True Chemistry

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.

I’ve always followed one rule—don’t mess with anything my brother’s touched. Even if I touched her first. Mills Callahan is my brother’s ex—and the one I never forgot. Now she’s broke, out of options, and crashing in the only finished room of the house I'm renovating. I should’ve turned her away. But I couldn't. She’s chaos I don’t need—and the only calm I’ve felt in months. I can’t stop thinking about the way she looked at me that night. The way she came apart in my hands—before she married him. If I cross that line with her, I put the entire family at risk. And...

I’m only interested in a good time. Nothing too serious. But the chemistry between me and my new client is off the charts. My go-to is to get the girl, have some fun, then part ways, friends or not. Her choice. The office romance budding between us leaves me wanting to break my own rules. Then I remember why I put them in place. My father left when I was young. Love seems out of reach. It did for my mom. It does for me. This woman is beautiful, curvy, and smart as hell though. And she challenges me. In all the right ways. The fact that she has a little one stops me dead in my tracks ...

Delilah can’t catch a break. Two months after her fiancé dumped her for another woman, she’s looking forward to kicking back at the Metal Mayhem Festival, a four-day celebration of heavy music at a soccer stadium within walking distance of her house. To her, there’s no better cure for a broken heart than thrash music, blistering sunshine, and deep-fried festival food. But Delilah’s hopes for relief are crushed when her best friend is called to work at the last minute, forcing her to choose between spending another weekend wallowing or going to the festival alone. Bryce is just ...

Ever had a dream you couldn’t let go of, even if it seemed totally out of reach? For me, that dream was dating a hockey player. Not that I ever thought it would come true. I mean, come on! Me? Date someone like Max Turner? Get real. It got real alright. Max is a star player on the Frost Hawks and a commitment phobe, which is fine because we’re only FAKE dating to keep my ex-boyfriend away. The more time I spend with Max, the more I see there’s a side to him he keeps hidden, a side that makes my heart race in ways I can’t fake. Can I break through the ice around his heart, or will ...

I was in love with Damian Covington once. But a stupid misunderstanding tore us apart, leaving me heartbroken and him... well, I thought he moved on. Fast forward eight years, and I’m a food critic who’s tasted everything but the one flavor I crave the most—love. Damian now reigns as a successful commercial real estate agent in Bluebell Falls. Our paths cross much too often, and let me tell you, the sparks fly. Despite the anger and hurt, I’ve never truly forgotten him either. They say there’s a fine line between love and hate, and Damian and I are constantly walking it. Every ...

I move to Branson to be on my own, and end up with a billionaire, fake fiance. I'm excited to leave the rodeo life and drama behind and move to Branson. I find a perfect job in a perfect town, where I can disappear. Until I crash my car into Raylan Whitmore. Raylan and his brothers ARE Branson’s drama. Bad boys with reputations of leaving broken hearts wherever they go. When my ex finds me at work, Raylan steps in and claims to be my fiancee to protect me. I begin to see he has redeeming qualities beyond his good looks and rock hard body. As I am forced into the spotlight and Raylan’s ...

He'd returned from war a duke. Now Rafael Daughtry was battling a force more terrifying than Napoleon's army—his family. Thankfully, his childhood friend Charlotte Seavers had agreed—reluctantly—to a bargain. While Rafe would provide her with the home she'd lost, Charlotte would provide him with a chaperone for his unruly twin sisters. But who would chaperone Rafe? For the feisty young girl he remembered had blossomed into a sensual woman—a woman whose haunting beauty and deeply kept secrets drew him like no other. Charlotte had good reason to mistrust men—yet could Rafe's ...

This essay deals with the topic of death. It covers a number of famous poisoners and the poisons they dispatched to their victims. In addition to the mechanisms of drug action, the subject of apoptosis (programmed cell death) is also discussed. This essay is therefore a resource which can aid students and the layperson interested in drug/toxin action.