About

What is Academy 118?

Academy 118 is a lighthearted comic about the personified chemical elements and their (mis)adventures at Academy 118, a peculiar school located at the heart of the universe.

Who are you?

I’m Ava, a Computer Science student at UWaterloo! I like drawing things and coding things, sometimes both at the same time. You can contact me at [email protected].

How did this all begin?

Inspired by this xkcd, Academy 118 was initially a fantasy story named 118 in which characters had the power to control the chemical elements. The current Academy 118, with its periodic table personifications, was conceived in August 2015 and has nothing in common with 118 but the name.

Where can I learn more about the elements?

Here are some great resources I’ve used!

• Periodic Tales (Hugh Aldersey-Williams, 2011)
• Nature’s Building Blocks (John Emsley, 2011)
• The Elements (Theodore Gray, 2009)
• The Disappearing Spoon (Sam Kean, 2010)
• Periodic Videos (YouTube channel)
• BBC World Service Elements (podcast)
• The Episodic Table of Elements (podcast)
• Chemistry World podcasts

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