Chemistry for Breakfast

A whirlwind romp through everyday science, perfect for fans of How Stuff Works, Stuff You Should Know and Netflix’s Explained.

In this quirky and endlessly surprising book, scientist and award-winning YouTuber Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim tells us about the amazing science behind everyday things (like drinking water,) and not-so-everyday things (like space travel and baby dinosaurs). Come along for the ride of a lifetime!

• Perfect for armchair scientists: a wide range of information means readers will never get bored.
• Told over the course of a single day: Mai shows the scientific reactions that occur from morning to bedtime.
• Quirky illustrations: break up the text and help readers visualize scientific reactions.
• Surprising facts: learn why an alarm clock triggers fight-or-flight, what alcohol does to our bodies (and minds), and the science behind the term “love drunk” (plus so much more).
• See the world in a new way: Mai shows us that science is behind everything we do and feel.
• Accessible and fun: Mai shows us that we don’t have to be scientists to think like one.

Chemistry for Breakfast turns the ordinary into extraordinary, explaining everything from heat conduction to expiration dates, with a side of states-of-matter and biological clocks. With Mai as your guide, you’ll find something fascinating in everything around you. (You’ll also sound smarter at dinner parties.)

DR. MAI THI NGUYEN-KIM is a chemist and science journalist. During her doctoral studies at Harvard, she started the YouTube channel The Secret Life of Scientists, which marked the start of her mission to “infect” people with a love of science. She lives in Germany, where she hosts a national TV series on science and produces the YouTube channel maiLab.