The infectious Tales and astounding details in The Disappearing Spoon follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the frequently mad scientists who discovered them.
A classic science prank is to mold gallium spoons, serve them with tea, and watch guests recoil as their utensils disappear..
Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Disappearing Spoon masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery -- from the Big Bang through the end of time.
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.
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.
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.
The infectious Tales and astounding details in The Disappearing Spoon follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the frequently mad scientists who discovered them
