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It's a Gas: The Sublime and Elusive Elements That Expand Our World
The New York Times
bestselling author of
Stuff Matters
presents a rollicking guided tour of the secret lives of the magnificent, strange, and fascinating substances that shape our world.
Gases are all around us—they fill our lungs, power our movement, create stars, and warm our atmosphere. Often invisible and sometimes odorless, these ubiquitous substances are also the least understood materials in our world, and always have been.
It wasn’t long ago that gases were seen as the work of ancient the sudden closing of a door after a change in airflow signaled a ghost’s presence. Scientists and engineers have struggled with their own gaseous demons. The development of high-pressure steam power in the eighteenth century literally blew away some researchers, ushering in a new era for both safety regulations and mass transit. And carbon dioxide, that noxious by-product of fossil fuel consumption, gave rise to modern civilization. Its warming properties known for centuries, it now spells ruin for our fragile atmosphere.
In It’s a Gas, bestselling materials scientist Mark Miodownik chronicles twelve gases and technologies that shaped human history. From hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and neon to laughing gas, steam, and even wind, the story of gases is the story of the space where science and belief collide, and of the elusive limits of human understanding.
Gases are all around us—they fill our lungs, power our movement, create stars, and warm our atmosphere. Often invisible and sometimes odorless, these ubiquitous substances are also the least understood materials in our world, and always have been.
It wasn’t long ago that gases were seen as the work of ancient the sudden closing of a door after a change in airflow signaled a ghost’s presence. Scientists and engineers have struggled with their own gaseous demons. The development of high-pressure steam power in the eighteenth century literally blew away some researchers, ushering in a new era for both safety regulations and mass transit. And carbon dioxide, that noxious by-product of fossil fuel consumption, gave rise to modern civilization. Its warming properties known for centuries, it now spells ruin for our fragile atmosphere.
In It’s a Gas, bestselling materials scientist Mark Miodownik chronicles twelve gases and technologies that shaped human history. From hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and neon to laughing gas, steam, and even wind, the story of gases is the story of the space where science and belief collide, and of the elusive limits of human understanding.
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Published September 17, 2024
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About the author
Mark Miodownik
7 books426 followers Mark Miodownik is Professor of Materials and Society at University College London and the Director of the UCL Institute of Making. He was chosen by The Times as one of the top 100 most influential scientists in the UK. Miodownik is a broadcaster known best for giving the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures broadcast on BBC4. Miodownik is also a writer on science and engineering issues, a presenter of documentaries and a collaborator in interactive museum events.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
November 30, 2024
If this book were a gas, it would be carbon monoxide – colorless, odorless, leaving you confused and tired. It is a haphazard collection of short essays about variety of topics with even the slightest link to gases. For instance, there's a chapter on the history of bicycles (tires contain air) and another on maritime exploration (they used wind). Apparently, everything is a gas. If you like to read multiple books at once, you might find yourself double-checking the cover to confirm if this is indeed the one about gases, or if you've accidentally picked up something else. The author often seems intent on stretching the text as much as possible, devoting paragraphs to every random thought that crosses his mind. The book is filled with personal and historical anecdotes, endless digressions, and convoluted descriptions of things that could have been more effectively illustrated. On the other hand, there is a lot of unnecessary pictures, including a photograph of some starlet who sold her own, uh, gases... While there are some interesting facts and occasionally amusing stories scattered throughout, this book is not worth reading if you're expecting something scientific, serious and coherent.
July 16, 2025
3.5/ a lot of info I’ve read before and didn’t find this one to be as captivating as his previous books. Still very interesting and the relevance to climate change added an urgent component to the book
October 29, 2025
This man sure knows how to use a literary turn signal.
This wasn't as captivating as Stuff Matters or Liquid Rules (as others have mentioned), but there's still so much here to consider that it merits four stars. And, speaking of those gaseous celestial bodies, that's where we're headed next...
This wasn't as captivating as Stuff Matters or Liquid Rules (as others have mentioned), but there's still so much here to consider that it merits four stars. And, speaking of those gaseous celestial bodies, that's where we're headed next...
March 8, 2025
Grab back of facts loosely connected to a state of matter. Fine for what it is, just likely familiar if you read any popular nonfiction. I did learn some things, though.
Nonfiction books vary in how many of the author's personal experiences are involved, and I think this may be my new high water mark. Feels like you can't go a dozen pages without a story from the guy's childhood.
