• The Disappearing Spoon

  • And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
  • By: Sam Kean
  • Narrated by: Sean Runnette
  • Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (6,022 ratings)

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The Disappearing Spoon  By  cover art

The Disappearing Spoon

By: Sam Kean
Narrated by: Sean Runnette
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Editorial reviews

Those of you who try but can’t always avoid grabbing handrails on subways and buses may be relieved to know that elements used by many transportation systems like copper and silver are naturally antibacterial. The structure and composition of the metal is somehow able to inactivate the bacteria, making it an ideal surface for things like…subway handrails.

This is the type of instantly lovable, immediately gratifying knowledge you get from Sam Kean’s The Disappearing Spoon, a fascinating column-by-column, row-by-row dissection of the periodic table. Kean must be commended for turning what could have been boring historical and scientific accounts into bite-sized human dramas filled with humorous moments and ironic twists. The predictable accounts of science heroes like Marie Curie and Dmitri Mendeleev are given fresh new spins, while the tales of lesser-known scientists are told with gusto. Only in the last few chapters did things get a little heady for me, but I’m admittedly on a steep learning curve when it comes to atoms, electrons, neutrons, and the like.

The remarkably intriguing narration by Sean Runnette is the icing on the cake here. He had his work cut out for him even in good hands, the science could be overbearing for a narrator to effectively relay to the listener. Runnette gives weight to the text by employing an authoritative but gently understanding tone of voice. He doesn’t pose as the high school science teacher reading from the textbook, but instead as the calm and patient tutor willing to work with you until you understand. His David Strathairn-like voice works to keep you entertained even while discussing P-shells, superatoms, Molybdenum, and the causes of Japan’s Itai-itai disease. Runnette’s standout moments come when describing the constant bickering between scientists claiming ownership over element discoveries. He voices these sections with such giddy, tongue-in-cheek glee that the listener can’t help but chuckle along. This ability to reach across the periodic table into the common interests of non-science loving listeners is key to the success of Runnette’s narration. Armed with Runnette’s performance, The Dissappearing Spoon amounts to a captivating audio account of the history, science, and meaning behind the elements on the periodic table. Josh Ravitz

Publisher's summary

The Disappearing Spoon is my favorite kind of science journalism: it reveals a hidden universe in the form of a thrilling tale.” (BoingBoing)

“Arthur C. Clarke once noted that truly advanced science cannot be distinguished from magic. Kean succeeds in giving us the cold hard facts, both human and chemical, behind the astounding phenomena without sacrificing any of the wonder — a trait vital to any science writer worth his NaCl." (Entertainment Weekly)

Science Magazine reporter Sam Kean reveals the periodic table as it’s never been seen before. Not only is it one of man's crowning scientific achievements, it's also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The infectious tales and astounding details in The Disappearing Spoon follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them.

We learn that Marie Curie used to provoke jealousy in colleagues' wives when she'd invite them into closets to see her glow-in-the-dark experiments. And that Lewis and Clark swallowed mercury capsules across the country; their campsites are still detectable by the poison in the ground. Why did Gandhi hate iodine? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium? And why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history? From the Big Bang to the end of time, it's all in The Disappearing Spoon.

©2010 Sam Kean (P)2010 Tantor

Featured Article: 12 Thrilling History Listens to Get Ready for Oppenheimer


Dubbed the "father of the atomic bomb," J. Robert Oppenheimer was a theoretical physicist who gained notoriety for the role he played in the Manhattan Project and the creation of the very first nuclear weapon. After the atomic bomb was developed, it was deployed by the United States to destroy the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These listens provide historical context about the man at the center of Christopher Nolan's biopic.

What listeners say about The Disappearing Spoon

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Fantastic!

Absolutely loved this! Great eye opener to the fluctuations in our collective knowledge of elements.

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interesting

Even though I really had no interest in this subject matter, I found it informative, entertaining, and well performed. I was able to comprehend and understand most of the text even though I have zero background in chemistry, physics or any scientific speciality. It kept my interest enough to finish the book with casual listening over just a few days.

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Wonder filled

This book was a wonder of detail about things we all need to think about. The relationships between elements and discoverers was amazingly interesting.

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Elementary my dear friend.

Lots of stories about those who found the elements. Worth a listen by science lovers.

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Stories you won’t hear anywhere else

I was surprised at how interesting and funny a book about the periodic table could be. Good narrator, good structure, you definitely can’t listen all in one go, but you’ll absolutely learn something.

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Interesting listen

A fun way to learn about the elements. All the side stories keep it interesting.

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Science Nerd

This title isn’t for everyone but if you love science this is an entertaining way to learn all about the Periodic Table and the history of how the elements were discovered!!

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Amazing book meh recording.

the books a great writing on the relationships of the elements with great stories as examples. this recording however has weird jumps in multiple spots though

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Chemistry Meets Human Nature

The author cleverly weaves the evolution and history of the periodic table to brilliance, whims, and prejudices found amongst scientists

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Science made interesting

I really enjoyed this deep dive into the people, politics and forces that shaped the periodic table. This book definitely made what can seem to be a dry subject very interesting.

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