Sam Kean

¿Por qué Gandhi odiaba el yodo? ¿Qué hizo el radio para estar a punto de arruinar la reputación de Marie Curie? La tabla periódica es un logro científico excepcional, pero también es un filón de aven

Raramente los secretos científicos han sido tan vitales como lo llegaron a ser durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial. En medio de la planificación del Proyecto Manhattan, la Oficina de Servicios Estratégicos de Estados Unidos ideo un plan secreto: la Operacion Alsos, destinada a rastrear y entorpecer las investigaciones sobre energia nuclear llevadas a cabo por las Potencias del Eje. El resultado fue un complot digno del mejor thriller, basado en sabotajes, espionajes y asesinatos. En el corazon de esta mision se encontraba la llamada brigada de los bastardos, un grupo de soldados, cientificos y espias que se infiltraron entre los fisicos, quimicos y militares alemanes para detener la amenaza mas aterradora de la guerra: la bomba nuclear ideada por Hitler. En esta fascinante historia de la batalla por la supremacia atomica destaca no solo el increible elenco de personajes, sino la capacidad de Sam Kean para mostrarnos las mentes de esos hombres y mujeres que realizaron una de las labores de inteligencia mas importante de todos los tiempos.

The Guardians Best Science Book of 2017: the fascinating science and history of the air we breathe. Its invisible. Its ever-present. Without it, you would die in minutes. And it has an epic story to tell. In Caesars Last Breath, New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean takes us on a journey through the periodic table, around the globe, and across time to tell the story of the air we breathe, which, it turns out, is also the story of earth and our existence on it. With every breath, you literally inhale the history of the world. On the ides of March, 44 BC, Julius Caesar died of stab wounds on the Senate floor, but the story of his last breath is still unfolding; in fact, youre probably inhaling some of it now. Of the sextillions of molecules entering or leaving your lungs at this moment, some might well bear traces of Cleopatras perfumes, German mustard gas, particles exhaled by dinosaurs or emitted by atomic bombs, even remnants of stardust from the universes creation. Tracing the origins and ingredients of our atmosphere, Kean reveals how the alchemy of air reshaped our continents, steered human progress, powered revolutions, and continues to influence everything we do. Along the way, well swim with radioactive pigs, witness the most important chemical reactions humans have discovered, and join the crowd at the Moulin Rouge for some of the crudest performance art of all time. Lively, witty, and filled with the astounding science of ordinary life, Caesars Last Breath illuminates the science stories swirling around us every second.

From a New York Times bestselling author comes the gripping, untold history of sciences darkest secrets, "a fascinating book [that] deserves a wide audience" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).Science is a force for good in the worldat least usually. But sometimes, when obsession gets the better of scientists, they twist a noble pursuit into something sinister. Under this spell, knowledge isnt everything, its the only thingno matter the cost. Bestselling author Sam Kean tells the true story of what happens when unfettered ambition pushes otherwise rational men and women to cross the line in the name of science, trampling ethical boundaries and often committing crimes in the process.The Icepick Surgeon masterfully guides the reader across two thousand years of history, beginning with Cleopatras dark deeds in ancient Egypt. The book reveals the origins of much of modern science in the transatlantic slave trade of the 1700s, as well as Thomas Edisons mercenary support of the electric chair and the warped logic of the spies who infiltrated the Manhattan Project. But the sins of science arent all safely buried in the past. Many of them, Kean reminds us, still affect us today. We can draw direct lines from the medical abuses of Tuskegee and Nazi Germany to current vaccine hesitancy, and connect icepick lobotomies from the 1950s to the contemporary failings of mental-health care. Kean even takes us into the future, when advanced computers and genetic engineering could unleash whole new ways to do one another wrong.Unflinching, and exhilarating to the last page, The Icepick Surgeon fuses the drama of scientific discovery with the illicit thrill of a true-crime tale. With his trademark wit and precision, Kean shows that, while science has done more good than harm in the world, rogue scientists do exist, and when we sacrifice morals for progress, we often end up with neither.

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 Curies reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters? The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but its 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.

