Periodic table (detailed cells)
Although precursors to this table exist, its invention is generally credited to Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. Mendeleev invented the table to illustrate recurring ("periodic") trends in the properties of the elements. The layout of the table has been refined and extended over time, as new elements have been discovered, and new theoretical models have been developed to explain chemical behavior.
Primo Levi
He wrote two other highly praised memoirs, ("Moments of Reprieve", 1978) and ("The Periodic Table", 1975). "Moments of Reprieve" deals with characters he observed during imprisonment. "The Periodic Table" is a collection of short pieces, based in episodes from his life but including two short stories that he wrote before his time in Auschwitz. Each story was related in some way to one of the chemical elements. At London's Royal Institution on 19 October 2006, "The Periodic Table" was voted onto the shortlist for the best science book ever written.