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. T[...]

From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes more incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA.
In "The Disappearing Spoon," bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In THE VIOLINIST'S THUMB, he explores the wonders[...]

The author of the bestseller "The Disappearing Spoon" reveals the secret inner workings of the brain through strange but true stories.
Early studies of the human brain used a simple method: wait for misfortune to strike -- strokes, seizures, infectious diseases, horrendous accidents -- and see h[...]

Did the human race almost go extinct? Can genetics explain a cat lady's love for felines? And how did the right combination of genes create the exceptionally flexible thumbs and fingers of a truly singular violinist? This title explains how genetics has shaped our past and how DNA will determine hum[...]

For centuries, scientists had only one way to study the brain: wait for misfortune to strike - strokes, seizures, infections, lobotomies, horrendous accidents, phantom limbs, Siamese twins - and see how the victims changed afterwards. This title explores the brain's secret passageways.[...]

The periodic table is one of man's crowning scientific achievements. But it's also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The infectious tales and astounding details in "The Disappearing Spoon" follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts i[...]

From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes more incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA. In "The Disappearing Spoon," bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In THE VIOLINIST'S THUMB, he explores the wonders of [...]

I Violinistens tumme utforskar bästsäljande författaren Sam Kean livets magiska byggstenar, DNA. Det finns gener som förklarar varför det finns galna tanter med för många katter, varför en del människor inte har fingeravtryck, och varför vissa kan överleva en atombomb. De bevisar att vi [...]