mendeleev.
posted by Renoroc at 1:16 PM on October 11, 2011

Oh, I just love Jim Al-Khalili! Another documentary of his I'd recommend is Science and Islam (yt playlist).
posted by MelanieL at 2:11 PM on October 11, 2011 [1 favorite]