Podcast appearances · Radar

Mark Lorch

Professor of Science Communication at the University of Hull, biochemist and science communicator specializing in public engagement and chemistry education.

1

APPEARANCES

1

PODCASTS

Jul 14, 2026

The Conversation's Curious Kids

The Conversation's Curious Kids

Can scientists make a new element for the periodic table?

Jul 14 · 17m

RobynGUEST

2:29

It's ordered into different groups of, like, which one's the same.

Mark LorchGUEST

2:37

That's exactly right, yes.

Mark LorchGUEST

2:38

So the elements that behave in the same way are all together.

Mark LorchGUEST

2:43

So down one side of the periodic table, on the right-hand side, you've got the noble gases.

Mark LorchGUEST

2:50

There's helium, and then neon, and argon, and krypton, and those, they don't like to react very much with things.

Mark LorchGUEST

2:57

So they just sit there by themselves.

Mark LorchGUEST

2:59

So they're a bit like, I don't know, maybe you've got some people at school who like doing things by themselves and are happy playing by themselves.

12 MINS LATER

EloiseHOST

15:08

So why do you think that we would want to create new elements? What's the purpose of this?