Isn’t it interesting to change the approach with which you observe things?

Many times, changing our perspective can lead us to discover details that had previously gone unnoticed. One fascinating example of this is the periodic table. We are familiar with the elements, their properties, and their weights, but what else do we really know about them? What if the periodic table could show us different aspects? What if it revealed the nationality of each element?

Based on this idea, we present a unique periodic table that focuses on the nationality of each element. This means that each element is associated with the country where it was discovered or with the nationality of its discoverer. However, determining the nationality of an element can be challenging, especially when multiple scientists from different countries were involved in its discovery.

A perfect example of this complexity is the element oxygen. Its discovery is attributed to the Swedish pharmacist and chemist of German origin, Carl Wilhelm Scheele, and the English chemist Joseph Priestley. Both scientists independently concluded in 1772 that an unknown gas was emitted when saltpeter was heated. However, it was the French chemist Lavoisier who first recognized the significance of this gas in combustion and respiration. Lavoisier named it «oxygen» and mentioned it in his studies from 1777. Therefore, oxygen can be considered an element with a triple nationality, as all three scientists played a crucial role in its discovery and understanding.

The periodic table, the way to arrange the chemical elements

United Kingdom, the most repeated country

When it comes to the attribution of discovered elements, the United Kingdom takes the lead with an impressive 19 elements under its flag. Additionally, it shares two elements with other countries: oxygen with Sweden and France, and boron with France.

Sweden follows closely in second place with 17 elements discovered solely by Swedish scientists and two more in collaboration with other countries. Oxygen appears again in this group, along with cerium, which was simultaneously discovered in 1803 by the Swedes Jöns Jakob Berzelius and Wilhelm Hisinger, and the German Martin Heinrich Klaproth. The discovery of cerium was particularly significant as it marked the identification of the first element belonging to the lanthanide group.

Tied in the number of discoveries with Sweden is Germany, although it can be attributed to 16 elements alone. The remaining three elements were discovered through collaborations with the United Kingdom and Sweden. The last element on this list, zinc, has a shared history with ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and Romans, who used it for weapons and personal objects. However, it was the German Andreas Maggraf who first identified zinc as a new element in 1746 and defined its properties.

The periodic table of scientists

Following closely behind is the United States, with 13 elements discovered solely by American scientists and seven in collaboration with Russia, as well as one with France. Despite the scientific and technological rivalry between the United States and Russia, these collaborative findings are the result of great cooperation. These elements are artificial and were created through joint research conducted by scientists from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research of Dubna (Russia) and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (California).

Two elements with Spanish nationality

Although with less representation, Spain also has its place in this intriguing periodic table. The element platinum was discovered in 1735 by the Leonese scientist Antonio de Ulloa during his journey through South America. He observed a small mineral called platinum in the gold mines of the Pinto River, now located in Colombia. Upon returning to Spain, his ship was attacked, and his documents were temporarily confiscated by the British navy. However, they were eventually returned to him, along with the recognition of his discovery of platinum.

Another element with Spanish nationality is tungsten, which was isolated on Spanish soil. This achievement was accomplished by Juan José and Fausto de Elhuyar, who worked at the Royal Patriotic Seminary of Vergara in Guipúzcoa in 1783. Interestingly, tungsten is the only element for which the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry allowed two names: tungsten and wolfram.