The Carbon Age [The Intersection]

Carbon: Seems it's the subject on everyone's mind these days... and for good reason! It's in the food we eat, the gasoline that fuels our cars, our clothes, jewelry, and beyond. It's us! C is the sixth most common element in the universe and intimately important in the tale of life on planet earth. And fortunately for us, Eric Roston (full disclosure, a colleague and friend) is a spectacular storyteller and has composed it's balanced, structured narrative across 12 chapters (coincidentally carbon's atomic mass) in The Carbon Age. Admittedly, when I opened the book I had my doubts. It sounded like a text about chemistry... not my favorite subject in college. But this isn't a complex work of calculations, rather it's a page-turning portrayal of a vital and fascinating element inextricably linked to familiar challenges like... [read full story]