Sticky

The Secret Science of Surfaces

Laurie Winkless

$29.99

Paperback

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English

Bloomsbury
01 March 2022

Mathematics & Sciences; Popular science; Applied physics; Nanotechnology; Materials science

You are surrounded by stickiness.

With every step you take, air molecules cling to you and slow you down; the effect is harder to ignore in water. When you hit the road, whether powered by pedal or engine, you rely on grip to keep you safe. The Post-it note and glue in your desk drawer. The non-stick pan on your stove. The fingerprints linked to your identity. The rumbling of the Earth deep beneath your feet, and the ice that transforms waterways each winter. All of these things are controlled by tiny forces that operate on and between surfaces, with friction playing the leading role.

In Sticky, Laurie Winkless explores how friction shapes both the manufactured and natural worlds, and describes how our understanding of surface science has given us an ability to manipulate stickiness, down to the level of a single atom. But this apparent success doesn’t tell the whole story. Each time humanity has pushed the boundaries of science and engineering, we’ve discovered that friction still has a few surprises up its sleeve.

So do we really understand this force? Can we say with certainty that we know how a gecko climbs, what’s behind our sense of touch, or why golf balls, boats and aircraft move as they do? Join Laurie as she seeks out the answers from experts scattered across the globe, uncovering a stack of scientific mysteries along the way.

Finalist for the 2023 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books

By: Laurie Winkless
Imprint: Bloomsbury
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 135mm,
Weight: 342g
ISBN: 9781472950840
ISBN 10: 1472950844
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 01 March 2022
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Out of Print

Hello 1 To Stick or Not to Stick 2 A Gecko’s Grip 3 Gone Swimming 4 Flying High 5 Hit the Road 6 These Shaky Isles 7 Break the Ice 8 The Human Touch 9 Close Contact Further Reading Acknowledgements Index

Laurie Winkless is a physicist and science writer. She has a BA in Physics with Astrophysics from Trinity College Dublin, which she followed up with an MSc in Space Science from University College London. She is an experienced science communicator, who loves to talk about science in all forms of media - print, online, radio or in front of the camera. She's given a TEDx talk, worked as a physics news reporter for the Naked Scientists, appeared in the Saturday Times Magazine, provided nanotechnology training for teachers, and exhibited at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition. Laurie's first book, Science and the City, was published by Sigma in August 2016. It was well received, with excellent reviews in the Sunday Times, BBC Focus and Nature, amongst others. She has subsequently appeared on national and international media channels, including Channel 4, BBC World Series and RTE. She regularly contributes to Forbes, How It Works and Materials Today and has recently had her work featured in Wired, Esquire, the Evening Standard, Natural History Magazine and the Guardian. After 13 years living in London, she recently moved to Wellington, NZ.

Reviews for Sticky: The Secret Science of Surfaces

I am in awe of Laurie Winkless: of her ability to take something as seemingly plain as a tire, as overlooked as the dimples on a golf ball, and produce from it a surprising, fascinating narrative, one that effortlessly reveals the astonishing science of the world around us. * Mary Roach, author of Stiff and Fuzz * A beautifully-written, utterly fascinating book that had me glued throughout. Like the very best science writing, Sticky helps you see the world from a different perspective. I couldn't recommend it more. * Angela Saini, science journalist and author * If you've ever wondered why some glues work better than others, or been puzzled why there are so many different types of car tire, or been amazed at the ease in which a gecko can run up the wall, then this wonderful book is for you. * Mark Miodownik, author of Stuff Matters *