
It's a Gas
The Sublime and Elusive Elements That Expand Our World
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Narrated by:
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Daniel Weyman
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By:
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Mark Miodownik
The New York Times bestselling author of Stuff Matters presents a rollicking guided tour of the secret lives of gases: the magnificent, strange, and fascinating substances that shape our world.
Gases are all around us—they fill our lungs, power our movement, create stars, and warm our atmosphere. Often invisible and sometimes odorless, these ubiquitous substances are also the least understood materials in our world, and always have been.
It wasn’t long ago that gases were seen as the work of ancient spirits: the sudden closing of a door after a change in airflow signaled a ghost’s presence. Scientists and engineers have struggled with their own gaseous demons. The development of high-pressure steam power in the eighteenth century literally blew away some researchers, ushering in a new era for both safety regulations and mass transit. And carbon dioxide, that noxious by-product of fossil fuel consumption, gave rise to modern civilization. Its warming properties known for centuries, it now spells ruin for our fragile atmosphere.
In It’s a Gas, bestselling materials scientist Mark Miodownik chronicles twelve gases and technologies that shaped human history. From hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and neon to laughing gas, steam, and even wind, the story of gases is the story of the space where science and belief collide, and of the elusive limits of human understanding.
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First, the performance: the narrator did a fantastic job. I have no complaints about the narration—it was engaging and well-paced throughout.
Now, onto the content. My biggest critique is that, for much of the book, the concept of "gases" felt more like a backdrop than the central focus. It often seemed like the author was using gases as a springboard to dive into various unrelated historical topics. Each chapter would start with a brief discussion of a gas, and then the narrative would meander through different topics before hastily tying everything back to the gas in question. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it left me feeling like the book didn’t quite stay true to its premise.
Also, while I understand the author’s personal viewpoints, there were moments where his opinions, particularly on religion, felt overly dismissive. If you’re someone who holds those beliefs, it could be alienating. Some of the political opinions shared in the book didn’t bother me, but they might rub others the wrong way.
What I did enjoy, ironically, was the very thing I criticized earlier: the historical meandering. Despite the book's occasional lack of focus, the topics the author explored were often fascinating. He brought up stories and facts I hadn’t heard before, which made for an entertaining and educational read.
So, would I recommend it? It really depends on what you’re looking for. If you want a deep dive into gases and their properties, this probably isn’t the book for you. But if you're after an entertaining scientific history with some loose connections to gases, then absolutely give it a read.
Depends What You Are Looking For
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Pretty good
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Thought provoking and solution oriented
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Beautifully written account of the science of gases and how they shaped the development of civilization
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too short, leaves you wanting more!
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A Nice Addition to the Other Books
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The narrator
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