It elucidates both the meanings and the pleasures of those numbers and letters, and does so with style and dash. 'If you stared a little helplessly at the chart of the periodic table on the wall of your high school chemistry class, then this is the book for you.

Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. He pulls it off effectively-Mr Wizard meets chaos theory. Kean uses good rhythm in the book, chapters of uniform length, and a bit of humor to bring it all home. It handles complex theory in a comfortable, approachable way. If only I had read it before taking chemistry.' - Mark Kurlanksy, author of Salt and Cod 'The Disappearing Spoon' masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, discovery, and alchemy, from the big bang through the end of time. The Disappearing Spoon is quick, light reading out in the sun. Sam Kean's The Disappearing Spoon is a pleasure and full of insights. 'It happens often in biology, but only once in a rare while does an author come along with the craft and the vision to capture the fun and fascination of chemistry. 'Entertaining and enlightening.' - Kirkus Reviews 2012 The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons. The disappearing spoon and other true tales of madness, love, and the history of the world from the periodic table of the elements 1st Back Bay pbk. More Books by Sam Kean The Disappearing Spoon. Place a spoon made of gallium in a cup of hot tea and it will vanish. 'Aiming at a general audience with a cursory knowledge of science and chemistry, Kean writes in a whimsical yet easy-to-read style.' - Library Journal A young readers edition of the New York Times bestseller The Disappearing Spoon, chronicling the. The disappearing spoon of the title is made of gallium, which looks like aluminum but melts at 84 degrees.

'With a constant flow of fun facts bubbling to the surface, Kean writes with wit, flair, and authority in a debut that will delight even general readers.' - Publishers Weekly

The disappearing spoon book