IYPT 2019 - Global Report Preface

by Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO

Today, the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements contains 118 substances, each of which tells a story. Carbon, for instance, was discovered in ancient times, when charcoal, a carbon residue, was produced after burning wood. Scientists have since discovered that carbon is essential for all life on Earth – human bodies, for example, are primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Yet carbon also has a darker side: when it takes the form of carbon dioxide, it threatens our very existence, by collecting in the atmosphere and accelerating climate change. The story of carbon is not unusual in the Periodic Table: each element is a new chapter in a scientific journey through time and space.

Indeed, the Periodic Table is a reflection of our universal quest for knowledge, a quest that began thousands of years ago and continues to the present day. It spans all continents, from the first documented lead-smelting techniques in Africa some 9,000 years ago, to the isolation of arsenic and antimony by Arab polymath Jabir ibn Hayyan in the 8th century. It is one of the most significant achievements in science, enabling scientists to predict the appearance and properties of matter on Earth and in the Universe. The continual quest for elements has resulted in powerful quantum predictive methods, which not only lead to new materials, but also uncover novel chemical phenomena, revealing the limitations of existing chemistry rules and extending the boundaries of the known world. Modern nuclear medicine is one of the results of this quest.

At a time when we need science to rise to major global challenges, we must build on the achievements of humankind. The Periodic table is one of these achievements – and one of the most important. This is why UNESCO endorsed 2019 as the International Year of the Periodic Table, to raise awareness of the basic sciences and their interdisciplinarity. In addition to promoting education in this field, especially in developing countries, this Year highlighted the importance of chemistry in developing solutions to international issues, including climate change and the preservation of natural resources.

To rise to these challenges, however, inclusivity is essential. This is why the International Year placed special emphasis on achievements by women scientists. Marie Skłodowska Curie, for example, was awarded Nobel Prizes in 1903 and 1911 for the discovery of radium (Ra) and polonium (Po). One of her students, Marguerite Perey, discovered francium (Fr) while working in Curie’s lab. Berta Karlik was credited with discovering astatine (At), Lise Meitner identified an isotope of protactinium (Pa) and Ida Noddack discovered rhenium (Re). At a time when women account for less than 30% of all researchers, these breakthroughs show what we can achieve when we all work towards the same goal.

This not only means encouraging women to take up scientific careers, it also means facilitating access to scientific information – within and across borders. For this reason, the International Year paid tribute to the international scientific cooperation that led to the discovery and naming of four super-heavy elements in the Periodic Table: the atomic numbers 113 (nihonium), 115 (moscovium), 117 (tennessine), and 118 (oganesson).

To support further discoveries in this field, the UNESCORussia Mendeleev International Prize in the Basic Sciences was established by UNESCO in October 2019, as part of the Year’s legacy. This Prize rewards excellence in this discipline and recognizes that progress in science, technology and innovation is indispensable to sustainable development.

These achievements, and many more, are described in this report on the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements. Every page reveals the importance of this unique tool in humanity’s tireless quest for knowledge – and is an invitation to discover more.