Scerri discusses several less-recognized scientists who worked throughout the twentieth century, and shows how their contributions were just as key to scientific development as those of more commonly known figures. These include Anton van den Broek, who helped pioneer the atomic number, and Edward Stoner, who was the first to apply the third quantum number to the understanding the physics of the atom.

Eric Scerri is a leading philosopher of science specializing in the history and philosophy of chemistry and especially the periodic table. He has been teaching chemistry as well as history and philosophy of science and conducting research at UCLA for the past sixteen years. Scerri is the author of the bestselling The Periodic Table, Its Story and Its Significance (2007), A Very Short Introduction to the Periodic Table (2011) and A Tale of Seven Elements (2013).

• Chapter 1 Introduction. Intermediate historical figures and how can 'wrong theories' lead to scientific progress?


• Chapter 2 The intriguing case of John Nicholson


• Chapter 3 Van den Broek and atomic number


• Chapter 4 Abegg, an early pioneer of chemical bonding


• Chapter 5 Bury, and his detailed electronic structures


• Chapter 6 Main Smith the chemist who anticipated Stoner


• Chapter 7 Edmund Stoner, pioneer of the 3rd quantum number


• Chapter 8 Janet, inventor of the left-step periodic table


• Chapter 9 Drawing Things Together


• Notes


• Index