Hugh Aldersey Williams

Hugh Aldersey-Williams is a British author and cultural commentator who writes about the intersection of science, design and culture. He holds a degree in natural sciences from Cambridge and has written for the Guardian, the Financial Times and numerous other publications. His books explore the hidden stories behind the material world. Periodic Tales is his exploration of the chemical elements and the extraordinary human stories connected to them — from the discovery of oxygen to the gold rushes, from the neon lights of Las Vegas to the phosphorus in our bones. The book treats the periodic table not as an abstract scientific catalogue but as a collection of cultural histories, each element with its own fascinating story. Available as both a book and an audiobook, Periodic Tales offers captivating listening and reading for science enthusiasts, chemistry lovers and anyone who wants to see the periodic table come alive with the human stories of discovery, obsession and wonder that lie behind every element.