Nonfiction books vary in how many of the author's personal experiences are involved, and I think this may be my new high water mark. Feels like you can't go a dozen pages without a story from the guy's childhood.
November 3, 2024
Look, I really enjoyed Stuff Matters and Liquid Rules. However, while this is in a similar style, it's less captivating. Miodownik focused more on short histories and less on science compared to his previous books. The overall premise (ghosts/memories) is less compact than the previous ones of sights from a rooftop and a transatlantic flight.
May 24, 2025
Moderately interesting collection of mostly historical essays, about the culture of materials and scientific discovery. Because I’ve been reading in the genre most of my life, I found very little that I did not know. A university prof who writes concisely yet conversationally.
May 7, 2025
“Personally, I am thankful for the ghost of my dear mum. I detected her perfume on buses and caught sight of her in a crowd several times….Her appearance transported me back into childhood and my formative years, when I both absorbed and rebelled against her philosophy of life. Many would say that what I am describing is just memory and emotional associations of her, perfectly normal, and not the action of an actual ghost. They might say I have an over active imagination. Perhaps, but is not ‘ghost’ a better word, and perhaps a more accurate one, for the real influence that the spirits of the dead have on us?
The word ‘ghost’ has power precisely because although we have discovered the rational truth behind the invisible forces in our lives, it has also made the invisible more real…My prediction is that the future will be as full of ghosts and gods as the past; they represent one way in which our irrational minds constantly seek to resolve the mysteries of the world, sometimes in opposition, but often in addition to, rationality.”
The word ‘ghost’ has power precisely because although we have discovered the rational truth behind the invisible forces in our lives, it has also made the invisible more real…My prediction is that the future will be as full of ghosts and gods as the past; they represent one way in which our irrational minds constantly seek to resolve the mysteries of the world, sometimes in opposition, but often in addition to, rationality.”
August 15, 2024
It's on par with Stuff Matters, organizing narratives better than Liquid Rules.
Kind of hilarious to talk about "narratives" in a pop-sci? But that's what Miodownik has tried in SM and then again, much harder but somewhat less satisfactorily, in LR.
Third time's a charm. 4+
Kind of hilarious to talk about "narratives" in a pop-sci? But that's what Miodownik has tried in SM and then again, much harder but somewhat less satisfactorily, in LR.
Third time's a charm. 4+
September 22, 2024
In It's a Gas: The Sublime and Elusive Elements That Expand Our World, Mark Miodownik follows up his earlier two books on solids and liquids with one on gases, and I’d say it falls somewhere in between the two (solids being the best of the three), being often fun, always fascinating, and just a tad frustrating.
This is not a chemistry book that methodically goes through all the gases, discusses Boyle’s Law, etc. First, Miodownik defines “gas” somewhat broadly, discussing in addition to methane or CO2 perfumes, wind, creation of a vacuum, and breath. And while chemistry makes an appearance throughout, Miodownik is more focused on the discovery of the gas and its application followed by its impact in human development and culture. Anyone looking for a hard science explanation and exploration of the topic is therefore best directed elsewhere. That’s not to say one won’t learn a lot here. Despite its quirky categorization and eschewing of academic structure and language in favor of an entertainingly light and conversational tone/organization (for instance, each chapter begins with a personal anecdote that somehow ties in), Miodownik offers up clear scientific explanations and a smorgasbord of fascinating details as he follows an often winding path from gas to its impact.
To offer up a few examples . . . In the section on nitrous oxide he moves from its discovery while trying to find “specific gases that could cure specific diseases” to laughing gas parties (or debaucheries depending on one’s point of view) to Samuel Colt’s invention of his titular revolver to use of ether and chloroform as anesthetics, to chloroform as every bad guy’s favorite knock-out tool in pop culture (pointing out that it actually takes much longer to knock someone out with it than movies/TV shows portray) to compressed oxygen in hospital to whippets.
In one of the more fascinating trails, he follows the use of breath to play music via animal horns to brass instruments to the invention of valves to pneumatic tires to bicycles to more freedom for women and “greater genetic diversity” to Air Jordans. And yes, it all makes perfect sense. A few other gases covered and some of their ripple effects include: methane (city lighting), helium and hydrogen (ballooning, airships, the Hindenburg), noble gases (neon signs), CO2 (climate change and possible solutions), nitrogen (poison gas, the Haber-Bosch method of creating nitrogen/fertilizer and its huge impact for good and ill). As you can see from some of these examples, the generally light tone doesn’t mean he does not cover serious topics or treat them with their due respect.
