Mark Miodownik – Liquid Rules: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives

Mark Miodownik – Liquid Rules: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives

The follow up to Miodownik’s delightful Stuff Matters, which is about solids. That book was my introduction to materials science, which as it turns out is darn interesting. Liquid Rules adds liquid materials to the picture. Miodownik has an academic background, but is an excellent popular writer. For this book, he uses the narrative device of a plane ride to segue from liquid to liquid, and to give the reader frequent short breaks from scientific explanations and the occasional molecular diagram. Various chapters cover water, gasoline, coffee, chocolate, wine, glues, ink, magma, and more. Hopefully Midownik will complete the trilogy with a book on gases.