There are currently 118 chemical elements on the periodic table. The last one added was oganesson, which was first created by scientists in 2002.
Seven-year-old Robyn, from Edinburgh in Scotland, wants to know whether scientists will be able to make any more new elements, and how they do it. He joined our host Eloise to ask biochemist Mark Lorch on The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast.
In each episode of The Conversation’s Curious Kids, a child joins host Eloise to ask a top researcher their burning question. If you’d like to join in with the experiment in this episode, have a few pieces of lego to hand as you listen.
To listen to season two, follow us wherever you get your podcasts, or listen on the Yoto Player via the Discover section on the Yoto interactive audio platform for kids.
You can also listen back to season one and read lots of answers to questions sent in by children around the world in our Curious Kids series.
Got a question? Pop it in an email, or record it and send us the audio to curiouskids@theconversation.com.
This season of The Conversation’s Curious Kids is supported by the University of Southampton in the UK, a world-leading research-intensive university with a global network of international students and campuses in Malaysia and Delhi.
Disclosure statement
Mark Lorch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Credits
This episode of The Conversation’s Curious Kids was hosted and mixed by Eloise Stevens. The producer was Katie Flood and the executive producer was Gemma Ware. Credits in this episode to The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel and the BBC.
