Isotope Day - 4 December 2013
Published: 14 November 2013
December 4 2013 is the 100th birthday of isotopes. This word first appeared in the scientific literature in Frederick Soddy's letter to the science journal 'Nature', published on this date in 1913.
Isotopes were introduced to the world in a letter to the journal 'Nature', published on 4 December 1913 by University of Glasgow 
chemist Frederick Soddy.
He realised that a single chemical element could occur as atoms with different atomic weights, with different nuclear properties, such as radioactive half-life. He thus reconciled the periodic table with the newly-discovered phenomena of radioactivity, and atomic transformation. He later received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this work.
The word 'isotope' itself had been suggested to him by Margaret Todd, a Glasgow GP, during a dinner at 11 University Gardens. Isotope science was truly born at the University of Glasgow.
We are celebrating this anniversary with a variety of events at the University of Glasgow including a public lecture (details below) and new display, Born in Glasgow: 100 Years of Isotope Science in the new Science Showcase space in the Hunterian Museum.
Isotope Day Public Lecture
Wednesday 4 December 2013
12.00pm - 1.00pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Joseph Black Building (Chemistry), University of Glasgow
Born in Glasgow: 100 years of Isotope Science
Dr John W Faithfull
To celebrate Isotope Day, the 100th birthday of Isotopes on 4 December, Hunterian curator Dr John Faithfull will give a public lecture titled: Born in Glasgow: 100 years of Isotope Science.
Admission free - all welcome. No knowledge of isotopes needed!
First published: 14 November 2013
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