Perhaps you noticed the poll about element symbols in names and were curious as to the answer. Well, given the need for a new BITeS post and my ability to think at this point in the semester, here are the answers. As a refresher, the question was, how many elements have element symbols in the middle of their names? For elements with an odd number of letters in their names the symbol must be the middle letter while for elements with an even number of letters in their names the middle two letters must be a symbol. I've made the symbols bold and inserted captial letters where appropriate. Hopefully I haven't missed any or gotten any wrong.

heLium, litHium, caRbon, alumInium, silIcon, potaSsium, calCium, scaNdium, coBalt, zInc, kryPton, stroNtium, zircOnium, nioBium, techNetium, siLver (recent addition to this list), tIn, tellUrium, xeNon, ceSium, lantHanum, neodYmium, samArium, gadoLinium, terBium, erBium, hafNium, rheNium, platInum, merCury, actInium, uraNium, neptUnium, plutOnium, amerIcium, califOrnium, dubNium, hasSium, meitNerium, coperNicium, flerOvium, moscOvium, tennEssine.

That makes 45 and then there are the two special elements that contain their own symbols in the middle of their names.

tanTalum

astAtine