Vanity, vitality, and virility : the science behind the products you love to buy / John Emsley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Emsley, John.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Analytical chemistry--Popular works.

Analytical chemistry.

Genre:

Popular works.

Physical Description:

xi, 259 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2004.

Summary:

Have you ever wondered whether wrinkles can be smoothed away, how lipstick can shimmer, why diamonds are a girl's best friend, how best to kill germs, and why roads are getting less noisy? Vanity, Vitality, and Virility will give you answers to all of these questions, and many more besides.

In Vanity, Vitality, and Virility, acclaimed popularscience writer John Emsley explains the nature and behaviour of around 40 ingredients that play important roles in every aspect of modern living: there are chapters on cosmetics, food, sex, hygiene, depression, and on four unexpected ways in which modern products improve our lives. So if you have ever asked yourself whether cosmetics can deliver what they promise, whether certain spreads really can reduce cholesterol, whether nitrates in water are a cause of cancer, whether your sex life can be improved, and whether Prozac is as safe as they say, dive into Vanity, Vitality, and Virility and discover things you always wanted to know -- but didn't know who to ask!

Contents:

1 Vanity: No More Wrinkles! 1

Lipstick 2

Anti-ageing creams: alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) 7

Silky smooth skin: boron nitride 15

Sunblocks, sunscreens, and instant tans 17

Liposomes 29

2 Vitality: Food for Thought 33

Clarifying the fats 35

Trans fatty acids 46

Conjugated fatty acids 51

Vitamin C 53

The nitrate enigma 67

3 Virility, Sterility, and Viagra 74

Nitric oxide (NO) 75

Raising the dead: Viagra 85

Love potions and poppers 92

An element of sex: selenium 94

Diamonds are a girl's best friend 105

4 Germs Warfare 111

Killing germs 113

Hypochlorite 120

Phenols and chloro-phenols 127

Quaternary ammonium salts, 'quats' 132

Hydrogen peroxide 135

Ozone 141

Shower cleaners 144

5 It's All in the Mind 147

Depression and antidepressants 148

Prozac 153

A little light-headed: lithium therapy 160

Alzheimer's disease and aluminium 167

Treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) 177

6 Polymers in Disguise 181

Disposable unmentionables and superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) 181

Chewing gum: polymeric hydrocarbons: 1 189

Whispering roads: polymeric hydrocarbons: 2 198

Polycarbonate 208

Postscript: Chemiphobia, its Causes and Cure 214.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [240]-246) and index.

ISBN:

0192805096

OCLC:

54079688