Californium - Periodic Table of Videos

An extensive video about Californium, which reportedly costs up to $27m per gram. We go to where it's made in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
More links and info in full description ↓↓↓
This video features Professor Martyn Poliakoff at the University of Nottingham.
And Julie Ezold and Rose Boll at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory: www.ornl.gov
Also thanks to Andrew Gaunt for providing photos relating to the paper "Isolation and characterization of a californium metallocene": www.nature.com/articles/s4158...
Thanks to The Royal Society of Chemistry for supporting this episode: www.rsc.org
Videos on all 118 elements: bit.ly/118elements
Support us on Patreon: / periodicvideos
More chemistry at www.periodicvideos.com/
Follow us on Facebook at / periodicvideos
And on Twitter at / periodicvideos
From the School of Chemistry at The University of Nottingham: bit.ly/NottChem
This episode was also generously supported by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation
Periodic Videos films are by video journalist Brady Haran: www.bradyharan.com/
Brady's Blog: www.bradyharanblog.com
Join Brady's mailing list for updates and extra stuff --- eepurl.com/YdjL9

[@BaalFridge]

That lady from the californium factory was very good at explaining their process! She seems to love her job.

[@julieezold93]

Thank you! I do thoroughly enjoy my work at ORNL.

[@Muzkaw]

@@julieezold93 Thanks for sharing your knowledge ! So the biggest consumer of cf252 is thermofisher for their cba ?

[@bryanpritchett]

@@julieezold93 Outstanding explanation of the facility and process. Well done.

[@Grumman_HellCat_F6F]

And loving that scarf!

[@DarekBarquero]

@@julieezold93I did the math on the neutron flux trap, if we take 23 days as a minimum, multiply by 4, that's 92 days. 60*60*24*92=7,948,800 seconds. that times 2.5*10^15 equals to 1.99*10^22 or 19.9 sextillion neutrons.

[@Tesla_Death_Ray]

This channel has never succumbed to any KZbin bs that changed its style. It's pure content getting to the point immediately. Actually rigorous documentary work and investigation. Brady continues to ask exactly the right questions of experts for the viewer at exactly the right time. Zero decline. If anything it's only gotten better since 2008.

[@glenngriffon8032]

We can thank the patrons for that who help fund this labor of love of chemistry. I can't fault people who look for sponsors to help produce videos, a lot of youtubers are people who, this is their main source of income. Martyn is still a professor and i doubt he'd quit teaching to become a full time youtuber. Though the idea of him playing minecraft is funny. "Oh look, i found some lapis lazuli. The history of lapis lazuli is really quite interesting..." And then he stops playing for several minutes to educate the viewers. "Here we have found a block of iron ore. Iron is an element with a long history and a wide range of applications..." And then stands there holding an ore block telling us everything he knows about elemental iron. Best minecraft player ever.

[@Tesla_Death_Ray]

@@glenngriffon8032 these videos could start with 4 minutes of preamble about what we are here to see

[@XB10001]

Excellent observation.

[@abj136]

@@guillaume5313 I think he was speculating what the professor would be like. But in fact he is not a KZbinr.

[@TheGayestPersononYouTube]

“It’s ya boi, Marty P coming at you for another banger of a video! Hit that like button and don’t forget to subscribe! Before we start this video on Silver today, I’ve got to give a big shoutout to this channels sponsor: Raid Shadow Legends! Coincidentally they’re also giving out free silver if you sign up with my link below!”

[@unvergebeneid]

How she casually describes the element as "pretty dosey" to say that it will probably kill you if you hold it for too long. Nuclear chemists are badass!

[@PremierSullivan]

I imagine that radiation workers see it as more of a frustration, since they are required to stop working after a very small dose, much less than would actually pose a real health risk.

[@julieezold93]

We take radiation safety very seriously-we have a healthy respect for it.

[@unvergebeneid]

@@julieezold93 thank you for giving us a glimpse of your fascinating work and thanks for taking the time to go through the comments!

[@julieezold93]

@@unvergebeneid you're welcome

[@b.c.9358]

I think people hopefully learned their lessons from the radium girls. I wish they didn't have to die such horrific deaths for us to take slow radiation poisoning seriously.

