Science Book Reviews

The Shocking History of Phosphorus

"The autopsy of a person who had died from phosphorus poisoning would reveal inflammation a haemorrhage in the stomach and bowel, the liver would show fatty changes and both it, and the kidneys would be enlarged, greasy and of a yellow colour. But the most convincing proof of death due to phosphorus exposure would be to turn off all the lights in the mortuary and see its tell-tale glow..."

What connects the match industry, nerve gas, spontaneous human combustion, DNA, Gulf war syndrome, coca-cola, sheep dip and fertiliser? The answer lies in award-winning author John Emsley's new book The Shocking History of Phosphorus, a triumph of accessible science writing dedicated to the devil's element !

starting with the early alchemists, who in their quest for gold boiled up urine and instead found phosphorus, John Emsley, Cambridge University's Science writer in residence, traces the chequered history of the element that has made and lost fortunes, been used to wage war, revolutionised the lives of Victorian housewives, spawned a trade union, and given rise to the phenomenon of Will-o'-the-wisp.

Beautifully embellished with nuggets of history and simple scientific explanations, The Shocking History of Phosphorus assumes no prior knowledge and will appeal to anyone of any age with a healthy interest in science and history.

I was genuinely sorry to finish this book !

(Dr. John Emsley, Cambridge University Science Writer in Residence, is a chemist with a gift for storytelling. He has previously won the Rhone-Poulenc prize for the best science book of the year, and both the Sony and Glaxo Awards for the version of The Shocking History of Phosphorus which he wrote for broadcast on BBC Radio 4.)