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The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
by Kean, Sam
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$8.99
Used
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Trade Paperback
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9780316051637
Overview
Overview
From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, finance, mythology, the arts, medicine, and more, as told by the Periodic Table. Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters?* The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. These fascinating tales follow every element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, and in the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. THE DISAPPEARING SPOON masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery--from the Big Bang through the end of time. *Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. A classic science prank is to mold gallium spoons, serve them with tea, and watch guests recoil as their utensils disappear.
- Format: TradePaperback
- Author: Kean, Sam
- ISBN: 9780316051637
- Condition: Used
- Dimensions: 8.30 x 1.10
- Number Of Pages: 416
- Publication Year: 2011
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The down and dirty of real scientific study. Every High School should have a whole term devoted to this book.
Leslie C. - 5 years 1 month agoThis is a wonderful book. It's thick with stories of so many scientists, chemists, physicists - men and women who spent their lives searching for what makes the Earth - well, the Earth and for that matter , the Universe what we can almost guess what it may be. It is intense, because it demands that the reader really concentrate on the politics, the economy, the status quo and the ability of society (over a century or two) to absorb the growing understanding of Science. It's definitely NOT a quick or easy read but well worth it. Be prepared to make notes in the margins, draw your own page with the Periodic Table of Elements and read ALL the "Notes and Errata".
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A delightful romp through the periodic table
Beth A. - 5 years 4 months agoThis book is a fascinating look into the periodic table. It looks not only at the elements that make up the table and the crazy stories about their discoveries, but also examines the history of the table itself. There's a rich history behind the periodic table and the elements that it contains. There are well-known facts like Marie Curie discovering Radium, but then there are less known elements with stories that are just as interesting. It's a must-read for chemistry fans and casual readers alike.
HPB Staff Review -
A textbook worth of knowledge in an entertaining and accessible format
Michelle d. - 6 years 3 months agoIf all chemistry was taught in such an engaging manner we would all have chemistry degrees. Sam Kean, a physicist turned writer, is both engaging and academic in this dense book of history, science, and discovery surrounding the periodic table. This book was a gift to me in high school and I have not been able to stop revisiting it since. I reread at least it once every two years and have discovered that I gain a little (but usually a lot more) understanding of the topics discussed with each read through. On the first read-through, do not expect to fully comprehend everything included in this book. Kean creates a detailed enough scientific background to what he is saying that sometimes even my peers with chemistry degrees cannot explain the topics in this book better. However, besides all of the complex chemistry involved, even the most rudimentary of blossoming minds can read this book with quite a few face gains. Kean also does a fantastic job keeping the reader involved from funny personal anecdotes to hard to believe history. Kean does not hold back any of the bloody details surrounding the formation and exploration of the periodic table. Anyone who is curious about the world around them needs to read this book.