This post is the first in a three-part series on how living creatures use the elements of the periodic table. Learn more about the elements on NOVA's two-hour special, "Hunting The Elements." When you ...

Silicon is a chemical element (Si), which can be found on the Periodic Table. Commonly used in making computer chips, the element’s name made sense for the basin below San Francisco, as it originally ...

Which is your favourite chemical element? To mark the International Year of the Periodic Table, our science journalists will be making the case for their pick from the 118 known elements. In this ...

Recent research showed that, although long neglected by ecologists, silicon is in fact beneficial for the growth of many plants, including major crops such as rice, wheat and barley. Researchers have ...

Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element of the earth`s crust after oxygen. It has long been neglected by ecologists, as it is not considered an essential nutrient for plants. However, ...