As mentioned in the intro, the book is always fascinating and also always informative. The little bit of frustration that creeps in, at least for me, is that it does feel a bit disjointed and scattershot. Not wholly “random,” as noted his leaps from point to point are always clear, easy to follow, and make perfect sense. But while that’s true within each section, one loses a narrative thread or sense of cohesion for the book as a whole. That said, there are certainly lots of options available that will do that for readers seeking that and Miodownik offers up a number of them in the “Further Reading” addendum, such as Sam Kean’s Caesar’s Last Breath: The Epic Story of the Air Around Us and Steven Johnson’s The Invention of Air, both of which I personally highly recommend. Just as I recommend It’s a Gas, if not quite with the same level of enthusiasm.
This is not a chemistry book that methodically goes through all the gases, discusses Boyle’s Law, etc. First, Miodownik defines “gas” somewhat broadly, discussing in addition to methane or CO2 perfumes, wind, creation of a vacuum, and breath. And while chemistry makes an appearance throughout, Miodownik is more focused on the discovery of the gas and its application followed by its impact in human development and culture. Anyone looking for a hard science explanation and exploration of the topic is therefore best directed elsewhere. That’s not to say one won’t learn a lot here. Despite its quirky categorization and eschewing of academic structure and language in favor of an entertainingly light and conversational tone/organization (for instance, each chapter begins with a personal anecdote that somehow ties in), Miodownik offers up clear scientific explanations and a smorgasbord of fascinating details as he follows an often winding path from gas to its impact.
To offer up a few examples . . . In the section on nitrous oxide he moves from its discovery while trying to find “specific gases that could cure specific diseases” to laughing gas parties (or debaucheries depending on one’s point of view) to Samuel Colt’s invention of his titular revolver to use of ether and chloroform as anesthetics, to chloroform as every bad guy’s favorite knock-out tool in pop culture (pointing out that it actually takes much longer to knock someone out with it than movies/TV shows portray) to compressed oxygen in hospital to whippets.
In one of the more fascinating trails, he follows the use of breath to play music via animal horns to brass instruments to the invention of valves to pneumatic tires to bicycles to more freedom for women and “greater genetic diversity” to Air Jordans. And yes, it all makes perfect sense. A few other gases covered and some of their ripple effects include: methane (city lighting), helium and hydrogen (ballooning, airships, the Hindenburg), noble gases (neon signs), CO2 (climate change and possible solutions), nitrogen (poison gas, the Haber-Bosch method of creating nitrogen/fertilizer and its huge impact for good and ill). As you can see from some of these examples, the generally light tone doesn’t mean he does not cover serious topics or treat them with their due respect.
As mentioned in the intro, the book is always fascinating and also always informative. The little bit of frustration that creeps in, at least for me, is that it does feel a bit disjointed and scattershot. Not wholly “random,” as noted his leaps from point to point are always clear, easy to follow, and make perfect sense. But while that’s true within each section, one loses a narrative thread or sense of cohesion for the book as a whole. That said, there are certainly lots of options available that will do that for readers seeking that and Miodownik offers up a number of them in the “Further Reading” addendum, such as Sam Kean’s Caesar’s Last Breath: The Epic Story of the Air Around Us and Steven Johnson’s The Invention of Air, both of which I personally highly recommend. Just as I recommend It’s a Gas, if not quite with the same level of enthusiasm.
February 27, 2025
Too many charismatic television personalities try to break into the book publishing world. Most of them falter because the charisma does not translate onto the written page very well. The anecdotes and tangents look like filler on a page rather than ancillary information. Miodownik performs better than many of his contemporaries in balancing the subject matter with fluff. The result is a mediocre book that includes good information without overwhelming the reader with science.
The book is an anthology of short stories about various gases and air, which is made up of gases, and vacuums, which is the absence of air? I am not really sure. Each chapter tries to hook the reader with some fascinating tidbit of history ranging between ghosts and actresses who sell their gases. There is humor, there is history, there is science, and all in a well-balanced narrative with each chapter at about 10 pages. It is probably too simple for readers who would pick it up, but it offers mass appeal to all levels of readers.
