Most Popular Books by John Emsley

Molecules of Murder is about infamous murderers and famous victims; about people like Harold Shipman, Alexander Litvinenko, Adelaide Bartlett, and Georgi Markov. Few books on poisons analyse these crimes from the viewpoint of the poison itself, doing so throws a new light on how the murders or attempted murders were carried out and ultimately how the perpetrators were uncovered and brought to justice. Part I includes molecules which occur naturally and were originally used by doctors before becoming notorious as murder weapons. Part II deals with unnatural molecules, mainly man-made, and they too have been dangerously misused in famous crimes. The book ends with the most famous poisoning case in recent years, that of Alexander Litvinenko and his death from polonium chloride. The first half of each chapter starts by looking at the target molecule itself, its discovery, its history, its chemistry, its use in medicine, its toxicology, and its effects on the human body. The second half then investigates a famous murder case and reveals the modus operandi of the poisoner and how some were caught, some are still at large, and some literally got away with murder. Molecules of Murder will explain how forensic chemists have developed cunning ways to detect minute traces of dangerous substances, and explain why some of these poisons, which appear so life-threatening, are now being researched as possible life-savers. Award winning science writer John Emsley has assembled another group of true crime and chemistry stories to rival those of his highly acclaimed Elements of Murder.

Everything we see around us is made of the chemical elements: they are Nature''s building blocks. Our own bodies contain about 30 of them, some in abundance, some in trace amounts but nevertheless vital to our health, and some that are positively harmful. The Earth consists of around 90elements and again some are abundant, such as the silicon and oxygen of rocks and soils, while some are so rare that they make gold seem cheap, yet even these can be part of our everyday life.The total number of known elements is now 115 (at the last count) although most of the 25 new elements that have been synthesized in the past half-century have existed for less than a day. Some, however, have accumulated until they now threaten the environment.Nature''s Building Blocks explains the what, why and wherefore of the chemical elements. Arranged alphabetically, from Actinium to Zirconium, it is a complete guide to all 115 of those that are currently known, and especially those which comprise everything we encounter in our everyday life. Theentry on each element reveals where it came from, what role it may have in the human body, and the foods that contain it. There are also sections on its discovery, its part in human health or illness, the uses and misuses to which it is put, and its environmental role.A list of the main scientific data, and outline properties, are given for every element and the section ends with an ''Element of Surprise'', which highlights some unexpected way in which each element impinges on our everyday life.

How can a chemical we need on a daily basis to keep us healthy be fatal at a different dose? Why should elements that are intrinsically dangerous be used in medicine? How did poisoners use the chemical properties of chemicals to cover their tracks? Emsley gives detailed histories of five of the most toxic elements - arsenic, antimony, lead, mercury, and thallium, highlighting some of the most famous murders and how the murderers used the chemical properties of elements to hide what they were doing. He shows how the elements have been behind many modern day environmental catastrophes including accidental mass poisonings from lead and arsenic, and the Minamata Bay Disaster in Japan. The array of fascinating stories shows how chemicals have impacted the lives of people ranging from the Greeks and Romans to Newton, Napoleon, Lucrezia Borgia, Mozart, Nelson Mandela, and Saddam Hussein. Emsley also touches on subjects close to home: cot deaths, laxatives, venereal disease, alleged cures for acne, hangovers, and insanity.

Emsley describes chemicals which affect every aspect of our daily lives, including anecdotes about their proper or improper uses.

John Emsley''s unusual study traces the history and development of the use of phosphorus, an autocombustive element that was discovered long before humans were responsible or capable of controlling its awesome power.

