93 pages • 3 hours read
The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table
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Book Brief
416
Book • Nonfiction
2010
Adult
14+ years
1300L
Super Short Summary
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean, a New York Times bestseller, explores the fascinating history of the atomic elements, detailing their unique properties and the dramatic stories of scientists who discovered them. From the origins of the periodic table to the darker facets of scientific discovery, Kean illuminates the elements' roles in shaping the world and the universe. The book includes accounts of radioactive exposure, chemical warfare, and scientific oversight that caused harm or death.
Informative
Mysterious
Humorous
Reviews & Readership
55,848 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Sam Kean's The Disappearing Spoon captivates with its engaging exploration of the periodic table, blending science with human stories. Readers appreciate Kean's accessible, witty prose and intriguing anecdotes. However, some find the narrative occasionally disjointed and overly detailed for casual reading. Overall, an enriching read for science enthusiasts.
Who Should Read The Disappearing Spoon?
Readers who enjoy popular science narratives with a blend of history and humor, much like Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything or Mary Roach's Stiff, will be captivated by Sam Kean's The Disappearing Spoon. This book is perfect for those who relish quirky anecdotes and insightful tales tied to the periodic table's elements.
55,848 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Marie Curie
Marie Curie
A trailblazing Polish scientist who conducted groundbreaking research on radiation and was awarded the Nobel Prize in both Physics and Chemistry.
Robert Bunsen
Robert Bunsen
A significant 19th-century scientist who enhanced the study of elements by inventing the spectroscope and improving laboratory burners.
Fritz Haber
Fritz Haber
A German chemist renowned for developing synthetic fertilizers, with a legacy tarnished by his role in chemical warfare during World War I.
Enrico Fermi
Enrico Fermi
An influential physicist recognized for his work on nuclear fission and his involvement in creating the first nuclear chain reaction during the Manhattan Project.
Linus Pauling
Linus Pauling
An eminent scientist who made major contributions to chemical bonding theories and was awarded Nobel Prizes in both Chemistry and Peace.
Glenn Seaborg
Glenn Seaborg
A key figure at Berkeley, instrumental in discovering many elements and revising the periodic table, later becoming a Presidential science advisor.
Lise Meitner
Lise Meitner
A physicist who, with Otto Hahn, discovered nuclear fission, advancing the development of nuclear power and atom bombs.
Luis Alvarez
Luis Alvarez
A physicist who aided the development of atomic bombs in WWII and, with his son, hypothesized that an asteroid impact led to the dinosaurs' extinction.
Emilio Segrè
Emilio Segrè
A scientist involved in confirming nuclear fission and contributing to many atom discoveries, including technetium, during his work at Berkeley.
Henry Moseley
Henry Moseley
An early 20th-century physicist whose experiments confirmed the concept of atomic numbers, reflecting the number of protons in an element.
Georgy Flyorov
Georgy Flyorov
A Soviet physicist who played a role in establishing the Soviet atomic program and discovering new elements, with flerovium named in his honor.
416
Book • Nonfiction
2010
Adult
14+ years
1300L
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