Some of the highlights of main group element chemistry during the past deca
de are reviewed. There are now 47 elements in the s- and p-blocks of the Pe
riodic Table, ranging from the oldest (and lightest) element in the univers
e, hydrogen, to the most recently synthesised (and heaviest) known element,
(293)[118], which was first reported in 1999. On the basis of the astonish
ing discoveries and developments that have been made in chemistry during th
e first two millennia of the present era, the only safe prediction for the
third millennium is that there will be even more spectacular, perplexing, e
xhilarating, satisfying and potentially useful discoveries in main group el
ement chemistry to be expected in the years that lie ahead.