Congratulations, It's An Element!
0 Comments Published by Chris on Tuesday, July 26, 2005 at 5:49 PM.
So I was taking an on-line quiz today that asked something about the periodic table of elements. When they revealed the answer to that question it turns out I'd gotten it wrong, but they provided a link you could follow and learn more about the elements and the people that discovered them. Well, as I perused the table (that's right, I PERUSED! I used to ogle tables, but I was young and impetuous then and those days are behind me.) and I found out that the two newest elements (Ununquadiurr and Ununhexium) had been discovered in 1998 and 2000. When I found out I was giddy as a school girl. I had only one thought, "Where do I send the presents?" So I looked up the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia (the place where the elements were discovered) and found an e-mail address for the director of the institute. His name is Vladimir Georgievich Kadyshevsky. So I e-mailed him this letter...
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Dear Director Kadyshevsky,
I understand that congratulations are in order! Ununquadiurr (114)AND Ununhexium (116), wow! Boy, just when you think the periodic table is full, huh? "Nope, no more room for elements here, we're closed forbusiness. Thanks for your interest, we have all the elements we need!" But then you and your team come along and say, "Oh yeah? Idon't think so! I'm coming to this party! I think you hear me knocking and I'm coming in with my friends Ununquadirir andUnunhexium! Get me some Buffalo wings!" Yeah!
Sorry these congratulations are so overdue. Your baby elements are now 5 and 7 respectively, right? Wow, do you have any pictures of them from their first day of school? Ha, ha, just kidding! I JUST found out about this! Can you believe it? I mean, if Tom Cruise blows his nose it makes the news and I hear about it. But this Imiss...and keep on missing for seven years! Man, can I get on your e-mail list or something? I don't want to miss the next big element! I feel just awful. Is there somewhere I can send a card or some flowers or a nice ice cream cake? Please let me know as soon as possible!
Anyway, I don't want to keep you. I know you're very busy...and probably overdue to discover another element! Congratulations.
-Chris Gummert
Chicago, Illinois
USA
PS- Is there anywhere you'd recommend for the ice cream cake?
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If you'd like to learn more here's the link to the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research:cv.jinr.ru/
And here's the e-mail address for the director, Vladimir Georgievich Kadyshevsky:kadyshev@jinr.ru
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