[@venisontron]

It's by no means as expensive as californium, but one of the byproducts of that process, iodine-131, is used to treat thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism. It's even used in veterinary patients!

[@revcrussell]

That I-131 is made in a very different way so it is pharmaceutically pure.

[@AboveEmAllProduction]

Yeah they put it in salt

[@MitzvosGolem1]

I had I- 131 twice for that. Saved my life. Ironically I got sick from DOE research as employee under EEOICA act and was cured by the very thing that made me ill. 🙃

[@mannys9130]

@@AboveEmAllProduction Uh...buddy if you are buying/eating iodized salt that has been iodized with I-131, you better go to the doctor asap. 🤣 That is a highly radioactive isotope and it's only used for specific scientific or medical procedures. 131 is not the common and abundant main isotope.

[@mastershooter64]

@@MitzvosGolem1 wow, what research were you doing?

[@giordy9013]

22 minutes about californium, I could cry, I love so much when you update old videos, plus there's very clever science behind this one

[@Olhado256]

Julie is great at explaining the whole process, not dumbing it down too much but not getting very techincal either. I loved this whole video!

[@jaewan234]

Julie explained the chemical processes so well. This is an interesting video for sure!

[@julieezold93]

Thank you 😊

[@fastamx069box8]

Hello professor and Brady. For the past five years I have gone through and watch each of your videos at least five times. I have become disabled and your explanation of chemistry has just absolute piqued my attention. And I so look forward to everyone of your new videos. They are exciting and for the few minutes that your videos Last, I am out of pain. Professor I know that you're not able to do what you used to do. I am in the same boat I can't walk anymore. My hands my feet are in searing pain. But as I just said, watching your videos takes me out of that pain for just a few minutes and you have my brain totally engulfed in what you're teaching. Please never stop. I don't know how much longer I have to live but I do live for not only my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. But, I live to hear what you and Brady and your staff, all of the students that you're teaching all of the new physicists chemists your entire team that you work with is just absolutely exciting. I pray for you professor and your team. And please stop making Messes in the lab.🙃 God bless you and keep up the wonderful wonderful videos they're exciting to me. God bless you Professor God bless you Brady and God bless you Neil and all of the rest of your staff...!!!🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@grovermatic]

I love watching the computers on the desk behind you upgrade over the years.

[@totherarf]

When I clicked on this video I had no interest in Californium or how it was produced and used. Now I have! Carry on the good work!

[@jacoboleary9076]

The radioactive elements are cool, but the engineering that went into this facility at ORNL (and other national labs, I'm sure!) is just incredible.

[@irradiatedbadger]

Love the professor. Truly an inspiring human being. So much thanks to him and Brady for all the videos they've made over the years.

[@ThePhilTorretto]

Interesting timing on this video. I’ve literally been working for over a year on a project at work to replace our 10 year old Cf-252 neutron source that we use to calibrate neutron dosimeters. Cf-252 is now insanely expensive. 1500 microgram source is a cool $1.3 million

[@youareaclown724]

I've been learning chemistry for years, but lack the business perspective 🤣

[@prapanthebachelorette6803]

@@youareaclown724 me too

[@jackroutledge352]

Wow! They were saying in the video that it's $27 million a gram - from what you're saying is that it's actually more than $800 million a gram!

[@FrozenHaxor]

The Prof is Alive and kickin'!

[@anadventfollower1181]

But will you in 3.46 years?

[@ORE0789]

Im a grad student who currently works with Cf-249 among other rare isotopes like this. Very excited to see this video! If anyone has questions feel free to ask!

[@bobby_greene]

Is BBQ sauce an acceptable ice cream topping?

[@ORE0789]

@@bobby_greene absolutely, the tangyness BBQ sauce compliments the sweetness of the ice cream very well.

[@bobby_greene]

@@ORE0789 thank you for the prompt reply, I yeild the floor for further questions.

[@musicrinda]

Are you at Berkeley?

[@ORE0789]

@@musicrinda Nope not Berkeley, probably wouldn't be hard to narrow it down though for chemistry like this ;)

[@ninizeldav7174]

This transmutation is absolutely mind blowing.

