Better Looking, Better Living, Better Loving: How Chemistry can Help You Achieve Life's Goals

243 Pages·2007·1.64 MB·English

by  John Emsley

John Emsley
Better Looking, Better Living, Better Loving
Better Looking, Better Living, Better Loving. John Emsley
Copyright © 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
ISBN 978-3-527-31863-6
1807 – 2007 Knowledge for Generations
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John Emsley
Better Looking, Better Living, Better Loving
How Chemistry can Help You Achieve Life’s Goals
The Author All books published by Wiley-VCH are care-
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Dr. John Emsley and publisher do not warrant the information
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ISBN: 978-3-527-31863-6
Contents
Explaining the Things We Use Now – and News from the Future IX
Acknowledgements XI
Things to Bear in Mind 1
Food Calories 1
Organic 1
Trade Names 1
Money 2
Large and Small Measures 2
Chemical Names 2
News from the Future 3
Glossary 3
Introduction – The Right Chemistry 5
1 Better Looking (I): Hair, Eyes, Teeth, Nails 9
News from the Future 9
Crowning Glory 10
Thinning on Top 15
I Can See Clearly Now … 20
A Gleaming Smile 25
Nailed 31
2 Better Looking (II) and Better Living (I): Medical Advances 37
News from the Future 37
Skin Diseases: Acne, Eczema, and Psoriasis 38
Better Looking, Better Living, Better Loving. John Emsley V
Copyright © 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
ISBN 978-3-527-31863-6
Acne 40
Eczema 42
Psoriasis 44
An Agile or Fragile Old Age? 46
Carbohydrate as Cures 54
Anaesthetics 60
3 Better Loving: The Not-so-dirty Weekend 67
News from the Future 67
Smelly Chemistry 68
Wash All My Cares Away 72
It’s the Pits, Man 75
Antiperspirants 78
Deodorants 81
Something for the Weekend, Sir? 83
We Just Got Carried Away Mum 88
4 Better Living (II): Improving Our Diet 93
News from the Future 93
Carbohydrates 95
Manna from Heaven … 101
Low I Means Low IQ 105
2
Functional Foods 110
Crap Food? Feeding the Fifty Billion 114
Hot, Hot, Hot 118
5 Better Living (III): Minor Metals for Major Advances 125
News from the Future 125
Solar Panels Provide Photovoltaic (PV) Power 126
Glass is Green 137
The Magic of Titanium 141
The Future’s Blue 147
VI Contents
6 Better Living (IV): Chemistry in the Home 153
News from the Future 153
Wash All My Troubles Away: Laundry Aids 154
Surfactants 159
Foam Regulators 161
Builders 161
Anti-redeposition Agents 163
Dye Transfer Inhibitors 164
Peroxide Bleach and Bleach Activators 164
Fluorescing Agents 166
Fragrances 167
Fabric Softeners 167
All Washed Up? 169
Malodours and Air Fresheners 172
7 Better Looking (II): The Art of the Chemist 177
News from the Future 177
Colour 179
Red 180
Blue 184
Yellow 186
Green 187
Purple 188
Brown 188
Black 189
White 189
Oils and Varnishes 190
Analysis 191
Conservation 194
Restoration 197
Frauds and Fakes 200
Glossary 205
Index 217
Contents VII