The Disappearing Spoon and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
| AUTHOR | Kean, Sam |
| PUBLISHER | Little Brown and Company (07/12/2010) |
| PRODUCT TYPE | Hardcover (Hardcover) |
Description
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.
Show More
Product Format
Product Details
ISBN-13:
9780316051644
ISBN-10:
0316051640
Binding:
Hardback or Cased Book (Unsewn / Adhesive Bound)
Content Language:
English
More Product Details
Page Count:
400
Carton Quantity:
14
Product Dimensions:
6.58 x 1.39 x 9.56 inches
Weight:
1.34 pound(s)
Feature Codes:
Bibliography,
Index,
Price on Product - Canadian,
Dust Cover,
Price on Product,
Maps,
Table of Contents,
Ikids,
Illustrated
Country of Origin:
US
Subject Information
BISAC Categories
Science | History
Science | Chemistry - Analytic
Science | World - General
Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level:
10
Point Value:
19
Interest Level:
Upper Grade
Guided Reading Level:
Not Applicable
Dewey Decimal:
546
Library of Congress Control Number:
2009040754
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
publisher marketing
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.
Show More
Author:
Kean, Sam
Sam Kean is a writer in Washington, D.C. His work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Mental Floss, Slate, the Believer, Science, and the New Scientist.
Show More
List Price $40.00
Your Price
$39.60