The Elements has become an international sensation, with over one million copies in-print worldwide. An eye-opening, original collection of gorgeous, never-before-seen photographic representations of the 118 elements in the periodic table. The elements are what we, and everything around us, are made of. But how many elements has anyone actually seen in pure, uncombined form? The Elements provides this rare opportunity. Based on seven years of research and photography, the pictures in this book make up the most complete, and visually arresting, representation available to the naked eye of every atom in the universe. Organized in order of appearance on the periodic table, each element is represented by a spread that includes a stunning, full-page, full-color photograph that most closely represents it in its purest form. For example, at -183°C, oxygen turns from a colorless gas to a beautiful pale blue liquid. Also included are fascinating facts, figures, and stories of the elements as well as data on the properties of each, including atomic weight, density, melting and boiling point, valence, electronegativity, and the year and location in which it was discovered. Several additional photographs show each element in slightly altered forms or as used in various practical ways. The element's position on the periodic table is pinpointed on a mini rendering of the table and an illustrated scale of the element's boiling and/or melting points appears on each page along with a density scale that runs along the bottom. Packed with interesting information, this combination of solid science and stunning artistic photographs is the perfect gift book for every sentient creature in the universe.Includes a tear-out poster of Theodore Gray's iconic Photographic Periodic Table!
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From the Publisher
Praise for The Elements:"I don't know if this is the first coffee-table book paying lush photographic homage to the periodic table, but it is certainly the most gorgeous one I've seen." —John Tierney, The New York Times
"The Elements is a loving reimagination of the classic table." —Wired
"Gray's trademark dry wit and historical anecdotes bring even the most basic lumps to life." —Popular Science
"A great mix of science and art." —Discover
Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Gray (Mad Science) blends science, art, and social commentary in this delightful and informative romp through the periodic table. Each element is photographed in as close to its natural state as possible (hydrogen being one of the most beautiful and creative representations: a stunning photograph of the starlight-laden Eagle Nebula), with a page or two devoted to the history of its use and discovery, along with any unusual atomic properties. A sidebar shows each element's place on the periodic table, atomic weight, density, atomic radius, crystal structure, electron filing order, atomic emission spectrum, and state of matter according to temperature. But what differentiates this from a textbook are the brilliant photos and Gray's lively commentary: e.g., "Yttrium is something of a hippy element," or "the continued use of tungsten in light bulbs is an abomination." In addition to the author's witty asides, fascinating bits of trivia abound: bananas are slightly radioactive; rare earth elements are not really rare; scientists have created fewer than two dozen atoms of meitnerium, an element created in a lab with a half-life of 43 minutes. While the book's size and its numerous gorgeous photographs might classify it as a coffee-table book, kids and adults alike (including those who dozed through basic chemistry) will be mesmerized and inspired to question the elemental basis of our world. 500+ color photos.
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