Napoleon's buttons : 17 molecules that changed history / Penny Le Couteur, Jay Burreson.
| Author/creator | Le Couteur, Penny, 1943- |
| Other author | Burreson, Jay, 1942- |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | New York : Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2004. |
| Description | 375 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | 1. Peppers, nutmeg, and cloves -- 2. Ascorbic acid -- 3. Glucose -- 4. Cellulose -- 5. Nitro compounds -- 6. Silk and nylon -- 7. Phenol -- 8. Isoprene -- 9. Dyes -- 10. Wonder drugs -- 11. The pill -- 12. Molecules of witchcraft -- 13. Morphine, nicotine, and caffeine -- 14. Oleic acid -- 15. Salt -- 16. Chlorocarbon compounds -- 17. Molecules versus malaria -- Epilogue -- Acknowledgments -- Selected bibliography -- Index. |
| Abstract | Napoleon's Buttons is the fascinating account of seventeen groups of molecules that have greatly influenced the course of history. These molecules provided the impetus for early exploration, and made possible the voyages of discovery that ensued. The molecules resulted in grand feats of engineering and spurred advances in medicine and law; they determined what we now eat, drink, and wear. A change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properties of a substance-which, in turn, can result in great historical shifts. With lively prose and an eye for colorful and unusual details, Le Couteur and Burreson offer a novel way to understand the shaping of civilization and the workings of our contemporary world. |
| General note | Includes index. |
| LCCN | 2004045987 |
| ISBN | 1585423319 |
| ISBN | 9781585423316 |