Chemistry delights

I was fortunate to study chemistry at Reed College with Marshal Cronyn (who gave our first lecture in Organic Chemistry using the Socratic method.) If you've ever had any chemistry classes -- or even if you haven't, but have an interest in how people figured out these things, treat yourself to an excerpt from his paper "The Proper Place of Hydrogen in the Periodic Table." Hint: it's not on the far left!

Speaking of alkaline metals, here's a wonderful demonstration of their properties. Again, no formal chemistry training is required -- would that all science were taught in such an exciting fashion!