A 10-year-old boy came face to face with his heroes — the team behind the University’s YouTube hit, Periodic Table of Videos.

Edoardo Bandieri had already exchanged emails with Professor Martyn Poliakoff before his mother Paola arranged the birthday surprise.

Paola, who lives in Modena in Italy, wrote to Professor Poliakoff:

“My name is Paola Pavarotti and I am the mother of a little 9-year-boy, Edoardo Bandieri, with whom you kindly exchanged a few e-mails.

“Edoardo is very fond of chemistry, and in the last year has become a real fan of yours and of your team. At home we have to limit his accesses on the Internet as he would tend to spend all his free time on your periodic videos!

“On 12 September he will be turning ten and my husband and I have thought of surprising him by trying to organise a short visit to The University of Nottingham.  We would like to know whether you and someone from your team would be available to spend a few hours with him, showing your labs and premises and explaining some experiments.

“Edoardo has been attending the English Primary School in Modena, where we live, and he is fluent in English, so you’d be able to communicate quite easily.

“If you think this could be somehow possible (not necessarily that week, due to this short notice), I could start planning a short stay in Nottingham and set a schedule with you.

“Despite your availability to meet Edo, let me thank you and your staff for the wonderful work you are doing. It is amazing how your videos have helped Edo to develop a real passion in chemistry.”

The Periodic Table of Videos, which are the brainchild of University of Nottingham film maker Brady Haran and a team of working chemists at the University, are designed to make chemistry as interesting as possible — and it looks like they’ve succeeded. From etching the Queen’s portrait onto a diamond to ozone insights on Bondi Beach, the series has covered every element in the Periodic Table and much more besides.

Professor Poliakoff said: “On the day, Edoardo attended the demonstration lecture for A-level students, sitting in the front row, and putting up his hand to answer questions.

“He brought biscuits as a present for the team, and cards for Pete, Sam, Debbie and me. After the lecture he visited my office and went to lab with Pete Licence.”

Edoardo’s favourite video is one where Pete demonstrates how to convert some white phosphorus into phosphorus pentoxide, using just a little bit of sand and a hot copper rod. Visit: http://youtu.be/U6_-EUcswSc.

“Edoardo has watched all the videos, quoting from them, and even reciting perfectly the limerick about DDT! His mother said that last year Edoardo chose Chemistry as the conversation topic for his English test at school,” said Professor Poliakoff.

The limerick is:

A mosquito was heard to complain,
that chemists had poisoned his brain.
The cause of his sorrow
Was para-dichlorodiphenyltrichloro-ethane.

Visit: http://youtu.be/L3QkJ9-Wnk4.

“It was really a moving experience,” said Professor Poliakoff. “It’s occasions like this that makes us feel that our YouTube project is really worthwhile.”

Visit: www.periodicvideos.com and periodicvideos.blogspot.co.uk.