And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
The Periodic Table is one of man's crowning scientific achievements. But it's also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. 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.
We learn that Marie Curie used to provoke jealousy in colleagues' wives when she'd invite them into closets to see her glow-in-the-dark experiments. And that Lewis and Clark swallowed mercury capsules across the country and their campsites are still detectable by the poison in the ground. Why did Gandhi hate iodine? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium? And why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history?
From the Big Bang to the end of time, it's all in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON.
From the Big Bang to the end of time, it's all in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON.
About the Author
Sam Kean is a writer in Washington, D.C. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Mental Floss, Slate, The Believer, Air & Space, Science, and The New Scientist. He is currently working as a reporter at Science magazine and as a 2009 Middlebury Environmental Journalism fellow.
Thanks to Hachette for this giveaway.
Giveaway Rules:
- One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book
- Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID. Bloggers - you must have a public profile and listed e-mail to find you
- Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
- Please NO PO Boxes!!!
- The drawing will last till August 7
- Random number generator will be used - 2 copies to give away
- I will post the winners here on August 8
- Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected
- Extra entry - Become a follower
