An intriguing introduction to the complex and fascinating world of the elements that make up the microscopic building blocks of the universe. Matt Tweed, mathematician, producer, and illustrator, reveals the main properties and interactions of familiar and unknown substances - from carbon, oxygen, and water to rare earths and subatomic particles. He explains atomic bonds, radioactivity, and DNA, and proposes alternative ways of understanding the periodic table, as well as a concise summary of the Big Bang.