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No. 736: Periodic Table: 57 Lanthanum

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Periodic Table: 57 Lanthanum

First | Previous | 2018-09-10 | Next | Latest

Permanent URL: https://mezzacotta.net/dinosaur/?comic=736

Strip by: David Morgan-Mar

T-Rex: T-Rex presents The Periodic Table:
T-Rex: 57 LANTHANUM
T-Rex: The prototype of the lanthanide series of transition metals. You probably know nothing else about it! But if you own a hybrid electric car, you own about 15 kg of lanthanum, in your car batteries!
T-Rex: If injected directly into the human brain, it acts as a painkiller.
T-Rex: But nobody knows the mechanism for this painkilling effect.
Utahraptor: Who thought injecting it into someone's brain was a good idea??
Caption: EARLIER:
{T-Rex is holding a giant syringe, next to a patient on a gurney}
T-Rex: This won't hurt a bit. I hope.

The author writes:

Seriously. I started writing this and asked all the guys around the lunch table, "What do you know about lanthanum?"

"It's the start of the lanthanide series? Uh... and... uh..."

We're into the hard part of the periodic table now.