Philip Ball

Stories of the invisible

Chemistry can be perceived as something of a dull subject, as is seen by the drop in applications to study the subject at university. At the start of 'Stories of the invisible' Ball seems to be trying to improve the image of the subject. If this is his aim then I don't think that he succeeds. There is much of interest in the book, but I would classify it as biochemisty. Ball gives an easy to understand account of the some of the processes of life at the molecular level - how we extract energy from food, how this is used to move our muscles and the like. If you're interested in finding out about this then the book has much to recommend it.

I had envisaged the book as choosing a number of molecules and having a chapter on each of them, enabling each to be looked at in some depth. Instead, when I started reading, I found that Ball tended to devote only a small amount of space to each topic before moving on to the next one. This might be OK for a beginner wanting an overview, but I felt there was little for those who already had some knowledge of the subject. However, the book did improve as it progressed, since as well as examining the processes of life, Ball looks at how scientists are trying to mimic them, and reports on some of the recent work which is being done at the nano-scale.

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Paperback 224 pages
ISBN: 0192803174
Salesrank: 683304
Weight:0.52 lbs

Published: 2002 Oxford University Press, USA

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Amazon.co.uk info

Paperback 224 pages
ISBN: 0192803174
Salesrank: 237156
Weight:0.52 lbs

Published: 2002 Oxford Paperbacks

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Paperback 224 pages
ISBN: 0192803174
Salesrank: 673786
Weight:0.52 lbs

Published: 2002 Oxford Paperbacks

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Product Description
If atoms are letters, writes Philip Ball, then molecules are words. And through these words, scientists have uncovered many fascinating stories of the physical world. In Stories of the Invisible, Ball has compiled a cornucopia of tales spun by these intriguing, invisible words. The book takes us on a tour of a world few of us knew existed. The author describes the remarkable molecular structure of spider's silk--a material that is pound for pound much stronger than steel--and shows how the Kevlar fibers in bulletproof vests were invented by imitating the alignment of molecules found in the spider's amazing thread. We also learn about the protein molecules that create movement, without which bacteria would be immobile, cells could not divide, there would be no reproduction and therefore no life. Today we can invent molecules that can cure viral infections, store information, or help hold bridges together. But more importantly, Ball provides a fresh perspective on the future of molecular science, revealing how researchers are promising to reinvent chemistry as the central creative science of the 21st century.

Product Description

If atoms are letters, writes Philip Ball, then molecules are words. And through these words, scientists have uncovered many fascinating stories of the physical world. In Stories of the Invisible, Ball has compiled a cornucopia of tales spun by these intriguing, invisible words.
The book takes us on a tour of a world few of us knew existed. The author describes the remarkable molecular structure of spider's silk--a material that is pound for pound much stronger than steel--and shows how the Kevlar fibers in bulletproof vests were invented by imitating the alignment of molecules found in the spider's amazing thread. We also learn about the protein molecules that create movement, without which bacteria would be immobile, cells could not divide, there would be no reproduction and therefore no life.
Today we can invent molecules that can cure viral infections, store information, or help hold bridges together. But more importantly, Ball provides a fresh perspective on the future of molecular science, revealing how researchers are promising to reinvent chemistry as the central creative science of the 21st century.

3.5 Stars for Gallimaufry Introduction on Biochemistry ****
I read the 2002 paperback of the 2001 book. It contains just 185 regular text pages, including 40 illustrations. It touches upon subjects such as biosynergetic engineering, supramolecular chemistry, molecular computing or, more down to earth, such topics as the workings of hormones, drugs and painkillers. In other words it's more about biochemistry than anything else. It may function as a conspectus of the subject of molecules. Yet, I find the concept or message of the book difficult to detect. At times, the choice of topics seemed logical, at other times the entire book felt arbitrary. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret having read the book. However, it gave me little more than an idea of topics I may want to read about elsewhere in-depth.

3.5 Stars for Gallimaufry Introduction on Biochemistry ****

I read the 2002 paperback of the 2001 book. It contains just 185 regular text pages, including 40 illustrations. It touches upon subjects such as biosynergetic engineering, supramolecular chemistry, molecular computing or, more down to earth, such topics as the workings of hormones, drugs and painkillers. In other words it's more about biochemistry than anything else. It may function as a conspectus of the subject of molecules. Yet, I find the concept or message of the book difficult to detect. At times, the choice of topics seemed logical, at other times the entire book felt arbitrary. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret having read the book. However, it gave me little more than an idea of topics I may want to read about elsewhere in-depth.

