Serving Spoon
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011Serving Spoon
The Disappearing Spoon Chapters
Science magazine reporter Kean views the periodic table as one of the great achievements of humankind, "an anthropological marvel," full of stories about our connection with the physical world.Grab A Copy Click here Funny, even chilling tales are associated with each element, and Kean relates many. The title refers to gallium (Ga, 31), which melts at 84??F, prompting a practical joke among "chemical cognoscenti": shape gallium into spoons, "serve them with tea, and watch as your guests recoil when their Earl Grey ?eats? their utensils." Along with Dmitri Mendeleyev, the father of the periodic table, Kean is in his element as he presents a parade of entertaining anecdotes about scientists (mad and otherwise) while covering such topics as thallium (Tl, 81) poisoning, the invention of the silicon (Si, 14) transistor, and how the ruthenium (Ru, 44) fountain pen point made million for the Parker company. With a constant flow of fun facts bubbling to the surface, Kean writes with wit, flair, and authority in a debut that will delight even general readers. 10 b&w illus. Grab A Copy Click here
Like big-game hunters, scientists who stalked an undiscovered element courted peril: Marie Curie and Enrico Fermi both died from exposure to dangerous elements in the course of their experiments. But besides them and Dmitri Mendeleev, the deviser of the periodic table, which looms over science classrooms everywhere, few discoverers of the elements occupy the consciousness of even avid science readers. Kean rectifies that in this amble from element 1, hydrogen, to element 112, copernicium. Attaching stories to a human-interest angle, Kean ensures that with his elaboration of the fixation a chemist, physicist, industrialist, or artist had for a particular element comes clarity about why the element behaves as it does. The soft sell about proton numbers and electron shells thus closes the deal for Kean's anecdotes about elements of war, elements of health, and elements of wealth, plus the title's practical joke of a spoon (made from gallium). Whether explaining why Silicon Valley is not Germanium Valley or reveling in naming-rights battles over a new element, Kean holds interest throughout his entertaining debut.
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Antiique Kirk Son Silver Serving Spoon 72Grams 9 long |  |
0 Bid | US $145.00 | 36m |
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Antiique Kirk Son Silver Serving Spoon 70Grams 9 long | |
0 Bid | US $145.00 | 46m |
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Sterling Serving Spoon Towle Silver Co Wt 808g | |
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GRAND VICTORIAN by WALLACE Sterling Silver SLOTTED SERVING SPOON 99 GRAMS | |
11 Bids | US $84.35 | 1h 37m |
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Whiting Louis XV Sterling Silver Salad Serving Fork Spoon Set C OSKAMP Ohio | |
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3 vintage sterling spoons tea soup and serving all diff | |
4 Bids | US $61.00 | 2h 7m |
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ANTIQUE STERLING PAIR LARGE SERVING SPOONS INTERNATIONAL REVERE 1898 | |
10 Bids | US $91.00 | 2h 24m |
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WOOD HUGHES VICTORIAN AESTHETIC EXCEPTIONAL STERLING 8 1 2 SERVING SPOON BEST | |
0 Bid | US $89.00 | 2h 37m |
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grape pattern sterling silver pierced serving spoon | |
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Large Sterling Silver Deep Shell Serving Spoon with Relief Roses Vintage | |
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US $399.99 | 3h 18m |
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SMALL STERLING SILVER PIERCED SERVING SPOON BY WHITING | |
4 Bids | US $30.00 | 3h 19m |
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BEAUTIFUL STERLING SILVER SERVING SPOON DAMASK ROSE by Heirloom not scrap | |
0 Bid | US $155.00 | 3h 32m |
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Lily by Frank Whiting Sterling Silver 2pc Large Spoon Fork Serving Set 63oz | |
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Raidmond of Sheffield England Silver Serving Spoons | |
1 Bid | US $20.00 | 4h 36m |
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Manchester Sterling SilverCopenhagen Serving Spoon 2 Oz | |
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Large Sterling Serving Spoon pat 1889 | |
2 Bids | US $56.00 | 4h 50m |
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WESTMORELAND STERLING GEORGE MARTHA NICE SERVING SPOON | |
0 Bid | US $49.00 | 5h 5m |
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925 JC Moore Son for Tiffany Co Sterling Silver Serving Spoon 1850s | |
1 Bid | US $399.00 | 5h 32m |
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Towle Sterling 2 French Provincial Pattern 8 1 2 Serving Spoons NR | |
3 Bids | US $92.00 | 5h 37m |
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Wallace Silver Romance Of The Sea Serving Spoon 925 Sterling | |
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Prelude Sterling Silver Handle Salad Serving Set with Wooden Spoon and Fork | |
1 Bid | US $49.95 | 6h 8m |
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WHITING Sterling Silver Serving Spoon GEORGIAN SHELL | |
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FRONTENAC LILY INTERNATIONAL STERLING SILVER TABLE SERVING SPOON 825 LONG | |
0 Bid | US $57.00 | 8h 7m |
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Large Ornate Beautiful Tiffany Sterling English Kings Spoon Serving Spoon Or | |
10 Bids | US $58.00 | 13h 26m |
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FRANCIS I BY REED BARTON OLD STERLING SERVING SPOON 8 3 8 PIERCED | |
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US $159.00 | 23d 9h 32m |
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WESTMORLAND STERLING SILVER SERVING SPOON | |
0 Bid | US $59.50 | 16h 25m |
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SOLID STERLING SILVER SERVING SPOON 7 3 8 LONG 49g1 5 8oz | |
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US $135.00 | 17h 20m |
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2 Antique Alvin CHASED ROMANTIQUE Sterling Silver SERVING SPOON Table Spoon | |
4 Bids | US $105.01 | 17h 37m |
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STERLING 7 SERVING SPOON HALLMARKED AND INDIAN HEAD Pattern unknown 37 grams | |
0 Bid | US $47.50 | 17h 57m |
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ALVIN STERLING SILVER SERVING SPOON 627gram weight CHASED ROMANTIQUE | |
1 Bid | US $49.00 | 18h 2m |
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Studio Silver Smith Serving Spoon and Spatula Vintage | |
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US $10.00 | 18h 12m |
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Sterling Silver Serving Spoon Towle Candlelight | |
0 Bid | US $83.00 | 19h 21m |
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RARE GORHAM STERLING CAMBRIDGE PATTERN SERVING SPOON NO RESERVE | |
6 Bids | US $31.22 | 19h 26m |
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Large Swedish Silver Serving Spoon Dated 1933 | |
3 Bids | US $11.50 | 19h 36m |
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2 Antique Gorham LYRIC Sterling Silver Serving Spoon Tablespoon | |
0 Bid | US $220.00 | 19h 43m |
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GORHAM ROYAL OAK STERLING SILVER SERVING SPOON 36 oz BEAUTIFUL PATTERN | |
0 Bid | US $130.00 | 19h 44m |
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Antique Georgian Sterling Silver Serving Spoon Hallmarks London 1822 UK | |
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US $49.00 | 21h 23m |
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GORHAM ROYAL OAK STERLING SILVER GRAVY LADLE SERVING SPOON 27oz VERY GOOD | |
0 Bid | US $130.00 | 21h 24m |
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