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    The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another
    The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another
    The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another

    Written by Ainissa Ramirez

    Narrated by Allyson Johnson

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In The Alchemy of Us, scientist and science writer Ainissa Ramirez examines eight inventions-clocks, steel rails, copper communication cables, photographic film, light bulbs, hard disks, scientific labware, and silicon chips-and reveals how they shaped the human experience. Ramirez tells the stories of the woman who sold time, the inventor who inspired Edison, and the hotheaded undertaker whose invention pointed the way to the computer. She describes, among other things, how our pursuit of precision in timepieces changed how we sleep; how the railroad helped commercialize Christmas; and how a young chemist exposed the use of Polaroid's cameras to create passbooks to track black citizens in apartheid South Africa.

    Ramirez shows not only how materials were shaped by inventors but also how those materials shaped culture, chronicling each invention and its consequences-intended and unintended. Filling in the gaps left by other books about technology, Ramirez showcases little-known inventors who had a significant impact but whose accomplishments have been hidden by mythmaking, bias, and convention. Doing so, she shows us the power of telling inclusive stories about technology. She also shows that innovation is universal-whether it's splicing beats with two turntables and a microphone or splicing genes with two test tubes and CRISPR.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAscent Audio
    Release dateApr 7, 2020
    ISBN9781469078830
    The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another

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    Reviews for The Alchemy of Us

    4/5

    36 ratings5 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A book of great value. Beautifully written and well researched. It changed the way I look at science and technology.
    • 5/5
      Dr. Ramirez chose historical stories about discoveries and inventions and made them very interesting. I was inspired by how she used her intelligence to recognize that she wasn't getting what she needed to be successful when she started college. She sought out the help she needed not just for individual subjects, but also to find a major that matched her interests. I hope young people will read this book - or make it the audiobook their family plays in the car.
    • 5/5
      Amazing and revealing book that connects our past age with the present.
    • 3/5
      In this book, Dr. Ainissa Ramirez tells us stories of invention and innovation. There are several problems with this book. First, the notion that technology changes society isn't new or surprising. And I noticed several errors, including the population stats stated for Chicago, the date of the introduction of the telegraph and more.It's a bit lightweight. But I think it is a powerful book for inspiring young people to explore technology and think about putting things together in new ways. She does this by telling stories of past innovations, and story telling is a powerful means of teaching and inspiring.
    • 4/5
      Interesting book with lots of stories showing man’s ingenuity and the impact of their inventions on our lives. My tiny quibble is that there is really no through line here; stories are always interesting but sometimes only tangentially related. Nonetheless.