Explore the wacky, weird, and wonderful true stories behind one of the greatest scientific tools in historythe periodic table!in this young readers edition of the New York Times bestseller The Disappearing Spoon. Why did Gandhi hate iodine? How did radium nearly ruin Marie Curies reputation? Why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history? The periodic table is a crowning scientific achievement, but its also a treasure trove of adventure, greed, betrayal, and obsession. A series of fascinating tales in The Disappearing Spoon follow the unassuming elements on the table as they play surprising roles in human history, finance, mythology, conflict, art, medicineand of course the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them! With line-drawings and side-bars throughout, students, teachers, and burgeoning science buffs will love learning the often unbelievable history behind the chemistry. Perfect for Aspiring scientists STEM classrooms Trivia lovers Fans of Bill Nye

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 how victims coped. In many cases their survival was miraculous, if puzzling. Observers were amazed by the transformations that took place when different parts of the brain were destroyed, altering victims personalities. Parents suddenly couldnt recognize their own children. Pillars of the community became pathological liars. Some people couldnt speak but could still sing. In The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, Sam Kean travels through time with stories of neurological curiosities: phantom limbs, Siamese twin brains, viruses that eat patients memories, blind people who see through their tongues. He weaves these narratives together with prose that makes the pages fly by, to create a story of discovery that reaches back to the 1500s and the high-profile jousting accident that inspired this books title. With the lucid, masterful explanations and razor-sharp wit his fans have come to expect, Kean explores the brains secret passageways and recounts the forgotten tales of the ordinary people whose struggles, resilience, and deep humanity made neuroscience possible.

From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes 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 Violinists Thumb, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA. There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFKs bronze skin (it wasnt a tan) to Einsteins genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists. Keans vibrant storytelling once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species future.

L’histoire du monde et de ses passions à travers la table périodique des élémentsPourquoi Gandhi détestait-il l’iode ? Comment le radium a-t-il failli ruiner la réputation de Marie Curie ? Pourquoi l

Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium (Cd, 48)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curies reputation? And why did tellurium (Te, 52) lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history?The periodic table is one of our crowning scientific achievements, but its also a treasure trove of passion, adventure, betrayal and obsession. The fascinating tales in The Disappearing Spoon follow carbon, neon, silicon, gold and every single element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, conflict, the arts, medicine and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. Why did a little lithium (Li, 3) help cure poet Robert Lowell of his madness? And how did gallium (Ga, 31) become the go-to element for laboratory pranksters? The Disappearing Spoon has the answers, fusing science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, discovery and alchemy, from the big bang through to the end of time.

Did the human race almost go extinct? Can genetics explain a cat ladys love for felines? How does DNA lead to people with no fingerprints or humans born with tails? And how did the right combination of genes create the exceptionally flexible thumbs and fingers of a truly singular violinist?Unravelling the genetic code hasnt always been easy - from its earliest days, genetics has been rife with infighting, backstabbing and controversial theories - but scientists can now finally read the astounding stories inscribed in our DNA. As we make advances into DNA mapping and modification, genetics will continue to be the hottest topic in science, shaping the very make-up of our bodies and the world around us.With the same masterful combination of science, history and culture he brought to The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean untangles the secrets of our genetic code, explaining how genetics has shaped our past and how DNA will determine humankinds future.

