Most of us became familiar with iodine as kids when our cuts and scrapes were treated with brown disinfectant that stained our skin. And today most iodine produced still goes to the medical field. The element is notable for its colorful nature: in the presence of polar solvents like alcohol and water that unmistakable shade of brown comes through while oils, which are non polar, dissolve solid iodine into a bewitching haze of purple. In solid form iodine crystals are blue-black and shiny.

The ampule embedded in this acrylic block is filled with 99.8% pure iodine whose small crystals coat the glass walls in all sorts of interesting patterns. Don't like the pattern? Heat it up to 200°F and give it a half hour or so and the iodine will sublimate in a beautiful purple cloud and crystallize in a new way as it cools down!