[@etiennedauphin]

I have a Master’s degree in Chemistry, and find all your videos to be tremendously pertinent and entertaining. I regularly learn new things from them. I can’t emphasize enough how positive this is for science and for the human race in general to have the means (internet and YT) to reach everyone with this kind of information. Thank you.

[@AstradTheCynic]

What an amazing and complicated process, I can't even fathom how many great minds had to work together to make it happen.

[@montikore]

I awoke to a 22 minute video from my favorite professor! What a great day to be here.

[@iamthegurr9554]

I work as a Carpenter in a lot of Cement plants. They have these restricted areas where the machine is housed so no one gets near it. So cool to understand how the analysis happens during the separation process.

[@BlackBirdMax]

Man, i want to do plumbing there. I understand this may come off as an odd statement. I find these topics, equipment, and process fascinating.

[@md4luckycharms]

me too dude, you know how much nuclear welders make?

[@alberteinstein3078]

@@md4luckycharms I would do it for free! Just to be a part of it.

[@GreenAppelPie]

So many fascinating aspects. I had no idea what went into making Californium.

[@jacobs83133]

This is the best video I have ever seen and I am watching you from 2008.Cheers

[@tncorgi92]

I love the longer videos like this! Hope you enjoyed visiting Tennessee.

[@sc0rpi0n0]

New Periodic Video makes me happy like child seeing candies.

[@PaulFisher]

“Dosey” is a wonderful adjective.

[@NorthTexasEagle1989]

Man I love this. My grandfather worked at that laboratory. Amazing.

[@Dank-gb6jn]

Always love hearing about ORNL, it’s about 30 or 40 minutes from my neighborhood

[@darrenmarney8577]

This was potentially the best video that Periodic Table has ever shown 😃 The value of this educational resource shall inspire the next generation of students 👍👌

[@Streetsy]

The sheer scale of accumulated knowledge to get to this point is staggering to me.

[@PavlockProducts]

Love seeing the professor still kicking it! Thanks for creating such an awesome and lasting learning resource. Y’all are awesome

[@MissingChunks]

14 years damn, this is almost a super og channel, so great to see this channels still going strong!!

[@daniellabunsky653]

These videos remind me how lucky I was to get the chance to do research at Lawrence Berkeley Labs as an undergrad; just the level of science and history oozing from the walls is crazy. No jokes, Fermi's old cyclotron is just laying outside in the center of a round about, and there are reserved parking spots for Nobel laureates in front of every other building. Hope I can visit Oak Ridge one day (and Nottingham too!!).

[@tomwatts703]

It's always a treat to see a new video from this channel, and as an undergrad recently studying actinide complex chemistry the information on a californium metallocene was fascinating!

[@wilkosoft]

completely, completely fascinating. well done, folks 👏

[@JP_Stone]

Always good to see the Prof. Cheers to Brady and Prof. P and everyone at Nottingham

[@tlniec]

Incredible peek behind the curtain (or leaded glass, as it were) at Oak Ridge - great stuff!

Fantastic video, really interesting. I love the explination of the purification process. Excellent job!

[@barath4545]

Causally having a sign on the window, 11:49, "Oh that bucket 0542 contains Plutonium, please don't tip it over!" :D

[@jillianc949]

"Shh, the Plutonium is sleeping." 😂

[@MauriceFiorenza]

I'm so glad on this subject matter. Thanks on your update.

[@mustardistasty]

I can’t believe I’ve been watching these videos for over ten years

[@RCaIabraro]

Really great video. Production of these actinides is a fascinating process.

[@danwhite3224]

I wonder how much Californium actually exists around the world at the moment... And also at the mention of Fermium a few times in the video, I hope at some point a visible amount of it can be created enough to be photographed before it decays.

[@mastershooter64]

at least 0.1 grams

[@Herobrine_Hoax]

@@mastershooter64 The known picture of einsteinium was 300 micrograms of einsteinium-253, which has a half life of only 20 days. 300 micrograms is about 0.0003 grams. So, I still have hope that we will possible be able to assemble at least 100-300 micrograms of fermium-257!

[@zygarde718]

Me too. I hope we make massive discovery about these elements and more transfermium elements.

