From the earliest-known elements to those that have only just been discovered, this book takes a comprehensive, global look at the development of the periodic table. In 2019, Unesco celebrated 150 years of Mendeleev’s periodic system, which he conceived in 1869. Find out about Mendeleev, along with many previously unsung pioneers of chemistry. The book reveals the untold stories behind the 118 elements we know today. Learn all about the building blocks of life as we know it. The book explores many questions including: - How did hydrogen reveal the structure of the atom?- What was the Bunsen burner's role in discovering new elements?- Why is Marie Curie such a scientific star?- How did nitrogen fulfill the alchemists' dream? - What makes xenon a great anaesthetic - and why can't all patients use it?- Might there be a pattern in yet undiscovered elements beyond number 118?