Tie-dyed Brain Rays 3.0

Sam Kean: The Disappearing Spoon, KXYL Interview

07-19-10 Sam Kean

Sam Kean

Sam Kean's book, "The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements," put a hook in me from the outset. It has everything I love-- geeky science, obscure history, a cast of crazy characters and a big-picture overview of each element's claim to fame and how they found their place on the periodic table. It's a fun read, and more entertaining than a book on the periodic table has a right to be.

Sam was a great interview-- personable, funny and knowledgeable. I'm sure I'll be the envy of my nerdy friends who have the giant periodic table hanging on the wall at home! (You know who you are.)

You can pick up a copy of the book here. (Highly recommended.)

Sam has also supplemented the stories in the book with additional blog posts. You can check them out here.

And if you are wondering what to get Sam for his birthday, a broken thermometer might be in order!

Here's a cool photographic periodic table of the elements, but if you prefer your periodic table to have a little old-school flavor here's one with a more traditional layout, yet it is interactive too. More elemental goodness than you can shake a stick at!

One Small Step + 41

Apollo XI touched down on the lunar surface forty-one years ago today. I was just a lad of four but Man's first excursion upon the face of another heavenly body touched me profoundly. As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be an astronaut-- but my mathematical abilities, or lack thereof, forced me to make other career choices. Still, the life-long love of space exploration never waned.

While I may never get to press my footprint into the dusty lunar soil, I could, with enough cash, turn my backyard into a replica Tranquility Base. Here's a company that will not only rent you the appropriate spacesuit, but a full sized lunar module and a command capsule. Honey, call the neighbors and chain up the dog, the Eagle has landed!

Even if I never get to fly to the stars or just pimp the backyard playhouse into the ultimate space excursion vehicle, I can still live vicariously through the adventures of others. In September of 2006 I had the great fortune to interview Buzz Aldrin one of my childhood heroes and the second man on the moon. Listen to Dr. Aldrin describe that historic event in his own words.

Buzz Full

Mike Cope

Speaking of his own words, would you like to know What Neil Armstrong really said when he stepped off the ladder of the LEM into the history books? Alas, it isn't nearly as titillating as the "Good luck, Mr. Gorsky," quote that is often attributed to him.

Buzz Method

Buzz Aldrin Crystal Method Mash-up

And just in case you haven't had enough Mikey Moon Madness, here's a mashup I did of my interview with Buzz Aldrin and the Crystal Method song, "High Roller." (Yes, I know the song samples Apollo VIII not Apollo XI.)