The final two chapters break the mold a bit. There is far less humor. They are nearly twice as long as everything else. And they are preachy. They focus on 'gases going wild.' Both lead to global warming in very meandering ways. One chapter starts with chemical warfare and leads to fertilizer. The other starts with yoga and ends with carbon dioxide. Yes, the journey through these chapters is longer and slower. He tries to balance being alarmist with an overview of the current trajectory of clean(er) energy. It is the overview of current research that is very valuable. Some reviewers dismiss him as an alarmist tree-huger. But he argues that planting 2 trillion trees would have a negligible effect in reversing the rising oceans. He is equally critical of most other avenues of combating global warming. But he points to Thomas Malthus predicting doom and gloom; and humanity beat the odds. He believes we will continue to persevere.
Overall, there was way too much information and rambling to retain talking points. I tried talking about the book to colleagues and could not answer basic questions because so much of the book was discombobulated anecdotal stories of his personal life. Academics should never brag about regular international travel for "academic work." Regular vacations to tropical islands, especially some of the most remote on the planet, is bad enough without offering to readers that he is disproportionately contributing to global warming for "work." There is good information. Some of the best summations of current technologies in research combating global warming. It is at times difficult to sift through the tangents and focus on the crux of each chapters. The chapters being so short (except the last two) also contributes to them being easily forgotten.
The book is an anthology of short stories about various gases and air, which is made up of gases, and vacuums, which is the absence of air? I am not really sure. Each chapter tries to hook the reader with some fascinating tidbit of history ranging between ghosts and actresses who sell their gases. There is humor, there is history, there is science, and all in a well-balanced narrative with each chapter at about 10 pages. It is probably too simple for readers who would pick it up, but it offers mass appeal to all levels of readers.
The final two chapters break the mold a bit. There is far less humor. They are nearly twice as long as everything else. And they are preachy. They focus on 'gases going wild.' Both lead to global warming in very meandering ways. One chapter starts with chemical warfare and leads to fertilizer. The other starts with yoga and ends with carbon dioxide. Yes, the journey through these chapters is longer and slower. He tries to balance being alarmist with an overview of the current trajectory of clean(er) energy. It is the overview of current research that is very valuable. Some reviewers dismiss him as an alarmist tree-huger. But he argues that planting 2 trillion trees would have a negligible effect in reversing the rising oceans. He is equally critical of most other avenues of combating global warming. But he points to Thomas Malthus predicting doom and gloom; and humanity beat the odds. He believes we will continue to persevere.
Overall, there was way too much information and rambling to retain talking points. I tried talking about the book to colleagues and could not answer basic questions because so much of the book was discombobulated anecdotal stories of his personal life. Academics should never brag about regular international travel for "academic work." Regular vacations to tropical islands, especially some of the most remote on the planet, is bad enough without offering to readers that he is disproportionately contributing to global warming for "work." There is good information. Some of the best summations of current technologies in research combating global warming. It is at times difficult to sift through the tangents and focus on the crux of each chapters. The chapters being so short (except the last two) also contributes to them being easily forgotten.
September 24, 2024
"It's A Gas" is a fascinating and entertaining exploration of the hidden world of gases and their profound impact on our lives. Mark Miodownik, a materials scientist and author of the New York Times bestseller "Stuff Matters," takes readers on a journey through the history, science, and cultural significance of various gases, from oxygen and nitrogen to more obscure elements like argon and xenon.
Miodownik's engaging writing style makes complex scientific concepts accessible and enjoyable for readers of all backgrounds. He highlights the extraordinary properties of gases and their roles in everything from the formation of stars to the creation of whipped cream.
Throughout the book, Miodownik combines historical anecdotes, scientific explanations, and personal stories to demonstrate the ubiquitous nature of gases and their critical role in shaping our world. By illuminating the hidden beauty and power of these invisible substances, "It's A Gas" inspires readers to appreciate the wonder and complexity of the air we breathe and the gases that surround us.
Overall, "It's A Gas" is an enlightening and delightful read that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the incredible world of gases. Miodownik's passion for the subject shines through on every page, making this book a must-read for anyone interested in science, history, or simply the hidden workings of our everyday world. Really enjoyed this one...and I flunked high school chemistry!
** Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. **
Miodownik's engaging writing style makes complex scientific concepts accessible and enjoyable for readers of all backgrounds. He highlights the extraordinary properties of gases and their roles in everything from the formation of stars to the creation of whipped cream.
Throughout the book, Miodownik combines historical anecdotes, scientific explanations, and personal stories to demonstrate the ubiquitous nature of gases and their critical role in shaping our world. By illuminating the hidden beauty and power of these invisible substances, "It's A Gas" inspires readers to appreciate the wonder and complexity of the air we breathe and the gases that surround us.
Overall, "It's A Gas" is an enlightening and delightful read that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the incredible world of gases. Miodownik's passion for the subject shines through on every page, making this book a must-read for anyone interested in science, history, or simply the hidden workings of our everyday world. Really enjoyed this one...and I flunked high school chemistry!
** Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. **
April 2, 2025
2.5 stars
I really wanted to like this more! I enjoy a good pop-science book, even one with personal anecdotes and stories throughout, assuming those stories are interesting and pertinent... sadly, these often seemed more meandering and random. There were some pretty interesting bits that were the kind of content I expected... for example, the sections on how various gases were identified and discovered originally by scientists in the 1800s and such, or the sections on current technologies (I actually enjoyed the fertilizer information! although its connection to gases is limited) or climate change. All that stuff was actually quite interesting and could probably be its own book. Unfortunately, for every interesting fact or historical bit, there were a lot of tangents and attempts to be humorous (eh) or to engage the reader's feelings (why?). The latter half of the book also includes a lot of stuff only tangentally related to gases as a scientific thing (such as bicycle tires, which are full of air, which is a gas). I think I was hoping for a breakdown of the usage of various elemental gases in modern technology or some similar more scientific information. The book is not terrible or anything, but I don't know what the author's intent was... if philosophy, it was too shallow; if entertainment, it was not quite fun enough; and if education, it needed more technical and scientific detail.
I really wanted to like this more! I enjoy a good pop-science book, even one with personal anecdotes and stories throughout, assuming those stories are interesting and pertinent... sadly, these often seemed more meandering and random. There were some pretty interesting bits that were the kind of content I expected... for example, the sections on how various gases were identified and discovered originally by scientists in the 1800s and such, or the sections on current technologies (I actually enjoyed the fertilizer information! although its connection to gases is limited) or climate change. All that stuff was actually quite interesting and could probably be its own book. Unfortunately, for every interesting fact or historical bit, there were a lot of tangents and attempts to be humorous (eh) or to engage the reader's feelings (why?). The latter half of the book also includes a lot of stuff only tangentally related to gases as a scientific thing (such as bicycle tires, which are full of air, which is a gas). I think I was hoping for a breakdown of the usage of various elemental gases in modern technology or some similar more scientific information. The book is not terrible or anything, but I don't know what the author's intent was... if philosophy, it was too shallow; if entertainment, it was not quite fun enough; and if education, it needed more technical and scientific detail.
April 26, 2025
What gas provided inspiration for a 1930s thriller play?
Why does laundry dried in the sun have a smell?
How do you prove the existence of a gas that has no colour, no smell, and does not react with anything?
Learn the answer to these and more in Mark Miodownik’s book on the fascinating history and societal impact of gases, It’s a Gas. The narrative formula in the previous two books (Stuff Matters and Liquid Rules) is repeated. Each discussion of a gas is made more entertaining by adding personal anecdotes and a theme. The theme for gases is superstitions, such as will-o-the-wisps for methane and praying for safety at sea for wind.
Two differences to the previous books stand out. One is references to contemporary events. The COVID-19 pandemic, which preceded the book’s publication, is referenced in explaining oxygen’s importance as a medical treatment. The second is calling on the reader to change their behaviour. In the concluding chapter, Miodownik calls on the reader to take steps to reduce their carbon emissions because of excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causing destructive climate change.
I enjoyed It’s a Gas. I would recommend it to fans of the previous books and anyone interested in learning more about how science enables modern living. If Miodownik writes more books, I hope one will be about plasma (the matter formed by a collection charged particles, not the stuff in blood).
Why does laundry dried in the sun have a smell?
How do you prove the existence of a gas that has no colour, no smell, and does not react with anything?
Learn the answer to these and more in Mark Miodownik’s book on the fascinating history and societal impact of gases, It’s a Gas. The narrative formula in the previous two books (Stuff Matters and Liquid Rules) is repeated. Each discussion of a gas is made more entertaining by adding personal anecdotes and a theme. The theme for gases is superstitions, such as will-o-the-wisps for methane and praying for safety at sea for wind.
