
The 13th ElementThe Sordid Tale of Murder, Fire, and Phosphorus
- Author: John Emsley
The incredible ""glowing"" history of the ""Devil's element ""phosphorus ... more
Product Details
- ISBN 9781620459430
- Imprint Wiley
- Category Science
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Overview
The incredible ""glowing"" history of the ""Devil's element ""phosphorus
Discovered by alchemists, prescribed by apothecaries, exploited by ninth-century industrialists, and abused by twentieth-century combatants, the chemical element phosphorus has fascinated us for more than three centuries. It may even be the cause of will-o'-the wisps and spontaneous human combustion! Now John Emsley has written an enthralling account of this eerily luminescent element. Shining with wonderful nuggets-from murders-by-phosphorus to a match factory strike; from the firebombing of Hamburg to the deadly compounds derived from phosphorus today-The 13th Element weaves together a rich tableau of brilliant and oddball characters, social upheavals, and bizarre events.