[@Herobrine_Hoax]

@@zygarde718 They also believe, with a high enough neutron flux (1000× greater than any created so far in any reactors), it may be possible to skip past the "fermium gap" they call it (along with another "gap" at around element 106), and create macroscopic amounts of even higher elements (maybe copernicium, nihonium, and flerovium, in the island of stability)! It is all theoretical, but it is a spark of hope.

[@Herobrine_Hoax]

I also wonder if someone could make some sort of timelapse that somehow shows elements decaying into other elements. Of course, the elements would have to be distinguishable from each other, so probably a noble gas decaying into an alkali metal or halogen (fluorine and chlorine would be hard to see). The isotope may have to have a long half life in order to have an amount of it to be timelapsed, so it may take a long time (maybe years).

[@MoosesValley]

Appreciate the fascinating tour and information.

[@podgemcgrath]

Great video! I use Californium-252 on a near daily basis for my work doing calibration and R&D on Gamma and Neutron detectors.

[@tommunyon2874]

Los Alamos National Laboratory is located in my birthplace/hometown. I was never sure what was going on at the sister lab in Oak Ridge. This video helped fill in the gaps.

[@JKVisFX]

Always on the mark and very informative. I love these videos, been watching them for some time now. In a perfect world, this kind of content is what KZbin would really have been created for, not all of that other mindless rubbish that you typically find.

[@TheBreezus]

I just subbed, this is a really impressive channel, i gotta admit that.

[@marksmits1911]

Awesome. Really like these videos about the elements

[@carlasouza5194]

Prof I just want to say you are the best!

[@TheSzaliq]

You Mister are the best chemistry teacher in the world!

[@Wambie68]

i love videos like this. Thank you so much.

[@designworksdw1949]

It would be interesting to get a color correction card into one of those shielded workrooms, then use software to color adjust for that greenish glass so you could see what it looks like if you were in there.

[@BenjaminMaggi]

The Oak Ridge visit was one of my favourite videos, I really loved how detailed the description of the reactor was, and ofcurse seeing the huge blue cherenkov radiation was the best

[@KazzArie]

How do they change the lightbulbs in the cubicles? What sort of hazmat gear is required to do that? Is it the janitor’s job or does it require a PhD? Fascinating lab and chemistry, brilliant staff, amazing content as usual. Thanks for the insight into a local facility!

[@swiadomy1]

Great level of video as usual.

[@arnauarnauarnau]

Amazing. The visit at ORNL was super interesting!!!!

[@vedmurtitaponisthapt.shrir49]

Happy to see you healthy and sound dear prof.

[@darylemurphy9478]

An excellent and informative video. Thank you.

[@Sierrahtl]

I’m hoping and pleased that you are still working after the past 2 years.. cheers!

[@MadScientist267]

Excellent. Keep em coming professor!

[@KuzabianPatriot]

Such an extraordinary element!

[@ragnarwiik2054]

Californium is pretty much a magical element.

[@DarthVador2023]

This was yet another awesome video. Thx!

[@tomaaron6187]

I’ve been a geophysicist for over 4 decades and relish these presentations. I feel like a sponge trying o to absorb all that I can…as I once did as a starry eyed 12 year old. The host captures the enthusiasm for science that is the fuel that powers curiosity.

[@TheYgds]

As a biochemist, I have deep respect for that chromatography. It is next level. I thought separating materials differing by less than 1 kDa to be high resolution. This atomic weight separation puts that to shame! Not to mention the ion exchange chemistry involved.

[@andrewweinstein4374]

This is the best channel on KZbin

[@diraziz396]

Fascinating. Thank you. so much knowledge

[@johnnyrico6513]

I wish I was as interested in Chemistry in school as I am watching these videos.

[@Oneover_137]

Thank you for creating this content, outstanding

[@mastershooter64]

Brady! you should start another channel named "Sixty Cymbals" where you talk about musical instruments lol

[@SonofTheMorningStar666]

😹

[@user-hk8yp7cw1v]

Or "Periodic Stereo"

[@tncorgi92]

Make a note of that.

