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Sam Kean
Sam Kean is the author of The Disappearing Spoon, a fun look at the periodic table. He writes about science in a way that makes it accessible and interesting for everyone.
The Icepick Surgeon
Synopsis
Science, often seen as a force for good, can be twisted into something sinister when obsession takes hold. This book explores true stories of scientists whose unfettered ambition led them to cross ethical lines and commit crimes in the name of knowledge. From Cleopatra's dark deeds to the origins of modern science in the transatlantic slave trade, and from Thomas Edison's support of the electric chair to the warped logic of Manhattan Project spies, the book reveals the historical and ongoing impact of scientific abuses on society, including connections to current vaccine hesitancy and mental-health care failings.