Greek cosmology believed the universe was comprised of 4 fundamental elements - Earth, Air, Fire and Water. By 1864 Dmitri Mendeleev had organised the 56 known chemical elements into a periodic table, sparking a search for the missing elements to identify the 117 known today.

In the first Director's lecture since 2019 I trace the origin of the elements from the first instant of the Big Bang through to today, showing that the life and death of stars are crucial to our very existence before diving inside the atom to reveal the fundamental elements that form everything in the universe.

This lecture focuses on the key concepts using everyday language and examples. I avoid the complexities of mathematical equations and details that drag us down a rabbit hole of atomic, nuclear and astro-physics.

Recommended age is secondary students and above.

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