{"product_id":"its-a-gas-the-sublime-and-elusive-elements-that-expand-our-world-9780358157151","title":"It's a Gas: The Sublime and Elusive Elements That Expand Our World","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe New York Times \u003c\/em\u003ebestselling author of \u003cem\u003eStuff Matters\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eLiquid Rules\u003c\/em\u003e presents a fascinating guided tour of the secret life of gases: the strange, elusive, and fascinating substances that shape our world.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGases are all around us--they fill our lungs, power our movement, create stars, and warm our atmosphere. Often invisible and sometimes odorless, these ubiquitous substances are also the least understood materials in our world, and always have been. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt wasn't long ago that they were seen as the work of ancient spirits: the sudden closing of a door after a change in airflow signaled a ghost's presence. Scientists and engineers have struggled with their own gaseous demons. The development of high-pressure steam power in the 18th century literally blew away some researchers, ushering in a new era for both safety regulations and mass transit. And carbon dioxide, that noxious byproduct of fossil fuel consumption and cow burps, gave rise to modern civilization. Its warming properties known for centuries, it now spells ruin for our fragile atmosphere. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs bestselling science writer and materials scientist Mark Miodownik shows in this entertaining, often hilarious tour of gases, we've long harnessed the power of gases to create life-altering technologies, without fully understanding their potential.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the perfect follow-up to his bestselling \u003cem\u003eStuff Matters\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eLiquid Rules\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eIt's a Gas\u003c\/em\u003e chronicles ten gases that shaped human history. From hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and neon to laughing gas, steam, and even wind, the story of gases is the story of that tricky space where science and belief collide, and of the elusive limits of human understanding. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Mariner Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/17\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780358157151\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 304\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/29\/2024\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Mark Miodownik","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44507341881525,"sku":"9780358157151","price":24.64,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_6d2fa8d1-5e70-4716-8317-f236aec0fc4d.jpg?v=1722311844","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/its-a-gas-the-sublime-and-elusive-elements-that-expand-our-world-9780358157151","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}