[ottbmare]

Of course, a Russian “discovered” the periodic table itself, which was one of the most amazing leaps of science ever, considering that he did it LONG before the actual nature of atomic structure itself was even vaguely understood.

As a girl I didn't grasp the genius of the Periodic Table until I read a science fiction story about it. It concerned an Earth exploration group that had landed on once-inhabited planet but could make no sense of the language or culture of the long-dead creatures. Then a young woman with the exploration team recognizes the Periodic Table, which becomes a Rosetta Stone for them. The point was that the table was not merely our convenience but a universal truth. I wish I could remember the name or author of the story, but it was many years ago.

[NorthMountain]

I wish I could remember the name or author of the story, but it was many years ago.

That story is "Omnilingual" by H. Beam Piper. Excellent story, excellent author.