Chemistry World Book Club
Join us to discuss the latest in popular science books. We interview authors and dissect the issues raised by each book. It's a book review with a difference.
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A Taste for Poison
05/24/2022
A Taste for Poison
If you really want to develop an appreciation for those early pathologists who went so far as to taste-tested truly horrible samples from corpses to establish a system for detecting poisons, read a new book by US-based physiology and biophysics professor Neil Bradbury. We discuss Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers who used them: A Taste for Poison in our final episode of the Chemistry World Book Club podcast series. Combining chemistry and biology with true crime, this book is ripped from news headlines and is also based on historical records. Bradbury recounts for us his life-long fascination with science as well as murder mysteries, and how he long-dreamed of using his biochemistry training to write a book delving into process by which various poisons kill a person – what these compounds actually do inside the body. He also discusses narrowing down the book’s scope to the 11 poisons and related murders that are featured. After almost seven years, Chemistry World is moving on from the Book Club podcast. We truly thank all of you who read along and listened, as well as those reviewers and authors who participated and made the podcast great. But we have an exciting new monthly podcast in the works, so please follow Chemistry World on Twitter or on Facebook to be the first to hear about it.
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Book club – Fresh Banana Leaves by Jessica Hernandez
04/13/2022
Book club – Fresh Banana Leaves by Jessica Hernandez
Indigenous communities are among the most affected by climate change, yet their work and knowledge has long been dismissed as unscientific. In her first book Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes through Indigenous Science, Maya Ch’orti’ and Zapotec environmental scientist Jessica Hernandez recounts case studies, personal stories and family histories that focus on the knowledge of Indigenous Latin American women and land protectors. Hernandez’s book envisions a future in which Indigenous people are given autonomy over their lands and are treated as prominent leaders in the fight for environmental justice and against climate change. We talk about the failures of western conservation approaches and speak to Hernandez about the many reasons science needs to start listening to Indigenous voices. Thank you to for performing a sensitivity check on this episode.
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Book Club - Racing Green
03/07/2022
Book Club - Racing Green
This episode examines the science behind auto racing by digging into Racing Green: How Motorsports Became Smarter, Safer, Cleaner and Faster, by science journalist and science historian Kit Chapman. In this his second book, following Superheavy in 2019, the former Chemistry World comment editor chronicles how motorsport science is advancing and becoming more environmentally friendly, and he describes that ways in which these developments on the track are changing the world for the better. Chapman uses exclusive interviews with folks at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center, Formula 1 insiders, engineers, scientists and drivers to tell this story. For us, he also recounts some of the exotic travels he embarked on to thoroughly research this topic, the fascinating people he met along the way, and lessons he’s learned from writing the book. He even talks about the serious curve balls thrown by the Covid-19 global pandemic, and how they showed up in his book, as well as on the racing track, in hospitals and beyond.
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Book club – Sticky by Laurie Winkless
02/09/2022
Book club – Sticky by Laurie Winkless
Why is duct tape the answer to fixing everything? How do geckos cling to walls? And what, exactly, keeps our car tyres rolling down the road? In Sticky: The Secret Science of Surfaces, physicist and science writer Laurie Winkless paints a vivid picture of the vast array of surfaces we interact with every day – and explores the mysteries we’re still unravelling about how those interactions work. We talk to Winkless about earthquakes and geckos, and discuss why even the things we sometimes take for granted (like that little broom they use in curling) have a fascinating scientific story to tell.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/22074992
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Her Hidden Genius
01/18/2022
Her Hidden Genius
In this episode, we discuss Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict, a best-selling author who writes about women who have left important legacies. In this book, Benedict chronicles the life of Rosalind Franklin, an English chemist and X-ray crystallographer who laboured for years to uncover the structure of DNA but whose research was secretly shared with two male scientists from a different institution – the famous Watson and Crick.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/21811094
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Book club – Murder isn’t Easy
12/14/2021
Book club – Murder isn’t Easy
We’re delving deep into the science of one of the best-selling fiction writers of all times: Agatha Christie. We look for evidence of her pioneering forensic writing with Murder Isn’t Easy: The Forensics of Agatha Christie, the second book by pathology technician and medical historian Carla Valentine. Together with special guests Raychelle Burks and Kathryn Harkup (both huge Christie fans) we consider Christie’s knack for science communication as well as her problematic selection of stereotyped char
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Life as We Made It
11/09/2021
Life as We Made It
This episode is for anybody interested in how human beings have altered the world around us since we came on the scene tens of thousands of years ago. University of California Santa Cruz evolutionary biologist Beth Shapiro weaves fascinating and fun personal anecdotes from her own life and research on ancient DNA to tell the story of the evolution of Earth and the life-forms it hosts.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/21100232
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Book club – The Icepick Surgeon by Sam Kean
10/12/2021
Book club – The Icepick Surgeon by Sam Kean
This month, we’re reading The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science by Sam Kean. With wit and humour (where appropriate), Kean brings to life characters throughout history who found themselves on a slippery slope that took them from small concessions all the way to horrific acts.
