bFrom iNew York Timesi bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, finance, mythology, the arts, medicine, and more, as told by the Periodic Table.b p 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 piThe Periodic Tablei is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's 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. iThe Disappearing Spooni masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery -- from the Big Bang through the end of time. p 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