This book explains to the general reader the roles of chemistry in various areas of life ranging from the entirely personal to the worryingly global. These roles are currently not widely appreciated and certainly not well understood. The book is aimed at educated laypeople who want to know more about the world around them but have little chemical knowledge. The themes relate to the importance of chemistry in everyday life, the benefits they currently bring, and how their use can continue on a sustainable basis. Topics include: Health - conquering the diseases and stresses which still threaten us. Food - the role of agrochemicals and food chemists. Water - drinking water; the seas as a resource of raw materials. Fuels - what are they and from what are they made? Plastics - what are the used for and can they be sustainable? Cities - what role has chemistry in modern life? Sport - chemistry has changed the game. The world stands at a crossroads. What route to the future should we take? The road to a sustainable city beckons, but what effect will this have on chemistry, which appears so dependent on fossil resources? Its products are part of everyday living, and without them we could regress to the world of earlier generations when lives were blighted by disease, famines, dirt, and pain. In fact the industries based on chemistry the chemical, agrochemical, and pharmaceutical industries could be sustainable and not only benefit those in the developed world but could be shared by everyone on this planet and for generations to come. This book shows how it might be achieved.

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.

How can a plant as beautiful as the foxglove be so deadly and yet for more than a century be used to treat heart disease? The same is true of other naturally occurring molecules as will be revealed in this current book by award-winning author and chemist, John Emsley. More Molecules of Murder follows on from his highly-acclaimed earlier book Molecules of Murder, and again it deals with 14 potential poisons; seven of which are man-made and seven of which are natural. It investigates the crimes committed with them, not from the point of view of the murderers, their victims, or the detectives, but from the poison used. In so doing it throws new light on how these crimes were carried out and ultimately how the perpetrators were uncovered and brought to justice. Each chapter starts by looking at the target molecule itself, its discovery, its chemistry, its often-surprising use in medicine, its effects on the human body, and its toxicology. The rest of the chapter is devoted to murders and attempted murders in which it has been used. But, be reassured that murder by poison is not the threat it once was, thanks to laws which restrict access to such materials and to the skills of analytical chemists in detecting their presence in incredibly tiny amounts.

Another fascinating title from best-selling author Emsley on grooming, health, food and sex, while discussing recent advances in chemistry and their impact on our everyday lives. Includes many classic examples and future prospects, written in an easily comprehensible style.

Vanity, Vitality, and Virility is a fascinating portrait gallery of chemicals involved in our everyday life, from Viagra and selenium to whispering asphalt, nappies, and chewing gum. While it will not advise you what to do if you want to improve your looks, your health, your peace of mind or your sex life, it explains the science behind many of the products that claim to be able to do just that. Chemistry is too often associated with poisonous gases and strange bubbling solutions, yet it is all around us, and inside us too. Renowned science communicator John Emsley lifts the lid on the secrets inside the products we use every day.

The world stands at a crossroads. What route to the future should we take? The road to a sustainable future beckons, but what effect will this have on chemistry, which appears so dependent on fossil resources? This book shows how vital chemistry is for producing abundant food, clean water, healing drugs, alternative fuels, and plastics, and how most of the things which a modern society requires now depend on it - and that includes city living and even sport. Written in an appealing style, this lay person''s guide explains the roles of chemistry in areas of life ranging from the entirely personal to the global, as well as deconstructing several urban myths about chemicals.

Hand cream, detergent, shower gel, toothpaste, toilet cleaner, air freshener, lipstick, perfume, low-fat spread, painkiller, diet drink, insect repellent... hundreds of everyday products that make our lives so much better than those of our forebears. And yet most of us know little about the ingredients they contain and why they deliver the benefits we enjoy. Some people find it worrying when they examine the list of ingredients on a packaging label, because all they read may be unintelligible names or E numbers. It appears to be just chemicals, chemicals, chemicals. The aim of this book is to examine the ingredients more closely and explain the reasons for their being used. Start reading and stop worrying. Chemistry at Home has been written by award-winning popular science writer and chemist, John Emsley, using non-technical language. The book has 12 chapters, each devoted to the kinds of products we are likely to find around the home, including in the garage and the garden shed. Chemistry at Home also includes a glossary which gives more technical information about the molecules mentioned in the book.