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Book club – Deep Sniff by Adam Zmith
09/16/2021
Book club – Deep Sniff by Adam Zmith
In this episode, we’ll tackle Deep Sniff: A History of Poppers and Queer Futures by Adam Zmith. Zmith blends historical research with wry observation to tell the story of how amyl nitrites wafted out of the lab and into gay bars, corner shops and bedrooms. Zmith leads readers through the 19th century discovery of nitrites and its 20th century reimagination as a drug for the queer community. But his focus on people and cultural forces means this book goes far beyond a simple history lesson.
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Book club – Lessons from Plants by Beronda Montgomery
08/10/2021
Book club – Lessons from Plants by Beronda Montgomery
This episode is for all those people who have turned to gardening or amassed houseplants during the Covid lockdowns as we’ll be talking about Lessons from Plants. In it, the biochemist Beronda Montgomery explores the vigorous and creative life of organisms often treated as static and predictable. Writing about plants’ fascinating ability to perceive, adapt, communicate, decision-make and collaborate, Montgomery asks us to consider the question: What would a plant do?
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Book club – Science in Black and White by Alondra Oubré
07/15/2021
Book club – Science in Black and White by Alondra Oubré
In this month’s episode we’ll talk about Science in Black and White: How Biology and Environment Shape Our Racial Divide by medical anthropologist Alondra Oubré. She delves into the science behind the nature versus nurture debate to expose racially biased research and debunk claims of inborn racial disparities and the gendered brain. The result is a deeply researched, comprehensive and nuanced title.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/19820375
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Book club – Vampirology by Kathryn Harkup
06/09/2021
Book club – Vampirology by Kathryn Harkup
Get your garlic and crucifix ready as we tackle Kathryn Harkup’s Vampirology: The Science of Horror’s Most Famous Fiend.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/19412447
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Book club – Handmade by Anna Ploszajski
05/13/2021
Book club – Handmade by Anna Ploszajski
How do you make a chemical-resistant beaker out of a material as fragile as glass? And how do you tell the temperature of a piece of steel without a thermometer?
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Book club – The Disordered Cosmos by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
04/22/2021
Book club – The Disordered Cosmos by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
In this episode, we read Chanda Prescod-Weinstein’s debut The Disordered Cosmos, a book exposing how racism and sexism persist across all scientific disciplines. Part introduction to particle physics, part biography, part cultural and social analysis, The Disordered Cosmos examines the colonialist thread running through science’s history and presents a vision of the cosmos as vibrant, inclusive and non-traditional.
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Book club – Never Mind the B#ll*cks, Here’s the Science by Luke O’Neill
03/04/2021
Book club – Never Mind the B#ll*cks, Here’s the Science by Luke O’Neill
In this episode, we’re looking for answers to the important questions in life like ‘Why do you believe in diets?’ or ‘Why are you working in a bullshit job?’ Biochemist and immunologist Luke O’Neill certainly doesn’t mince words in his new book 'Never Mind the B#ll*cks, Here’s the Science: A Scientist’s Guide to the Biggest Challenges Facing our Species Today'. Despite its provocative title, the book covers some serious topics that range from vaccination and mental health, to racism and
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Book club – The Poison Trials by Alisha Rankin
02/11/2021
Book club – The Poison Trials by Alisha Rankin
This month we find out drug testing has come a long way, as we read The Poison Trials: Wonder Drugs, Experiment and the Battle for Authority in Renaissance Science, the latest book from historian of science and medicine Alisha Rankin. The book tells little-known stories of medicine in 16th century Europe, such as Pope Clement VII’s personal physician testing a new antidote by feeding poison-laced cake to two condemned criminals. Only one received the cure.
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Book club – Uncle Tungsten by Oliver Sacks
01/13/2021
Book club – Uncle Tungsten by Oliver Sacks
This month we’re celebrating 20 years of a popular science classic: Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks. In his memoir, Sacks – who later became a famous neurologist – recounts how he discovered his love for science growing up in the 1930 and 40s. We’ll try to find out whether this book is worth reading (or re-reading), chat to the chemist whose own childhood was influenced by Sacks’ work and talk to Laura Snyder, the historian of science writing Sacks’ biography.
