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.