Two differences to the previous books stand out. One is references to contemporary events. The COVID-19 pandemic, which preceded the book’s publication, is referenced in explaining oxygen’s importance as a medical treatment. The second is calling on the reader to change their behaviour. In the concluding chapter, Miodownik calls on the reader to take steps to reduce their carbon emissions because of excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causing destructive climate change.
I enjoyed It’s a Gas. I would recommend it to fans of the previous books and anyone interested in learning more about how science enables modern living. If Miodownik writes more books, I hope one will be about plasma (the matter formed by a collection charged particles, not the stuff in blood).
March 7, 2025
This book falls flat compared to SM and LR. I put this book down several times over the course of three months - only to pick it up and be disappointed yet again.
I must start this next section by stating that I work in the sustainability sector. Chapters 11 and 12 got under my skin in ways few scientific books which discuss sustainable have achieved. I personally feel like there was simultaneously too much detail, and yet not enough. The intricacies of global warming were not throughly explored, and the little “helpful” advice given to the average individual leaves a taste of shame in the readers mouth. Additionally, Miodownik gives some people an excuse, for example: the citizens of the Maldives seem to get a pass, “So what chance do the citizens of the Maldives have?”, but the average income person in the US and UK are left with a bitter taste after Chapter 12 as “Paying extra is necessary because at the moment it is hard for organic farmers […] to compete with intensive farming,” and “In the US [the tones of carbon dioxide per person emitted] is more than double that of a UK citizen.” This overview is incomplete and insensitive at best, ignoring the lack of public transportation and segregation of zoning regulations in the US. Two topics which are unmentioned and unexplored in this book.
2/5 - the first five chapters saved this from a 1-star review.
I must start this next section by stating that I work in the sustainability sector. Chapters 11 and 12 got under my skin in ways few scientific books which discuss sustainable have achieved. I personally feel like there was simultaneously too much detail, and yet not enough. The intricacies of global warming were not throughly explored, and the little “helpful” advice given to the average individual leaves a taste of shame in the readers mouth. Additionally, Miodownik gives some people an excuse, for example: the citizens of the Maldives seem to get a pass, “So what chance do the citizens of the Maldives have?”, but the average income person in the US and UK are left with a bitter taste after Chapter 12 as “Paying extra is necessary because at the moment it is hard for organic farmers […] to compete with intensive farming,” and “In the US [the tones of carbon dioxide per person emitted] is more than double that of a UK citizen.” This overview is incomplete and insensitive at best, ignoring the lack of public transportation and segregation of zoning regulations in the US. Two topics which are unmentioned and unexplored in this book.
2/5 - the first five chapters saved this from a 1-star review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2025
I only read part of this book, then abandoned it. I am a retired PhD organic chemist with 40 years’ experience in the chemical industry. I like to read books on chemical topics that are written for the lay public because they’re usually on topics I never encountered in my chemistry classes. I always read them with a sharp eye for inaccurate and misleading chemical information. It is important to me that I point out incorrect chemical information because errors will creep into the public’s mind, giving the reader the attitude: “I read it in a book, so it must be true.” I have read many such books containing egregious chemical misstatements. These errors indicate that all these authors didn’t know much or anything about chemistry, but they have written about chemical topics anyway. These authors could have simply found chemists or professors to check their manuscripts for chemical accuracy before publication. The author of “It’s a Gas” conflated dimethyl ether with diethyl ether in his book: the information he gave for dimethyl ether belonged to diethyl ether. He also conflated the process of chemical extraction with the process of distillation, which indicated he didn’t know the differences between the two. When there is incorrect chemical information, it makes me wonder whether the rest of the contents are correct.
August 5, 2024
I regard myself as a reader' on board his train. At each station, he will begin to regale me with nuggets of his wise thoughts and some interesting moments and anecdotes of his life. It is then followed by the narrations of the history and discovery of the gas with well illustrated examples of its whereabouts, uses and applications. All this while, his attempts to paint them in as easy, plain and simple hues as he could find, unfortunately is, a labour lost in vain. I end up being more confused than amused and it gets even worse with his fleeting and hasty treatment on the subject.
