The Disappearing Spoon and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements

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.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Published: 07/12/2010
ISBN: 9780316051644
Pages: 400
Weight: 1.34lbs
Size: 9.56h x 6.58w x 1.39d

Review Citations: Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2010
Library Journal 05/01/2010 pg. 90
Publishers Weekly 05/10/2010 pg. 1
Booklist 07/01/2010 pg. 15
Entertainment Weekly 07/23/2010 pg. 86
Library Journal 10/01/2010 pg. 102
Choice 12/01/2010
Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 185983 / Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Per
Reading Level: 10 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 19