Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson Books
Penny Le Couteur is a Canadian chemist and educator, known for her engaging approach to teaching chemistry and making science accessible to general readers. Jay Burreson is a research chemist and science writer who has collaborated with Le Couteur on works that bridge chemistry and history.
Known for: Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Molecules That Changed History
Books by Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson
Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Molecules That Changed History
Napoleon's Buttons explores how seventeen groups of molecules have profoundly influenced the course of human history. From the chemical compounds that shaped trade, medicine, and warfare to those that spurred industrial and scientific revolutions, the book reveals the deep connections between chemistry and civilization. Each chapter focuses on a specific molecule or group of related compounds, illustrating how their discovery and use transformed societies and altered the trajectory of global development.
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Pepper and Other Spices
The story of modern globalization begins not with machines or maps, but with a craving for flavor. The volatile organic compounds in black pepper, nutmeg, and cloves—piperine, eugenol, and others—enchanted the medieval palate and provoked centuries of exploration. I recount how a pinch of these mole...
From Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Molecules That Changed History
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Ascorbic acid is a molecule that reshaped the age of exploration. For centuries, scurvy—the slow destruction of collagen—killed sailors by the thousands. Ships returned home not from storms or combat but from the invisible hunger for one missing molecule. When lemons and limes revealed their power, ...
From Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Molecules That Changed History
About Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson
Penny Le Couteur is a Canadian chemist and educator, known for her engaging approach to teaching chemistry and making science accessible to general readers. Jay Burreson is a research chemist and science writer who has collaborated with Le Couteur on works that bridge chemistry and history.
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Penny Le Couteur is a Canadian chemist and educator, known for her engaging approach to teaching chemistry and making science accessible to general readers. Jay Burreson is a research chemist and science writer who has collaborated with Le Couteur on works that bridge chemistry and history.
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