It's a Gas

'A witty, smart writer who has a great talent' Bill Gates

Why are most gases invisible, odourless and tasteless? Why do some poison us and others make us laugh? And why do some power our engines while others make drinks fizzy? In It's a Gas, Mark Miodownik masterfully reveals an invisible world through his unique brand of scientific storytelling.

Taking us back to that exhilarating - and often dangerous - moment when scientists tried to work out exactly what they had discovered, Miodownik shows that gases are the formative substances of our modern world, each with its own weird and wonderful personality. From how nitrous oxide affects our neural pathways to the gases that make plants grow and flowers smell through to the carbon-fuelled climate crisis, this is a fact-filled delight of a book.