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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.
Über den Autor / die Autorin
Sam Kean lebt als Journalist und Autor in Washington, D.C. Seine Artikel und Reportagen erscheinen vor allem im New York Times Magazine sowie in den Zeitschriften 'Mental Floss', 'The New Scientist' und im 'Science Magazine', bei dem er zurzeit als Reporter arbeitet. 2009 wurde er von der amerikanischen National Association of Science Writers als bester Wissenschaftsautor unter dreißig ausgezeichnet.
