The Periodic Table of the Elements in Danger

Cool Infographics: Charts and graphs can communicate data; infographics turn data into information.

The Periodic Table of the Elements in Danger was designed by Federica Fragapane for the BBC Science Focus.

The piece is a visual exploration of the periodic table and the under threat elements.

The substances depicted have been used to make everything from rocket fuel to raincoats, but our over-reliance on some – especially those used in smartphones – is starting to put a strain on resources. (BBC Science Focus).

For each element the following data have been visualized: total abundance on Earth, scarcity, price per kg, state at room temperature and part of the smartphone the element is used in.

This was originally designed for print publication in the BBC Science Focus, that’s why the graphic image doesn’t have it own title, sources, and the legend is a separate graphic. Federica posted a number of details on her Behance page, and I wish she had put the pieces altogether into one comprehensive infographic meant for online sharing on her own portfolio.