Can humans really ignite spontaneously? What is the strongest acid ever created? How many bananas do you have to eat to get radiation sickness? Can liquids that can be transported through walls really exist? Can the medieval dream of turning stone into gold come true now? The answers to all these questions, and many more, are found in this book. This general science book suitable for all ages introduces the process of human understanding of elements and the characteristics of elements in a simple and easy-to-understand manner. It combines quantum mechanics to explain various phenomena in human daily life from a new perspective. In this book, passionate science educator Tim James provides us with a rich, quirky and illustrated guide to the periodic table, clearly demonstrating how this abstract and seemingly messy figure relates to our daily lives. As he puts it, elements are "the most basic ingredients used in cooking in the universe"; "everything from beetroots to bicycles is made of elements, the purest substance."
