Chemistry

The resources race is on. Powering our digital lives and green technologies are some of the Earth's most precious metals - but they are running out. And what will happen when they do? The green-tech revolution has been lauded as the silver bullet to a new world. One that is at la...st free of oil, pollution, shortages, and cross-border tensions. Drawing on six years of research across a dozen countries, this book cuts across conventional green thinking to probe the hidden, dark side of green technology. By breaking free of fossil fuels, we are in fact setting ourselves up for a new dependence - on rare metals such as cobalt, gold, and palladium. They are essential to electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, our smartphones, computers, tablets, and other everyday connected objects. China has captured the lion's share of the rare metals industry, but consumers know very little about how they are mined and traded, or their environmental, economic, and geopolitical costs. The Rare Metals War is a vital expose of the ticking time-bomb that lies beneath our new technological order. It uncovers the reality of our lavish and ambitious environmental quest that involves risks as formidable as those it seeks to resolve. ' T he journalist and filmmaker warns against the optimistic belief that technology is the solution ... At a time when many claim to be citizens of the world or retreat into naive or hypocritical protectionism, Pitron's book is an attempt to open people's eyes to the consequences of their societal choices and lifestyles.' -Green European Journal 'French Writer and analyst Guillaume Pitron warns about growing reliance on rare-earth metal - which are necessary to build high-tech products ... He shines a light on the untold story of the energy and digital transitions.' -European Scientist
Read more

Macromolecules are a fascinating group of molecules with some remarkable properties, many of which are only just being discovered and exploited by science. Walter Gratzer explores their history, structure, and properties: from DNA to polymers, to their cutting edge uses in nanoar...rays and biomimetics.
Read more

The clearest and sharpest recognition guide to more than 500 rocks and minerals. Unearth a treasure trove of knowledge about the rocks and minerals beneath our feet - from their formation to collecting them. Make identification easy and accurate with this compact visual guide, pa...cked with photographs and details on formation, distinguishing features, and much more. Over 600 high-quality photographs capture the unique characteristics, colours, and attributes of more than 500 rocks and minerals. Each specimen's entry includes annotated photographs to highlight the rock or mineral's distinguishing features, and concise details about its texture, origin, formation, and chemical composition to help identify it. Designed for beginners and experienced collectors alike, the introduction explains what rocks and minerals are, how they are classified, what equipment is needed for specimen collection, and how to start and organize a collection. Learn the differences between igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, and refer to the glossary for many more technical and scientific terms.
Read more

From Amber to Rubellite, this title helps to discover over 130 varieties of cut and uncut stones, organic gemstones and precious metals. It offers coverage that ranges from what a gemstone is and where they occur to the natural properties they have and how they have been fashione...d and imitated through the ages.
Read more