HALF LIVES: THE UNLIKELY HISTORY OF RADIUM (PB)

Of all the radioactive elements discovered at the end of the 19th century, it was radium that became the focus of public fascination and entrepreneurial zeal. Seen as both a desirable gift and a medical cure-all, practitioners and business people (reputable and otherwise) devised ingenious ways of commodifying the new wonder element, and enthusiastic customers welcomed their radioactive wares into their homes. This book examines the stories of those previously dismissed as quacks and fools as part of a unique interplay between science and popular culture.