THE LAST ALCHEMIST IN PARIS by Lars Ohrstrom ( 9780199661091 )

Item Details

Title:

THE LAST ALCHEMIST IN PARIS
AND OTHER CURIOUS TALES FROM CHEMISTRY

By:

Lars Ohrstrom

Format:

Hardback

List price:

£16.99

Our price:

£14.87

Discount:

12.5% off

You save:

£2.12

ISBN 10:

019966109X

ISBN 13:

9780199661091

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Stock:

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Publisher:

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Pub. date:

28 November, 2013

Pages:

272

Description:

Disasters and discoveries. Industrial espionage and invention. Warfare and biopiracy. The race to find gold, uranium, precious stones. The history of scientific discovery is packed with fascinating incident. Lars OEhrstrom tells illuminating stories rich with human interest each based around a chemical element and principle.

Synopsis:

This is a book about discovery and disaster, exploitation and invention, warfare and science - and the relationship between human beings and the chemical elements that make up our planet. Lars Ohrstrom introduces us to a variety of elements from S to Pb through tales of ordinary and extraordinary people from around the globe. We meet African dictators controlling vital supplies of uranium; eighteenth-century explorers searching out sources of precious metals; industrial spies stealing the secrets of steel-making. We find out why the Hindenburg airship was tragically filled with hydrogen, not helium; why nail-varnish remover played a key part in World War I; and the real story behind the legend of tin buttons and the downfall of Napoleon. In each chapter, we find out about the distinctive properties of each element and the concepts and principles that have enabled scientists to put it to practical use. These are the fascinating (and sometimes terrifying) stories of chemistry in action.

Publication:

Imprint:

Oxford University Press

Returns:

Returnable

Some other items by this author:

CURIOUS TALES FROM CHEMISTRY (PB)

MOLECULE-BASED MATERIALS (HB)