''This excellent book explains all you need to know about food allergy and intolerance.'' -Good Food Magazine''Highly informative yet easy-to-read book about the nutrients and non-nutrients in our diet and our reactions to them. A very interesting book that can easily be kept as a reference text. Highly recommended.'' -M2 Best Books

Emsleys preisgekrönter Erfolgstitel Parfum, Portwein, PVC... Chemie im Alltag verlangte eine Fortsetzung. Hier ist sie! Entdecken Sie, warum Schokolade uns glücklich macht, was im Körper passiert, wenn Männer von der Liebe träumen, welche Geheimnisse Coca-Cola in sich birgt und ob Mozarts Tod nicht ein ärztlicher Kunstfehler war? Die Geheimnisse der Natur zu ergründen und zu entschlüsseln, scheint ein fast unlösbares Unterfangen zu sein. Keineswegs gefährlich wie eine Polarexpedition, sondern sehr vergnüglich, äußerst kurzweilig und lebendig kann eine solche Entdeckungsreise zum Breitengrad der Chemie mit John Emsley sein. Wissenschaftliche Informationen, historische Details, unterhaltsame Anekdoten und eine gute Portion Humor verwebt er zu fesselnden Geschichten, bei denen überraschende Wendungen garantiert nicht fehlen! Stimmen zum Buch: "Willkommen bei John Emsleys persönlichem und informativem Rundgang durch die Welt der Moleküle - allesamt Meisterwerke der Natur. Die Welt der Chemie wurde nie unterhaltsamer als in diesem erstaunlichen Reiseführer beschrieben." Roald Hoffmann, Cornell University "John Emsley ist der perfekte Führer durch die Welt der Chemie: stets weckt er den Wunsch nach noch mehr Geschichten, noch mehr Informationen!" Carl Djerassi, Stanford University

Ein neuer Titel des Erfolgsautors John Emsley über ein packendes Thema: Die Lebensgeschichte des Phosphors, des ominösen 13. Elements, beginnt zu einer Zeit, als vielen Stoffen noch eine magische Bedeutung zugeschrieben wurde. Durch Zufall entdeckt auf der Suche nach dem Stein der Weisen, wurde der Phosphor berühmt durch sein gespenstisches Leuchten und berüchtigt als langsam wirkendes Gift, dessen tödliche Wirkung zahlreiche mysteriöse Morde belegen. Er besitzt noch viele Facetten, sei es als Kunstdünger, der die Landwirtschaft revolutionierte oder als Bestandteil der berühmtesten Limonade der Welt. Phosphorverbindungen machen Stoffe schwerer entflammbar und die Wäsche weißer, sind aber auch die Grundlage für viele chemische Kampfstoffe. So ist Phosphor seit jeher mit dem Ruch des Teuflischen umgeben, eben ein Element auf Leben und Tod.

Wie starb Napoleon? An seinen Tapeten, lautet die wahrscheinlich richtige Antwort. Zu seiner Zeit begann man zwar, Papier-Tapeten mit Mustern herzustellen, aber mit dem Herstellen schöner, kräftiger Farben hatte man Schwierigkeiten. FÃ1/4r GrÃ1/4n, Gelb und Orange war man unverzichtbar auf Arsenhaltige Farben angewiesen. Sie können sich sicherlich vorstellen, dass ein Leben in solchermaßen tapezierten Räumen nicht ohne Folgen blieb. Nicht nur zu Arsen, das natÃ1/4rlich auch in anderer Form verabreichen kann, sondern auch zu Quecksilber, Antimon, Blei und Thallium erzählt Emsely Geschichten. Die wenigsten genannten Personen starben unfreiwillig an den Vergiftungen wie Napoleon, Newton oder Charles II, sondern die spektakulären Fälle waren natÃ1/4rlich Morde. Erst die immer weiter verbesserten Untersuchungsmethoden erlaubten es im Laufe der Zeit, Mörder zu Ã1/4berfÃ1/4hren. Allerdings zeigt Emsley auch, dass Mord-Methoden Ã1/4ber die er erzählt, bis heute noch nicht ausgestorben sind. Und nach wie vor gilt: Wo kein Verdacht ist, wird auch nicht gesucht. Auch ohne Chemiekenntnisse kann man den spannend wie ein Krimi geschriebenen Aufsätzen bis zum letzten Buchstaben folgen.

