That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles: 62 All New Commentaries on the Fascinating C

Dr. Joe Schwarcz "That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles: 62 All-New Commentaries on the Fascinating Chemistry of Everyday Life"

ECW Press, Canada | October 2002 | ISBN: 1550225200 | PDF | 275 pages | 11 MB

Interesting anecdotes and engaging tales make science fun, meaningful, and accessible. Separating sense from nonsense and fact from myth, these essays cover everything from the ups of helium to the downs of drain cleaners and provide answers to numerous mysteries, such as why bug juice is used to color ice cream and how spies used secret inks. Mercury in teeth, arsenic in water, lead in the environment, and aspartame in food are discussed. Mythbusters include the fact that Edison did not invent the lightbulb and that walking on hot coals does not require paranormal powers. The secret life of bagels is revealed, and airbags, beer, and soap yield their mysteries.

He also shares fascinating stories about some of history's greatest scientists (of particular interest is the inventor of Nylon, who ended up committing suicide, and the man behind chemical warfare, who also saved millions of lives with his fertilizer experiments). There is also a section devoted to debunking health scams and diffusing unnecessary paranoia. These and many more surprising, educational, and entertaining commentaries show the relevance of science to everyday life.

“Contents

Introduction 11

HEALTHY SCIENCE

Microwaved Socks, and Other Tales from the Airwaves 15

Yes, Scientists Are Allowed to Change Their Minds 19

I'll Take the Yogurt, but Hold the Enema Machine 22

Professor Wonder and Nutraceuticals 26

For Some, a Diet Goes against the Grain 29

Saccharin: From Back Alley to Tabletop 33

Aspartame: Guilty or Innocent? 40

An Ode to the Oat 48

The Secret Life of Bagels 52

A Toast to Toast 56

Gassing Green Bananas 59

Summertime Buccaneers 62

Agitate for Ice Cream 66

Man Cannot Live on Corn Alone 69

Lessons from Popeye 72

Paprika's Peppery Past 76

Bring on the Crucifers 79

Beer Science Is Still Brewing 83

The Scoop on Booze 87

Hard Lessons about Soft Drinks 91

When DNA Come out to Play 99

Frankenfuror 103

The Sunshine Vitamin 111

That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles 114

Coenzyme Q10 Is Worth Remembering 118

Sticking in Your Memory 122

Take It with a Grain of Salt 127

Botulin: Deadly Poison and Fascinating Medicine 130

From the Jungle to the Operating Room 133

The Growing Growth Hormone Industry 137

Strong Poison 140

A Mouth Full of Mercury 144

Get the Lead Out 148

Our Daily Dioxin 154

Don't Sweat It 159

EVERYDAY SCIENCE

The Stainmaster 165

Strike One for Matches 170

Cookware Chemistry 173

Nervous about Nerve Gas 176

How Many People Does It Take to Invent a Lightbulb? 179

A Run on Stockings 183

A Rubber Match 186

Oobleck and Beyond 190

The Eyes Have It 193

From Torpedoes to Airbags 197

Soap Story 200

Detergents and Drowning Fleas 204

Untangling the Web of Spider Lore 207

A Bolt out of the Blue 210

LOOKING BACK

A Fair to Remember 215

Lydia Pinkham to the Rescue 218

Mauving On 222

Creator of Good and Evil 226

The Dark Side of Radium's Glow 229

The Faraday Effect 232

From Alchemist to Scientist 237

POPPYCOCK

Not Too Hot to Handle 241

True Deceptions 245

Medicine and Malarkey 249

Pi Water and Erect Electrons 253

Hogwash and Balderdash 255

Hucksters Selling Health 258

Index 265”

Peace

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