Why did Gandhi hate iodine? How did radium nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history's The periodic table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's also a treasure trove of adventure, greed, betrayal, and obsession. A series of fascinating tales in follow the unassuming elements on the table as they play surprising roles in human history, finance, mythology, conflict, the arts, medicine—and of course the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them! With line-drawings and side-bars throughout, students, teachers, and burgeoning science buffs will love learning the often unbelievable history behind the chemistry. Aspiring scientists STEM classrooms Trivia lovers Fans of Bill Nye