Finalist for the 2026 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award | LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER | INDIE BESTSELLER | The New Yorkers Best Books of 2025 From one of Americas smartest and most charming writers (NPR), an archaeological romp through the entire history of humankindand through all five sensesfrom tropical Polynesian islands to forbidding arctic ice floes, and everywhere in between. Whether its the mighty pyramids of Egypt or the majestic temples of Mexico, we have a good idea of what the past looked like. But what about our other senses: The tang of Roman fish sauce and the springy crust of Egyptian sourdough? The boom of medieval cannons and the clash of Viking swords? The frenzied plays of an Aztec ballgame...and the chilling reality that the losers might also lose their lives? History often neglects the tastes, textures, sounds, and smells that were an intimate part of our ancestors lives, but a new generation of researchers is resurrecting those hidden details, pioneering an exciting new discipline called experimental archaeology. These are scientists gone rogue: They make human mummies. They investigate the unsolved murders of ancient bog bodies. They carve primitive spears and go hunting, then knap their own obsidian blades to skin the game. They build perilous boats and plunge out onto the open seaall in the name of experiencing history as it was, with all its dangers, disappointments, and unexpected delights. Beloved author Sam Kean joins these experimental archaeologists on their adventures across the globe, from the Andes to the South Seas. He fires medieval catapults, tries his hand at ancient surgery and tattooing, builds Roman-style roadsand, in novelistic interludes, spins gripping tales about the lives of our ancestors with vivid imagination and his signature meticulous research. Lively, offbeat, and filled with stunning revelations about our past, Dinner with King Tut sheds light on days long gone and the intrepid experts resurrecting them today, with startling, lifelike detail and more than a few laughs along the way.Smithsonians Top 10 Science Books of the Year | The History Channels Best New History Books of 2025 | Washington Independent Review of Bookss 51 Favorite Books of 2025 | Amazons Best Books of the Year Winner of the Non-Obvious Book Awards Most Original Book of the Year

Scientists have always kept secrets. But rarely in history have scientific secrets been as vital as they were during World War II. In the midst of planning the Manhattan Project, the U.S. Office of Strategic Services created a secret offshoot - the Alsos Mission - meant to gather intelligence on and sabotage if necessary, scientific research by the Axis powers. What resulted was a plot worthy of the finest thriller, full of spies, sabotage, and murder. At its heart was the Lightning A team, a group of intrepid soldiers, scientists, and spies - and even a famed baseball player - who were given almost free rein to get themselves embedded within the German scientific community to stop the most terrifying threat of the war: Hitler acquiring an atomic bomb of his very own.While the Manhattan Project and other feats of scientific genius continue to inspire us today, few people know about the international intrigue and double-dealing that accompanied those breakthroughs. Bastard Brigade recounts this forgotten history, fusing a non-fiction spy thriller with some of the most incredible scientific ventures of all time.

¿Por qué Gandhi odiaba el yodo? ¿Qué hizo el radio para estar a punto de arruinar la reputación de Marie Curie?La tabla periódica es un logro científico excepcional, pero también es un filón de aventura, codicia, traicion y obsesion. Las fascinantes historias contenidas en "La cuchara menguante" repasan los elementos de la tabla en funcion del papel que han desempeñado en la historia, las finanzas, la mitologia, los conflictos, el arte, la medicina y las vidas de los cientificos locos (algunos) que los descubrieron.

** GUARDIAN SCIENCE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 **Popular science at its bestMail on SundayEminently accessible and enjoyableObserverWith every breath, you literally inhale the history of the world. On the ides of March, 44 BC, Julius Caesar died of stab wounds in the Roman Senate, but the story of his last breath is still unfolding. In fact, youre probably inhaling some of it now. Of the sextillions of molecules entering or leaving your lungs at this moment, some might also bear traces of Cleopatras perfumes, German mustard gas, particles exhaled by dinosaurs or emitted by atomic bombs, even remnants of stardust from the universes creation. In Caesars Last Breath, New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean takes us on a journey through the periodic table, around the globe and across time to tell the epic story of the air we breathe.

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. In many cases their survival was miraculous, and observers marvelled at the transformations that took place when different parts of the brain were destroyed. Parents suddenly couldnt recognise their children. Pillars of the community became pathological liars and paedophiles. Some people couldnt speak but could still sing. Others couldnt read but could write.The stories of these people laid the foundations of modern neuroscience and, century by century, key cases taught scientists what every last region of the brain did. With lucid explanations and incisive wit, Sam Kean explores the brains secret passageways and recounts the forgotten tales of the ordinary individuals whose struggles, resilience and deep humanity made neuroscience possible.

Asesinato, fraude, sabotaje, piratería y otras barbaridades perpetradas en nombre de la cienciaPor lo general, la ciencia es una fuerza para el bien. Pero, a veces, la obsesión vence a los científic

O autor do best-seller A colher que desaparece revela a história oculta do cérebro e da neurociênciaCom o apurado e já conhecido talento para explicações claras, abrangentes e espirituosas, o renomad