內容簡介
內容簡介 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.
作者介紹
作者介紹 Sam Kean is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Disappearing Spoon and The Violinist's Thumb and the forthcoming book The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons. His work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Mental Floss, Slate, and New Scientist and has been featured on NPR's Radiolab, All Things Considered, and Fresh Air.