'Kean's writing sparks like small shocks.he gives science a whiz-bang verve so that every page becomes one you cannot wait to turn just to see what he's going reveal next.'- Caroline Leavitt, The Boston Globe A-'- Keith Staskiewicz, Entertainment Weekly 'Kean.unpacks the periodic table's bag of tricks with such aplomb and fascination that material normally as heavy as lead transmutes into gold.

A classic science prank is to mold gallium spoons, serve them with tea, and watch guests recoil as their utensils disappear. Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. The Disappearing Spoon masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery - from the Big Bang through the end of time. 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 Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it’s also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. 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? Invite your friends around for tea and watch their amazed faces.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. Remove the rubber bands and carefully take out the spoon – it doesn’t look any different from an ordinary one.

Collect the melted gallium in a syringe and squeeze it into the hollow that we made previously. Take an ampule containing gallium and immerse in hot water. Place the two halves of the mold together and fix them together with rubber bands, to ensure there is no leakage. Add another layer of sealant, even it out and leave to dry at room temperature for 2 weeks.Īfter the silicone is completely dry, take out of the mold, cut it open carefully and remove the spoon and match. Put a match under the edge of the spoon to the wall of the container – it will make the cavity into which we will later pour melted metal. Spread the sealant evenly with a spatula and place an ordinary teaspoon on it. Squeeze silicone sealant into the container – the layer should be about 2 cm thick.

The vanishing spoon