A Festival of Chemistry Entertainments

This book, a part of the American Chemical Society's Symposium Series, is a collection of some delightful bits of whimsy and humor, both intentional and accidental, from the world of chemistry. Underneath those famous white lab coats clearly beat hearts that are capable of finding and enjoying the lighter side of their science. From chemistry-based crossword puzzles to papers delivered in verse and song, this is a surprising collection of the quirkiest incidents and episodes in the recent history of chemistry. Topics include Ken Reese's back-page column of Chemical and Engineering News, the music that accompanied the papers of physicist Howard Shapiro, and the hidden whimsy found in the supposedly somber records of the Chemical Abstracts Service.