[@robdotcom71]

First video titled : It needs more cowbell

[@bubba99009]

I had no idea they could produce this in sufficient quantities to be useful for industrial applications

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

The way the ORNL scientist is describing the process sounds simple, but I can't even begin to fathom how it was developed. All I know is that lanthanides and actinides are something that none of the students in the chemistry fraternity I was a part of really ever discussed, it was predominantly organic chemistry because that was huge at the time. These heavy elements were like "yeah they're there, they play by different rules", and that was it.

[@ktinsley4579]

Fav video ever from you sir.

[@thomascaldwell184]

Fantastic episode. Thanks!!

[@ravishankar1972]

Brilliant video sir.

[@adeveo9067]

Glad to see a new video 😄

[@JohnDoe-yq9ml]

This is incredible! These people are so smart. Just thinking about how they do this makes me dizzy. Everything is so complex and sophisticated.

[@epincion]

That was really great, I learned a lot. Thanks.

[@sciencefellows777]

Thanks for your video sir.

[@Fresh4220]

I didn't see the upload, but a minute ago I just felt that there has to be a new periodic video and there it is...

[@alexschmollinger6576]

I love the Professor's White hair and I love his knowledge when it comes to the Elements , Gases and Metals including Arsenic , Copper , Antimony , Californiaum, Uranium ect... I love the Periodic Table of the Elements and learning about the Periodic Table

[@SpiritOfTheHeretic]

Love all of your content but especially when it involves radioactive isotopes!

[@lorenzoblum868]

Martyn, what do you think about Julie's scarf?

[@you2angel1]

Elated that I am sir to see your videos. They're always a prize! Thank you °•~.♡.~•°

[@professorxgaming2070]

What a great video. Really love the science stuff

[@NonContentMakerZ3]

I think most of the viewers of this channel, and especially of this video, remember their chemistry and the periodic table...

[@milos00000]

Radiochemistry is a very interesting field of investigation.Also nuclear chemistry and nuclear technology

[@milos00000]

Thank you very much 🙂

[@Saka_Mulia]

I love these videos! Will you ever make a start on molecules?

[@joeandjoe2]

I believe that tiny amounts of californium is used in certain designs of home fire alarms. I'm not sure exactly how it functions but I believe it is to do with how it detects the smoke.

[@julieezold93]

Actually, the radioisotope in smoke detectors is the alpha emitter Americium-241

[@MrVistaBunny]

Gobsmacked by all the detailed research and brain power that took this research to where it is today.

[@PedroDelimaMarcano]

Thanks Again Professor.

[@Linuxpunk81]

When the professor said 14 years ago I died a little on the inside 😢😭

[@sweetpotato3590]

Hello, you do not know me but I believe you taught a certain CHAP and now he is my chemistry teacher. He often uses your videos in our class and I hope to see more videos soon :)

[@ffggddss]

Carrying on the work of the late Glenn T. Seaborg et al . . . I remember, as a schoolboy, reading a newspaper article about einsteinium (₉₉Es) and fermium (₁₀₀Fm) being newly discovered in the blast products of a nuclear weapons test. Just tiny traces of them. Here they are now, making very substantial quantities of these elements, albeit still microscopic, but many orders of magnitude more than that initial discovery. And on the way to making even higher-numbered elements. Wow! Side note & question. Having worked for a time with radionuclides, from the mid-70's to the mid-80's, I'm puzzled by the notation used here, e.g., at around 5 min; specifically the placement of A (atomic mass number) and Z (atomic number), on the chemical symbol of a nuclide. I thought A was supposed to go to the upper-left, and Z to the lower-left, of the chemical symbol (²⁴⁹₉₈Cf) - not to the upper and lower right (Cf²⁴⁹₉₈), as they are placed here. And that upper right was supposed to be for the ionization state, and lower right for atom count in a molecule. Am I mistaken, or did someone goof here? .Fred

[@LordZordid]

Maintenance must be an absolute nightmare. It's right up my alley. :)

[@user-gf7zf9sx7w]

Amazing video.

[@aborne]

Very good video! Love it!

[@woohoo2491]

I've been finding a lot of this stuff around various cities within Texas and Arizona recently

[@bentboybbz]

I am a bit sad that the professor doesn't get to visit some of these places, I think he deserves to go, especially because he wants to share it all with us,