Isaac Tesdorpf sets Guinness World Record for reciting periodic table

A grade 5 student from Covenant College has set a new Guinness World Record for fastest time to recite periodic table from memory. Watch the video.

A grade 5 Covenant College student has set the Guinness World Record for fastest time to recite periodic table from memory.

Isaac Tesdorpf, 10, said he has been passionate about the periodic table - which is an ordered arrangement of the chemicalelements into rows and columns- since his grandma gave him a book on it in Year 2.

“I just found it interesting,” Isaac said.

“I do love science. I like working out scientific, chemical equations, working out ionic bonding.

That year he begun memorising it.

“I learnt the first 30. I read it over lots and lots of times and repeated it lots and lots of time and drove my family crazy, that’s how I learned it.

“I also listen to a song.”

Isaac said he hasn’t learnt about any of it in school yet, he’s self-taught.

“My favourite element is Curium (Cm) because it’s named after Mary Curie and I just think it’s a cool element.

“It has enough energy in it to boil a cup of tea. ”

The radioactive element of the actinide series is named after Marie and Pierre Curie, in recognition of their work in radioactivity.

“My second favourite element is Einsteinium, mainly because of its name,” he said.

“I love Einstein’s equations.

“My favourite Einstein quote is, I am not overly smart, I am only passionately curious.

On Tuesday, Isaac broke the previous record reciting all 118 elements in atomic order faster, from memory, in just 40.37 seconds,beating the previous record of 41.92 seconds.

Isaac’s dad, Andrew Tesdorpf said “he smashed it”.

“I just love how curious he is and how self-confident he is, none of his interest in science has come from either myself or my wife Annaliese.” he said.

“He’s stuck a picture of the periodic table above his bed, I hear him reciting it over and over most days at home.

“He would often just start writing out the symbols and he would sketch up his own version at the periodic table with pen andpaper.

“We’ve told Isaac to pipe down a fair bit because he does often like to sing or recite at the top of his lungs but we’re allreally supportive and encourage his passion.”

The whole family, Mr Tesdorpf said, was very proud of him, including Isaac’s two younger siblings Jasper, 8, and Amelia, 5.

Isaac’s mother, Annaliese Tesdorpf said in some ways the world record was very much a family affair.

Originally published as Isaac Tesdorpf sets Guinness World Record for reciting periodic table