Aller guten Dinge sind drei: nach den Bestsellern "Parfum, Portwein, PVC" und "Sonne, Sex und Schokolade" bietet "Fritten, Fett und Faltencreme" viel Neues zum Thema Chemie im Alltag. Was muss ein guter Sonnenschutz leisten? Welchen Einfluï¿1⁄2 hat das chemische Element Selen auf die Mï¿1⁄2nnlichkeit? Wie wird unsere Haut besonders geschmeidig? Sind Diamanten tatsï¿1⁄2chlich die besten Freunde der Frauen? All diese Fragen und viele mehr beantwortet John Emsley, Literaturpreistrï¿1⁄2ger der Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, in bewï¿1⁄2hrter und amï¿1⁄2santer Manier.

Ein Hauch Chanel No. 5, ein Honigbrötchen zum Frühstück, das Bier zum Abendessen und, wenn es ein Glas zuviel war, eine Kopfschmerztablette am nächsten Morgen... Was haben diese Dinge gemeinsam? Richtig, es sind Gemische chemischer Substanzen! Ob wir sie als Genuß empfinden oder ob sie uns suspekt sind, wie PVC, Nitrat oder Kohlendioxid, sie gehören zu unserem Alltag. John Emsley vermittelt fundiertes Hintergrundwissen zu Chemikalien, mit denen wir täglich zu tun haben. Die Zusammenhänge werden einfach und locker beschrieben, so daß der Laie sie mühelos nachvollziehen kann. Die Argumentation ist stets sachlich; Risiken und Gefahren werden in Relation zum jeweiligen Nutzen bestimmter Stoffe oder Technologien dargestellt. Das Buch veranschaulicht chemische Fragen und Phänomene von der Ernährung bis zum Treibhauseffekt. Damit kann der Nichtfachmann sich eine Meinung bilden und öffentliche Diskussionen kompetent bewerten.

In alphabetischer Reihenfolge der Elemente werden deren wichtigste chemische, physikalische, elektronische und Kerneigenschaften aufgezählt, ergänzt durch umweltbezogene und biologische Eigenschaften.

How can a plant as beautiful as the foxglove be so deadly and yet for more than a century be used to treat heart disease? The same is true of other naturally occurring molecules as will be revealed in these two books from award-winning author and chemist, John Emsley. Molecules of Murder and More Molecules of Murder deal with potential poisons from man-made and natural sources. Both books investigate the crimes committed with them, not from the point of view of the murderers, their victims, or the detectives, but from the poison used. In so doing the books throw new light on how these crimes were carried out and ultimately how the perpetrators were uncovered and brought to justice. The crimes include those committed by infamous murderers and also famous victims like Harold Shipman, Alexander Litvinenko and Georgi Markov. Each chapter starts by looking at the target molecule itself, its discovery, its chemistry, its often-surprising use in medicine, its effects on the human body, and its toxicology. The rest of the chapter is devoted to murders and attempted murders in which it has been used. But, be reassured that murder by poison is not the threat it once was, thanks to laws which restrict access to such materials and to the skills of analytical chemists in detecting their presence in incredibly tiny amounts.

Explains the science behind such topics as: sugar and artificial sweeteners; cholesterol, animal fats and fibre; painkillers; plastics and PVC; and dioxins and nitrates in the environment. This book won the general section of the Rhone-Poulenc Prize for Science in 1995.

Les substances chimiques utilisées par les industriels dans la fabrication des produits dont nous nous servons quotidiennement sont-elles dangereuses? Ce guide donne des informations parfois surprenantes, la plupart du temps rassurantes, pour que le lecteur puisse se faire sa propre opinion sur la nocivité réelle ou supposée des produits chimiques.

Neste livro, John Emsley conduz-nos numa visita guiada ao longo de uma galeria em que estão expostos quadros de moléculas, algumas prejudiciais, outras agradáveis, mostrando como as moléculas afetam nossas vidas.