When it comes to the periodic table, the United States really blew its chance to make a name for itself. If you look over a map of all the elements named for cities, states, countries, and continents, it's not surprising that European locales dominate the map.

After about 1940, scientists generally stopped looking for elements in nature. Instead, they had to create them by smashing smaller atoms together.

America was probably Europe's equal scientifically by the end of World War I and certainly surpassed it after the chaos of World War II.

Sam Kean Quotes