We have long been aware that our world is not just made up of matter but rather of particular types of matter. Elements have properties, characteristics and even character. They have been shaped, traded, exploded, created, destroyed and even feared. In the pursuit to understand them, many attempts have been made to tame the elements, the most successful of them being The Periodic Table.
The Periodic Table of Elements captures the essence not only of chemistry, but among others, also of physics, medicine, earth sciences and biology. Today, we largely follow the map of periodicity as developed by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. Mendeleev built his table upon several previous attempts. In 2019, we marked the 150th anniversary of Mendeleev’s Periodic Table of Chemical Elements with the "International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements (IYPT2019)" declared by the United Nations General Assembly and UNESCO.
Scientists, artists, writers, geologists, historians, chefs, in laboratories and outside, are exploring these fundamental building blocks of our world. The table itself is always evolving and changing in both content and form. The current periodic table has 118 elements (Mendeleev’s had 63), and we are still looking for more. We are excited about finding new elements, and in the meanwhile, our lifestyle has already created the risk of losing elements we know.
Science Gallery Bengaluru, in partnership with the Royal Society for Chemistry and the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research presented ELEMENTS (5 October 2019 - 11 October 2019), a week long exhibition to mark IYPT2019. Visitors could engage with the iconic periodic table and the nuances of the chemical substances that make it up at the Rangoli Metro Art Centre. The exhibition had 8 exhibits and 7 programmes in which we saw participation from approximately 2200 people across age groups.
Science Gallery Bengaluru supports the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements
PARTNERS
The Royal Society of Chemistry works to shape the future of the chemical sciences for the benefit of science and humanity. With over 50,000 members and a knowledge business that spans the globe, they are the UK’s professional body for chemical scientists; supporting and representing members and bringing together scientists from all over the world. As a not-for-profit organisation with more than 175 years of heritage and an ambitious international vision for the future, they promote, support and celebrate chemistry.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research is a multidisciplinary research institute situated in Jakkur. Their mandate is to pursue and promote world-class research and training at the frontiers of Science and Engineering covering broad areas ranging from Materials to Genetics.