Instead of being on a chugging train where I will have both the pleasure to enjoy new sights and the instructions to enlarge my mind, now, I feel more like a passenger in a speedy train with so much to see, yet capturing all only in glimpses and glances, recalling none at the end of the whole journey.
Should he slow down his speed to clearly explain the causes and effects of the strange phenomenons in his scientific tongue, I will surely be better convinced about the delusion of folklore of the will-o the wisp and lessen my fear of it. Perhaps, I will also know more about how the gas in the bag of my favourite potato chips makes them so crisp and crunchy.
January 15, 2025
82%
This is a very fun book because it talks about the fundamental reality that is our gaseous universe. Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Neon, all of these fundamental building blocks that make up the reality around us. Which sounds fucking mythical because there are so many abilities that are posed by these things that actually have real mass to them. Like you can weigh these things, you can put them in a vacuum. There's all of these different cool fundamental possibilities that come from the beautiful environment around us that actually sound fucking magical. Because oxygen, we fundamentally need that now as a species. We explore the fact that water is composed of oxygen and with the mass and density, that's why we can't breathe it in. Because if it's got all the hydrogen, we explore hydrogen possibilities. This book goes so many different ways with so many different gases that the book is an absolute gas. I love it. Very great book. Not very great, but it's a great book. I would love it if it was longer and more explorative.
This is a very fun book because it talks about the fundamental reality that is our gaseous universe. Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Neon, all of these fundamental building blocks that make up the reality around us. Which sounds fucking mythical because there are so many abilities that are posed by these things that actually have real mass to them. Like you can weigh these things, you can put them in a vacuum. There's all of these different cool fundamental possibilities that come from the beautiful environment around us that actually sound fucking magical. Because oxygen, we fundamentally need that now as a species. We explore the fact that water is composed of oxygen and with the mass and density, that's why we can't breathe it in. Because if it's got all the hydrogen, we explore hydrogen possibilities. This book goes so many different ways with so many different gases that the book is an absolute gas. I love it. Very great book. Not very great, but it's a great book. I would love it if it was longer and more explorative.
August 13, 2024
I’ve always considered Chemistry to be the most fun of all the sciences, and thus I think it lends itself very well to pop science material.
The narrative style of this is terrific, and accessible without compromising quality, Sam Kean is, to me, the reigning king of this type of science book (and indeed he’s mentioned in the Further Reading section of this book, but his work is also a bit more intensely structured and slightly less approachable. This is a good starter book for the subgenre in that it’s slightly less dense and academic, while maintaining the narrative style and humor that works for writers like Kean.
I liked the structure of this a lot, and it flows very well for nonfiction of any sort. I could have done with a few more photos and illustrations, but the ones that are there are great.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
The narrative style of this is terrific, and accessible without compromising quality, Sam Kean is, to me, the reigning king of this type of science book (and indeed he’s mentioned in the Further Reading section of this book, but his work is also a bit more intensely structured and slightly less approachable. This is a good starter book for the subgenre in that it’s slightly less dense and academic, while maintaining the narrative style and humor that works for writers like Kean.
I liked the structure of this a lot, and it flows very well for nonfiction of any sort. I could have done with a few more photos and illustrations, but the ones that are there are great.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
December 11, 2024
In ITS A GAS , Miodownik brings his conversational style to discuss the gasses in the world we live in.
This is my favorite book so far by Miodownik! Like all of his books, he weaves personal anecdotes, science history, and chemistry content.
I really appreciated his chapters on carbon dioxide and nitrogen and his discussion around climate change and the loss of biodiversity due to the fixation of nitrogen.
Miodownik talked about the importance of choosing low carbon travel (flying less) and also supporting regenerative agriculture.
If you’re looking for accessible books on chemistry—Miodownik’s are fantastic.
This is my favorite book so far by Miodownik! Like all of his books, he weaves personal anecdotes, science history, and chemistry content.
I really appreciated his chapters on carbon dioxide and nitrogen and his discussion around climate change and the loss of biodiversity due to the fixation of nitrogen.
Miodownik talked about the importance of choosing low carbon travel (flying less) and also supporting regenerative agriculture.
If you’re looking for accessible books on chemistry—Miodownik’s are fantastic.
