Nov 2 2009 I Like: The Periodic Table Of Picnic-ery
This is the periodic table of picnic-ery. I like how the makers went the extra mile and even shaped the table correctly. Because if I'd have made it it would have just been a rectangle. On fire. I dine fiery al fresco!
Table of Elements: Get Some Chemistry In Your Next BBQ [uberreview]
Nov 1 2009 Stay Fresh: Mad Muffin Beyond Bagel Dome
The Bagel Dome (Dome Dome Dome) is a $40 battery powered vacuum dome made to keep bagels and other oxygen-hating perishables fresh (JUST USE A DYSON, GOD). I contacted the manufacturer and the lady on the phone said it also works for donuts but I have my doubts. Which is exactly why I just invented the Donut Dome, which isn't just a Bagel Dome with 'Doughnut Dome' scratched into the plastic EXCEPT IT IS BECAUSE I'M A GENIUS INVENTOR. I also discover elements and name them after my pets! Rutherfordium? That was me. Great dog.
Aug 13 2009 Lookin' Sharp: Periodic Sweater Of Elements
This is a periodic sweater of elements made by knitter apinnick. It looks sharp and I would wear it EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT CHRISTMAS. The table continues around the sweater to the back, and the sleeves contain the names of different fungi (right sleeve) and bacteria (left sleeve). Because, as we all know, bacteria and fungi like to party with the elements. It's true, one time -- and you've got to promise you won't tell anybody I told you this -- I saw Penicillium touching Argon's butt at a school dance. THEY WERE BEING SO FREAKY!
Hit the jump for several more shots of the awesomeness.
Continue Reading " Lookin' Sharp: Periodic Sweater Of Elements "
Jul 18 2009 Yay!: Element 112 Finally Gets Official Name
That's right folks, the recently recreated element 112, which was temporarily known as Ununbium, has finally got it's official name. And it is, drumroll please....Copernicium! Named after Nicolaus Copernicus (who may or may not be the lovechild of Michael Phelps and Andy Samberg), the decision was a throwback to honor one of the world's greatest wizards (suck it, Harry!).
By choosing to honor the father of the heliocentric solar system, element 112 discovery team leader Sigurd Hofmann wanted to avoid the divisive names selected for past elements, salute an influential scientist who didn't receive any accolades in his own lifetime, and highlight the link between astronomy and Hofmann's own field of nuclear chemistry.
The idea was to go backwards, to honor someone who was not greatly honored in his lifetime," said Hofmann. "[Copernicus] had to be very careful when he was publishing his works. His book was published the day of his death. He was afraid to make his announcements during his lifetime, so he wasn't honored when he was alive."
Ironically, Popular Science, the website where I got the story, erroneously called the new element Copernicum, which is something entirely different. Oh yeah baby, talk retrograde to me.
Newly Discovered Element 112 Named "Copernicum" [popsci]
Thanks to Ari, who, despite a valiant effort, didn't get enough signatures on the petition to name the element Geekologyn.
Jun 18 2009 It's A Boy!: Periodic Table Gets New Element
That's right young'n, the periodic table finally gave birth to element 112, temporarily named 'Ununbium', until it's official name 'Geekologium' can be verified by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), who I may or may not be holding at gunpoint. I SAID SIGN THE PAPERS!
More than a decade after experiments first produced a single atom of the element, a team of German scientists has been credited with its discovery.
The team, led by Sigurd Hofmann at the Centre for Heavy Ion Research, must propose a name for their find, before it can be formally added to the table.To create element 112, Professor Hofmann's team used a 120m-long particle accelerator to fire a beam of charged zinc atoms (or zinc ions) at lead atoms. Nuclei of the two elements merged, or fused, to form the nucleus of the new element.
Oh yeah? Well I was born when a beam of charged awesome atoms were fired at badass ones. Nuclei of the two elements merged, or fused, to form my nuts. Then, a stork wrapped me in a blanket and flew off. But mid-flight I cut myself out of the sack and parachuted behind enemy lines, where I shot the everliving shit out of them. And that, my friends, is how I became the youngest recipient of the Congressional Medal of Awesome.
Periodic table gets a new element [bbcnews]
Thanks to Ari and Julian, who were born after a sperm fused with an egg.
Mar 14 2009 Elementary: The Periodic Table Of Typefaces
Somebody went and made a periodic table of typefaces featuring "100 of the most popular, influential and notorious typefaces today". This is it. Click HERE to see a high-res version, then go ahead and print it out and post it up on your cubicle wall. That way when somebody pokes their head in to ask you about doing some work you can yell, "TALK TO THE PERIODIC TABLE....OF TYPEFACES!". Then they'll all think you're crazy and leave you to your Solitaire.
Periodic Table ofTypefaces [behance]
Thanks to ashleigh, who is like a font groupie.
