"It happens often in biology, but only once in a rare while does an author come along with the craft and the vision to capture the fun and fascination of chemistry. 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. The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it’s also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession.
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? 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.
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