May 14, 2025
3.5 ⭐
This was sadly my least favourite of the three. I really enjoyed solid matters (a lot) and liquid rules (mostly). In the other books, there was a lot of cool stuff that you don't learn in class or even accidentally on the internet. But this one was really more history and less science and a lot of the history was stuff done in highschool. I would have loved to see a bunch of exotic gases rather than the usual ones that you hear about all the time. Overall, it's a decent read if you don't have a high school science background. If you do then most of it is going to be repetitive.
This was sadly my least favourite of the three. I really enjoyed solid matters (a lot) and liquid rules (mostly). In the other books, there was a lot of cool stuff that you don't learn in class or even accidentally on the internet. But this one was really more history and less science and a lot of the history was stuff done in highschool. I would have loved to see a bunch of exotic gases rather than the usual ones that you hear about all the time. Overall, it's a decent read if you don't have a high school science background. If you do then most of it is going to be repetitive.
December 15, 2025
It's hard not to compare "It's a Gas" with the first of Moidownik's trilogy "Stuff Matters," so I'm not going to try. In this book, he has the same conversational tone that I've loved in all of his books. There are personal anecdotes that make the reading enjoyable. There's good science, but it wasn't as specific, in-depth, and 0h-wow as in "Stuff." It felt more shallow. That being said, it was still a really good book. I would recommend as popular science reading. - But make sure you read "Stuff Matters." It's awesome.
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September 20, 2024
This book is not entirely worthless... I gave the author 5 stars on his book Stuff Matters... and in 12 years he's learned to repeat trite popular science and NY Times bullshit about Climate change from manmade gasses. I know why these author all write to appear to be the biggest libiot ecologist and global warming alarmist... it' s because it sells books. Well, congratulations. We don't need to collect guano Or use the Haber-Bosch process anymore... we can just pay you to write more crap.
October 8, 2024
This is not what I expected from the description, in the best way. I thought it was going to be a drier science book, but it was a fascinating book showing gases in the real world. I learned a lot, and learned more about the things I already knew. It didn't feel like learning because it was an almost stream-of-consciousness connection of stories explaining the world, and it was endlessly entertaining. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.
October 13, 2024
This writer is both very entertaining and informative. Via easy to listen to or read chapters running about 30 minute each he enchants the reader or listener with the wonders of Chemistry and how it has become an intrinsic part of our lives. This is the 3rd. of a trilogy of books and in many ways is the most interesting,since it asks us to consider the elements that are invisible,yet essential to our lives.
November 29, 2024
I liked 'Stuff Matters' a little more than this, as it seemed a broader and more involved set of, well, stuff. While this contains interesting aspects of the histories of some gasses, if not about the gasses themselves, it came across as more history/sociology than science to me. I've not yet read his book on liquids, but if the prevalent review is that it is a book that falls between 'Solid' and 'Gas', then I think I might just skip it.
June 20, 2025
As always, Miodownik masterfully crafts a not only informative but fascinating analysis of the materials that make up our world, and the many mysterious, powerful, and beneficial yet devastating ways in which they can be witnessed. Along with the other two books in the series, this is a must read for anyone interested in materials sciences, chemistry, or just learning something surprising about the world around them
December 23, 2024
3.5? Learned new stuff. Good enough narration/voice sharing history and science, didn’t really struggle to pick it up and keep reading/finish, but at the end it was just okay. Still would read another book by this author though. Liquid Rules is ranked higher on Goodreads than this one so that might be next 🌊
January 28, 2025
It actually was 'a delight'. I like Mark Miodownik's humor and ability to simplify the science behind things in a concise and coherent way. The book ingeniously covers the important milestones of our history, shaped by the judicious use of various gases. It was a fluent and enjoyable reading. I definitely recommend it!
February 15, 2025
Sorry folks, but I think this is a really excellent book. Well written, interesting throughout, and important in getting some vital points across on farming and climate change. Somewhat like "The Disappearing Spoon", but covers many aspects of many gases and the history that goes along with their story. A good place to learn a great deal about our world is in the pages of this book.
March 10, 2025
In talking about the major world problems, like climate change and nitrogen overloading, Miodownik is so so remiss in saying we have to accommodate population growth rather than stopping the growth and getting sustainable.
Our overpopulation is the multiplier of virtually every problem we face - and it overwhelm all else we do combined.
Miodownik is advocating failure to save our planet.
Our overpopulation is the multiplier of virtually every problem we face - and it overwhelm all else we do combined.
Miodownik is advocating failure to save our planet.
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