oliver sacks

11.22.09

An Elemental Fascination

Our interactive periodic table showcases 93 element samples from the collection of PopSci contributing editor Theodore Gray, who spent four years assembling and photographing them.

By Theodore Gray Posted 11.15.2006 at 2:00 am 2 Comments

See the interactive Flash version here or purchase a hard copy.

Sometimes the best things in life are just a big mistake. My writing PopSci's chemistry column the past few years? All based on a complete misunderstanding.

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Gag with a Spoon

With the right mix of metals, you can make an alloy that turns to liquid at any temperature you choose

By Theodore Gray Posted 02.01.2005 at 12:00 pm 0 Comments

Element: Indium
Project: Prank spoons
Time: 6 hours
Dabbler | | | | | Master

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READ MORE ABOUT > cup of hot coffee, element indium, molding rubber, oliver sacks, weird sensation

Microcrystalline in 30 Seconds

Behold the smooth, sweet powers of liquid N.

By Theodore Gray Posted 07.01.2003 at 2:00 pm 0 Comments

Liquid nitrogen is cold. Very cold. So cold that if a drop falls on your hand, it feels like fire. So cold that it can turn a fresh flower into a thousand shards of broken glass. So cold that it can make half a gallon of ice cream in 30 seconds flat.

I first heard about liquid nitrogen ice cream from my friend Tryggvi, an Icelandic chemist working in the Midwest (these things happen). He suggested we make it for dessert at a dinner party I was planning. Yes, he said, he had a recipe, something he'd seen in Chemical and Engineering News.

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READ MORE ABOUT > fractional distillation, grainy texture, liquid nitrogen ice cream, oil refineries, oliver sacks