Enthralling book ****
I had a hard time keeping the book down till I finished it. It is written on the same lines as Scientific American, New Scientist, and Nature (from which it draws heavily). Recommended for anyone who wants to find out what protien folding/nano tech, is all about. The next book to folow up would be Nature's Robots. - Mosh http://www.cs.albany.edu/~mosh

Enthralling book ****

I had a hard time keeping the book down till I finished it.
It is written on the same lines as Scientific American,
New Scientist, and Nature (from which it draws heavily).

Recommended for anyone who wants to find out what protien
folding/nano tech, is all about. The next book to folow up
would be Nature's Robots.

- Mosh http://www.cs.albany.edu/~mosh

Another great science read from Philip Ball *****
Ball does a great job of leading the reader from a non science background into the scientific with easy use of lyric and literature. The illustrations help to make the biochemistry vivid, and easy to understand. Ball's prose is clear and informative, while avoiding the dry lecturing tone of many text books. Toss the text and read this.

Another great science read from Philip Ball *****

Ball does a great job of leading the reader from a non science background into the scientific with easy use of lyric and literature. The illustrations help to make the biochemistry vivid, and easy to understand. Ball's prose is clear and informative, while avoiding the dry lecturing tone of many text books. Toss the text and read this.

too dry **
Most readers with an interest in science will be familiar with the ground covered here. Unfortunately the style tends to be too often dry and flat - almost like a textbook.

too dry **

Most readers with an interest in
science will be familiar with the
ground covered here. Unfortunately
the style tends to be too often dry
and flat - almost like a textbook.

Stories of the Invisible: A Guided Tour of the Molecules ****
Stories of the Invisible: A Guided Tour of Molecules written by Philip Ball is about chemistry, but to be more specific, a blend of biochemistry, bioelectricity, molecular biology, molecular chemistry. This book trys, as the author stated, to give chemistry a better overall picture, but the boundries are becouming blurred, even more so when you explain molecular organic chemistry. Now, reading this book, doesn't require a degree in any of these disciplines, but a good grasp of scientific principles helps. The narrative is easily read and is not difficult to read as the author relates to the reader what is happening in industry today. As more and more of the interworkings are understood in molecular chemistry, mankind should be reaping the benefits, making our lives easiler, and making better products. What I fould to be the most intriguing is a molecular chemical computer more on the order of the human brain. Life in the next one hundred years will be very different than life was in the last one hundred years and mankind harnessing the molecules of life will be on the forefront. Nanothechnology is another field addressed in the book. As the author makes a good point, if we can find the tools to manipulate this technology, we pretty much can control everything. All of the subjects within this book are invisible, but with tunneling microscopy, electron microscope, and other tool of the trade, making what was once unseen, now visible. Along with the authors hand drawn art illustrates the point quite well at times. I found the book readable with the caveat... you must have some science orientation.

Stories of the Invisible: A Guided Tour of the Molecules ****

Stories of the Invisible: A Guided Tour of Molecules written by Philip Ball is about chemistry, but to be more specific, a blend of biochemistry, bioelectricity, molecular biology, molecular chemistry.

This book trys, as the author stated, to give chemistry a better overall picture, but the boundries are becouming blurred, even more so when you explain molecular organic chemistry. Now, reading this book, doesn't require a degree in any of these disciplines, but a good grasp of scientific principles helps.

The narrative is easily read and is not difficult to read as the author relates to the reader what is happening in industry today. As more and more of the interworkings are understood in molecular chemistry, mankind should be reaping the benefits, making our lives easiler, and making better products. What I fould to be the most intriguing is a molecular chemical computer more on the order of the human brain.

Life in the next one hundred years will be very different than life was in the last one hundred years and mankind harnessing the molecules of life will be on the forefront. Nanothechnology is another field addressed in the book. As the author makes a good point, if we can find the tools to manipulate this technology, we pretty much can control everything.

All of the subjects within this book are invisible, but with tunneling microscopy, electron microscope, and other tool of the trade, making what was once unseen, now visible. Along with the authors hand drawn art illustrates the point quite well at times. I found the book readable with the caveat... you must have some science orientation.