The official blob space of Toca Boca. Follow us for short stories & fun facts about the elements from our app Toca Lab.

This is dubnium and it may be one of the few elements that’s been through a name fight. It was produced in California and at the same time is the former Sovjet in the 60’s, and they simply couldn’t agree on the name! The IUPCA (International...

This is dubnium and it may be one of the few elements that’s been through a name fight. It was produced in California and at the same time is the former Sovjet in the 60’s, and they simply couldn’t agree on the name! The IUPCA (International Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry) had to step in and gave it the name dubnium after the Russian city Dubna. The twist was over.

Want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubnium

Ytterbium was discovered and named after the Ytterby mine located just outside of Stockholm and it has no biological role. It was first produced and named in 1903 and 50 years later the first pure sample of the metal was made. Whoey! Want to know...

Ytterbium was discovered and named after the Ytterby mine located just outside of Stockholm and it has no biological role. It was first produced and named in 1903 and 50 years later the first pure sample of the metal was made. Whoey!

Want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ytterbium

This is uranium and it’s existence has been known for more than 200 years. It was named after the back then recently discovered planet Uranus. Even though Uranus was a planet visible to the eye it was the first one being discovered with a telescope...

This is uranium and it’s existence has been known for more than 200 years. It was named after the back then recently discovered planet Uranus. Even though Uranus was a planet visible to the eye it was the first one being discovered with a telescope and named after the Greek god of the sky - Ouranos. Indirect, that’s where this element got it’s name from. 

Want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium

This element is curium and you don’t want to come anywhere near it. It’s very harmful because of its radioactivity and it gathers up in bones and destroys the marrow, stopping the formation of red blood cells. Pretty scary element! Want to know more?...

This element is curium and you don’t want to come anywhere near it. It’s very harmful because of its radioactivity and it gathers up in bones and destroys the marrow, stopping the formation of red blood cells. Pretty scary element!

Want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curium

Introducing fermium! It was unexpectedly discovered along with einsteinium in the smoke from the first hydrogen bomb test which took place in the Pacific on October 31, 1952. It’s very radioactive and has only been produced in very small...

Introducing fermium! It was unexpectedly discovered along with einsteinium in the smoke from the first hydrogen bomb test which took place in the Pacific on October 31, 1952. It’s very radioactive and has only been produced in very small amounts.

Want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermium

This is nobelium and it was given its name in honor of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist, engineer and innovator. There was a bit of a twist regarding the discovery of this element. Scientists from the Nobel Institute of Physics in Sweden believed they...

This is nobelium and it was given its name in honor of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist, engineer and innovator. There was a bit of a twist regarding the discovery of this element. Scientists from the Nobel Institute of Physics in Sweden believed they had produced it in 1957, but also scientists at the University of California, Berkeley said the same in 1958. However, after reviewing all claims The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry decided that the discovery was most likely made at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia, in 1966. Problem solved!

Want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobelium

This is hassium. It’s a synthetic and very radioactive metal that has only been produced in tiny amounts. It was first made in a research lab in Germany in 1984 and because of it’s very short half-life (only about 2 milliseconds) there hasn’t been...

This is hassium. It’s a synthetic and very radioactive metal that has only been produced in tiny amounts. It was first made in a research lab in Germany in 1984 and because of it’s very short half-life (only about 2 milliseconds) there hasn’t been much research made on this element.

Do you want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassium

This is ununoctium. Two scientists found this element in 2002 when they created a reaction with californium and calcium. The result of the experiment was an explosion that last for 2300 hours and two atoms of ununoctium that existed for 2,5 ms!...

This is ununoctium. Two scientists found this element in 2002 when they created a reaction with californium and calcium. The result of the experiment was an explosion that last for 2300 hours and two atoms of ununoctium that existed for 2,5 ms! However, at this time the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry didn’t think it was enough to accept it in to the periodic table. 

Want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ununoctium

This is antimony and it was used in ancient Egypt as a form of eyeliner (kohl). The name comes from the two Greek words ‘anti’ and ‘monos’ which mean ‘not alone’ as it’s rarely found on its own. Most usually it likes hanging out with sulfur or...

This is antimony and it was used in ancient Egypt as a form of eyeliner (kohl). The name comes from the two Greek words ‘anti’ and ‘monos’ which mean ‘not alone’ as it’s rarely found on its own. Most usually it likes hanging out with sulfur or heavier metals such as copper, lead and silver.

It’s pretty old too, about 5000 years to be exact. As old as the oldest living organism - the Bristlecone pine tree!

Want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimony

This is thorium & it was discovered by Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1828, in Sweden after receiving a sample of an unusual black mineral from Norway. Other things fun to know about thorium is that is was named after the Scandinavian god, Thor, & it also...

This is thorium & it was discovered by Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1828, in Sweden after receiving a sample of an unusual black mineral from Norway. Other things fun to know about thorium is that is was named after the Scandinavian god, Thor, & it also have a half life of 14 billion years. Wow, that’s such a long time we’re completely speechless…

Want to know more? Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium