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The Disappearing Spoon
And Other True Tales of Rivalry, Adventure, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements (Young Readers Edition)
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Format: Hardback
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The Disappearing Spoon
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This book suits anyone curious about science and history, particularly readers who enjoy learning about the human stories behind scientific achievements. It is accessible to general readers interested in engaging science writing rather than purely technical texts.
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See moreIncredible stories of love, history, and the nature of mankind, brought to us by the Periodic Table.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
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.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Publishers Weekly praises the book for its "constant flow of fun facts bubbling to the surface," noting Kean's wit, flair, and authority. The debut work is said to delight even general readers with its engaging storytelling.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780316051644
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 12 July 2010
Country: United States
Imprint: Little, Brown & Company
Audience: Children
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 34.0mm
Width: 161.0mm
Height: 239.0mm
Weight: 610g
Pages: 400
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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.
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