The 13th Element: The Sordid Tale of Murder, Fire, and Phosphorus

Turner Publishing Verified independent store

→

The incredible glowing history of the "Devil's element "phosphorusDiscovered by alchemists, prescribed by apothecaries, exploited by ninth-century industrialists, and abused by twe ntieth-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. We earn a commission for purchases made through the following links.shop for this title at Amazonshop for this title at Bookshop.org Show more