Dr. Joe and what you didn't know [177 fascinating questions & answers about the chemistry of everyday life]

The mythbuster and bestselling popular science author of A Grain of Salt tackles questions that show the scientific underpinnings of our culture. Dr. Joe & What You Didn't Know acts as both the source and satiation of scientific curiosity through a series of 177 chemistry-related questions and answers designed to both inform and entertain. From the esoteric to the everyday, the topics Dr. Joe Schwarcz tackles range from Beethoven's connection to plumbing to why rotten eggs smell like rotten eggs. How did a sheep, a duck, and a rooster usher in the age of air travel? What does Miss Piggy have to do with the World Cup? And is there really any danger in eating green potatoes? The answers to these whimsical questions and more are revealed in this collection in an accessible scientific fashion. “Only Dr. Joe can turn the world's most fascinating questions into a compelling journey through the great scientific mysteries of everyday life.” —Paul Lewis, former president and general manager, Discovery Channel “A book with an incredibly high ‘Did you know that...?'quotient... Completely captivating.” —New Brunswick Reader The mythbuster and bestselling popular science author of A Grain of Salt tackles questions that show the scientific underpinnings of our culture A book with an incredibly high Did you know that. . . ? quotient . . . Completely captivating. New Brunswick Reader Dr. Joe & What You Didnt Know acts as both the source and satiation of scientific curiosity through a series of 177 chemistry-related questions and answers designed to both inform and entertain. From the esoteric to the everyday, the topics Dr. Joe Schwarcz tackles range from Beethovens connection to plumbing to why rotten eggs smell like rotten eggs. How did a sheep, a duck, and a rooster usher in the age of air travel? What does Miss Piggy have to do with the World Cup? And is there really any danger in eating green potatoes? The answers to these whimsical questions and more are revealed in this collection in an accessible scientific fashion. Only Dr. Joe can turn the worlds most fascinating questions into a compelling journey through the great scientific mysteries of everyday life. Paul Lewis, former president and general manager, Discovery Channel From Beethoven's connection to plumbing to why rotten eggs smell like sulfur, the technical explanations included in this scientific primer tackle 99 chemistry-related questions and provide answers designed to inform and entertain. What jewelry metal is prohibited in some European countries? What does Miss Piggy have to do with the World Cup? How can a cockroach be removed from a human ear? The quirky information offered incorporates scientific savvy, practical advice, and amusing anecdotes.

About the Author:
Dr. Joe Schwarcz directs the Office of Science and Society at McGill University. He is the author of That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles; Radar, Hula Hoops and Playful Pigs; and The Genie in the Bottle. He has appeared on the Discovery Channel and is the winner of the American Chemical Society's Stack-Grady Award for interpreting science to the public. He lives in Montreal, Quebec.

Schwarcz (McGill University Office for Science and Society) produces a weekly radio program and newspaper column, "Dr. Joe," about everyday chemistry, appears on television, and presents public lectures. In his fourth book, Schwarcz presents a collection of questions he has posed to listeners during his radio broadcasts. The questions come from a number of fields, but all have some interesting scientific connections. Accessible to the general reader, the text demonstrates to the lay person science's broad scope and links to many aspects of culture. Distributed by Independent Publishers Group. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR