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  • Caesar's Last Breath

  • Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us
  • Written by: Sam Kean
  • Narrated by: Ben Sullivan
  • Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (11 ratings)

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Caesar's Last Breath

Written by: Sam Kean
Narrated by: Ben Sullivan
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Publisher's Summary

The fascinating science and history of the air we breathe.

It's invisible. It's ever present. Without it, you would die in minutes. And it has an epic story to tell.

In Caesar's Last Breath, New York Times best-selling author Sam Kean takes us on a journey through the periodic table, around the globe, and across time to tell the story of the air we breathe, which, it turns out, is also the story of earth and our existence on it.

With every breath, you literally inhale the history of the world. On the Ides of March, 44 BC, Julius Caesar died of stab wounds on the Senate floor, but the story of his last breath is still unfolding; in fact you're probably inhaling some of it now. Of the sextillions of molecules entering or leaving your lungs at this moment, some might well bear traces of Cleopatra's perfumes, German mustard gas, particles exhaled by dinosaurs or emitted by atomic bombs, even remnants of stardust from the universe's creation.

Tracing the origins and ingredients of our atmosphere, Kean reveals how the alchemy of air reshaped our continents, steered human progress, powered revolutions, and continues to influence everything we do. Along the way we'll swim with radioactive pigs, witness the most important chemical reactions humans have discovered, and join the crowd at the Moulin Rouge for some of the crudest performance art of all time. Lively, witty, and filled with the astounding science of ordinary life, Caesar's Last Breath illuminates the science stories swirling around us every second.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2017 Sam Kean (P)2017 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about Caesar's Last Breath

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Tour de force

Written with a lot of wit and precision, this book is as entertaining as instructive. If you want to learn about chemistry without falling asleep, this writer is a real gasser.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Ava
  • 2019-03-13

highly recommended!

great book. Entertaining and educational with great narration. it was interesting and funny at the same time. it has become one of my top recommended book.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • Rob
  • 2017-09-30

Another Sam Kean error

Why did I try another Sam Kean book? Another mistake. Aargh. Torture. If you belong to the medical profession or have substantial medical training, spare yourself this tedious task.

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