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Book club – Science books for children
12/16/2020
Book club – Science books for children
Whether you’re looking for a sciencey Christmas present for the young readers in your life or just want to delve into the science of children’s science writing, this kid’s books roundup is for you. We brought together three families and their four children aged three to nine to review Once Upon an Atom by James Carter; I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast by Michael Holland; Fantastically Great Women Who Saved the Planet by Kate Pankhurst; and Awesome Matter and Materials by Jon Richards and Rob Cols
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Written in Bone
11/04/2020
Written in Bone
This time, we’re reading and discussing Written In Bone: Hidden Stories in what We Leave Behind by forensic anthropologist Sue Black and author of the 2018 Sunday Times bestseller All That Remains. Black discusses criminal and historical cases from her own career, showing how everything we do – from what we eat to where we go – leaves behind traces in our skeleton.
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The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)
10/15/2020
The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)
It’s the end times in this episode as we’re reading The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking). In five scenarios, cosmologist Katie Mack explores how the universe might meet its ultimate demise and what this might look like if anyone were still around to see it. The book promises to be a wildly fun ride to the farthest reaches of scientific knowledge.
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United We Are Unstoppable
08/28/2020
United We Are Unstoppable
In this episode we’re reading United We Are Unstoppable: 60 Inspiring Young People Saving Our World, a book of short stories, told by the people who are fighting for their homes and their futures in the face of climate change.
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Half Lives
08/06/2020
Half Lives
This month we’re reading Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium by historian Lucy Jane Santos. The book traces the story of a radioactive element, from its ascendance as a cure-all ingredient in the late 19th century to the gradual downfall and eventual discredit of the entire radium industry.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/15505685
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Three books on pandemics
07/08/2020
Three books on pandemics
In this episode we’re tackling the coronavirus information overload by comparing three books on pandemics past and present: Outbreaks and Epidemics by Meera Senthilingam, Adam Kucharski’s The Rules of Contagion, and The Pandemic Century by Mark Honigsbaum.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/15127721
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The Alchemy of Us
06/03/2020
The Alchemy of Us
From photographic film to scientific glassware, Ainissa Ramirez’s new book The Alchemy of Us offers a unique insight into our relationship with technology. Find out what we thought about the book, and hear from Ramirez herself as she talks about digging into archives around the world to uncover forgotten characters and intriguing stories.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/14680544
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Smoke & Mirrors
05/06/2020
Smoke & Mirrors
This month, we take a peek behind the curtain with Gemma Milne’s Smoke & Mirrors. In her first book, the technology journalist looks at headline-grabbing science present and past – from cancer treatments to fusion energy and quantum computers. Will the book deliver on its promise to be a guide on how to recognise hype and how to cut through it? Find out what we thought about the book, and hear from Milne herself as she talks about the human experience of hype – and how it can be used as a tool for good as well as bad.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/14305157
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Ingredients
03/31/2020
Ingredients
This time we're reading Ingredients, a book that promises to make chemistry more fun than Hogwarts. First-time author George Zaidan investigates the stuff inside stuff and tries to answer the question of whether you should eat that cheeto or not.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/13778144
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Say Why to Drugs
02/18/2020
Say Why to Drugs
Why don't we think of coffee as a drug? Are you hooked on heroin the moment you take it...or is the answer more complicated? In Say Why to Drugs: Everything You Need to Know About the Drugs We Take and Why We Get High Suzi Gage looks at the misconceptions, theories and attitudes surrounding all kinds of drugs – and attempts to separate fact from fiction.
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/13197038
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You Look Like a Thing and I Love You
01/28/2020
You Look Like a Thing and I Love You
Will artificial intelligence take over the world? Just how clever are machines, really? Janelle Shane's new book, You Look Like a Thing and I Love You, looks at all this and more. You may not look at your gadgets the same way again!
/episode/index/show/chemistryworldbookclub/id/12915368
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Antimony, Gold, and Jupiter’s Wolf: How the Elements Were Named
12/20/2019
Antimony, Gold, and Jupiter’s Wolf: How the Elements Were Named
This month, we’re delving deep into chemistry’s history as we discuss Peter Wothers' book Antimony, Gold, and Jupiter’s Wolf: How the Elements Were Named. Some chemists may know Wothers’ writing in the form of chemistry textbooks, but this is his first popular science book. As Wothers unearths the stories behind the elements’ names, he also explores our understanding of the nature of matter itself.
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Transcendence
12/11/2019
Transcendence
In her new book Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time Gaia Vince assembles everything you need to know about the world and how human beings have come to rule over so many aspects of it.
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