Mar 9 2009 Cloud Umbrella Looked Better As Rendering
The Cloud Umbrella is an umbrella that you blow up when it starts to rain using it's pump-handle. Then it looks like a cloud and all the passers-by get a laugh at the cleverness that is your umbrella. Just kidding. They wonder why you're carrying around bunch of white beach balls on the end of a stick. Also, seven years bad luck if you open it indoors. Speaking of which -- you know why you've had it so hard lately? Yeah, you remember that mirror I broke? Well, I told God you did it.
Cloud Umbrella keeps your head in the sky while you stay dry [dvice]
Feb 3 2009 It's Elemental: A Periodic Table Duvet
This is a duvet cover that a loving woman made for her chemistry major boyfriend. I think this is the first time I've ever typed duvet. Secretly, I liked it.
You may or may not have seen a post I did back in the fall when I was in the planning stages of making a quilt for my boyfriend for Christmas, featuring the "periodic table of the elements", because he is a Chemistry major, and I thought he'd find it totally epic.
Unfortunately, It became a duvet cover instead of a quilt because of a) time constraints and the fact that I still had gifts for 7 or 8 other people that I was making and b) buying the batting for the inside would have put me $50 over budget instead of just $10 over. (shh, don't tell him.)
Haha, he totally just got told. And also, I want one. I'm gonna don an eyepatch and get my argon under that sucker. Know what I'm saying? You bring the parrot.
Hit the jump for several more of the construction.
Dec 18 2008 Science!: The Periodic Table Of Awesoments
Unfortunately, it probably doesn't look that awesome since you can't read any of it. So click HERE to see the whole thing and all the awesoments that make the world cool.
In 300 B.C., years before the birth of black Jesus, Aristole postulated that all good things were made of "win." That was a pretty good guess, but he was drunk and probably also having an orgy. Modern day awesominers know there are actually 118 fundamental "awesoments" that compose all good things. The Periodic table of Awesoments can be a very useful tool. It's designed to show the relationships between awesoments, and often one can even predict how awesoments interact simply by their positions on the table.
Awesome. Although I question the awesoments in the traditional 'noble gas' section (ninja, sniper, vampire, wizard, etc.). I would argue that those particular awesoments are, in fact, highly reactive and not as tame as their position in the table suggests. Am I right? Example: "Hey ninja -- I banged your vampire mom last night. Yeah, she made me slap her ass with garlic nunchucks the whole time. Then your assassin dad walked in on us so i put my wizard robe and hat on and did him too. Then I had a sniper buddy take him out. Haha, your Jedi mind-tricks don't work on me. Now let's throw some clay on the potter's wheel and get all ghost-y." Seriously folks, you see how reactive that shit was?
The Periodic Table of Awesoments [dapperstache]
Thanks to Bryan, who I was surprised to see absent from the table.
Aug 18 2008 Cool!: The Periodic Table Of Videos
The Periodic Table of Videos is a project created by University of Nottingham professor Martyn Poiakoff and video journalist Brady Haran to teach the masses all neat facts about the various chemical elements. This is a teaser trailer here, but you can go to their official website for 118 different videos, with more to come soon. Damn, this reminds me of my high school chemistry class. Oh, the joy I'd experience when I made something explode. Oh my god -- and don't even get me started on my lab partner's monster rack. The poor bastard had man-tits!
Periodic Table of Videos Makes Chemistry Extremely Watchable [gizmodo]
Aug 5 2008 I Want: This Periodic Coffee Table
This $8,550 Periodic Coffee Table features actual samples of all 92 naturally occurring elements.
By embedding all element samples in clear acrylic, they are beautifully presented and also protected from tarnishing. This format also helps to addresses health and safety issues, as all potentially toxic or corrosive substances are permanently encased in a thick layer of robust resin. Argon gas and mineral oil is further used to ampoule reactive samples and preserve their freshly cut appearance.
Sweet, but back when I went to school there were only a few elements: earth, wind, water, fire, and aether (which I always felt was a bullshit element to begin with). Anyways, I failed a test once because I wrote rain, sleet, snow, hail and tornadoes. I demanded partial credit, but my professor refused. So you know what I did? I got elemental on his ass. Specifically, I set his car on fire.
Hit the jump for some closeups and a link to the product page.
Mar 10 2008 Geek Bling: Periodic Rings Are Elemental
These Periodic Rings from ITSNONAME (wtf?) are available in silver, gold, and platinum. Each features the corresponding metal's atomic number and weight and come in sizes 7, 8 and 9. Silver will set you back a paltry $205, gold (14K yellow) a staggering $2,200, and the platinum a holy shitting $6,500. Now I can think of a lot better ways to blow $6,500, and none of them include periodic table themed jewelry. Although one does include a drive across country with a one-legged hooker and a trunk full of drugs. Wait, that was a movie idea. No, no it wasn't. That is how I'd spend $6,500.
Two more pictures after the jump, including one of what it'd look like to get punched.
Continue Reading " Geek Bling: Periodic Rings Are Elemental "
