Four Elements by Rebecca Rupp

Four Elements by Rebecca Rupp

We think we can control the elements but recent disasters like the tsunami of 26th December 2004 and Hurricane Katrina make it clear that we cannot. Never has it been more essential to understand how and why they happen. In a book that brings together science, history, literature and mythology, Rebecca Rupp demonstrates how humans relate to the elements. Full of intriguing facts and fascinating stories, Four Elements examines why we call people airy fairy, fiery tempered or down to earth; why the US National Bureau of Standards actually calculated the temperature of the pit of hell (44 degrees C); how the eruption of Tambora in 1815 inspired Mary Shelley to write Frankenstein; and why there is a 98.2% chance that an air molecule in your lungs at this precise moment was one of Caesar's last breaths. Four Elements is a journey of discovery through the elements - real and symbolic - that shape our lives. No one will leave this book without feeling hugely enriched.

It is a down-to-earth, sky-high romp through reality: every page an eye-opener-- Tim Radford * Guardian *
A book of popular science so replete with illuminating facts that they seem to ricochet about like volatile atoms. * Financial Times *

Rebecca Rupp has a Ph.D in cell biology. She has written on various topics for many magazines and has published several books. She lives in Vermont with her husband and three sons.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781861974471
ISBN 10	1861974477
Title	Four Elements
Author	Rebecca Rupp
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Profile Books Ltd
Year published	2006-06-08
Number of pages	384
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable