Loading Prices..

Stories of the invisible: a guided tour of molecules
Ball, Philip 
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN10: 0192803174 ISBN13: 9780192803177 DDC: 541.2/2 LCC: QD461 Edition: (pbk.)

Summary

Spiced with quotations from Primo Levi, Flann O'Brien, and Thomas Pynchon, Stories of the invisible takes us on a tour of a world few of us knew existed. The author describes, for instance, the remarkable molecular structure of spider's silk--a material that is pound for pound much stronger the steel--and shows how the Kevlar fibers in bulletproof vests were invented by imitating the alignment of molecules found in the spider's amazing thread. We also learn about the protein molecules that create movement, without which bacteria would be immobile, cells could not divide, there would be no reproduction and therefore no life. The book describes molecules shaped like miniature sculptures, containers, soccer balls, threads, rings, levers and geodesic domes, all made by sticking atoms together. Perhaps most important, Ball provides a fresh perspective on the future of molecular science, revealing how researchers are promising to reinvent chemistry as the central creative science of the 21st century.

Notes

Includes bibliographical references (p. 195) and index. Engineers of the invisible : making molecules -- Vital signs : the molecules of life -- Take the strain : materials from molecules -- Burning issue : molecules and energy -- Good little movers : molecular motors -- Delivering the message : molecular communication -- Chemical computer : molecular information.

Classification

Book Details

Subjects

Buying This Book

We query many merchants so that you can instantly compare prices and availability. You can even check historic prices and subscribe for notifications. For a manual check, clicking on a link will open a new window with a search for this book on the merchant's site of your choice.