Kit Chapman – författare

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE'Glittering' PHILIP BALL'Superb' TIM MINSHALL'A globetrotting, time-travelling account of the roots of chemistry' BBC HISTORY MAGAZINEThe first chemists were Sri Lankan forgers who crafted unimaginably strong steel millennia before it should have been possible. They were alchemists in Roman Egypt, who designed apparatus still in use today. They were Stone Age leatherworkers, Tang Dynasty herbalists and Mayan stoneworkers. The Enlightenment is usually credited with the origins of chemistry, but in truth, the science blossomed gradually. As early innovators distilled, smelted, forged and fermented their way through the centuries, they blurred science and mysticism in search of answers to life's greatest mysteries.Join Kit Chapman on a global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 AAAS/SUBARU SB&F PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE BOOKSHow new elements are discovered, why they matter and where they will take us.Creating an element is no easy feat. It''s the equivalent of firing six trillion bullets a second at a needle in a haystack, hoping the bullet and needle somehow fuse together, then catching it in less than a thousandth of a second – after which it''s gone forever. Welcome to the world of the superheavy elements: a realm where scientists use giant machines and spend years trying to make a single atom of mysterious artefacts that have never existed on Earth.From the first elements past uranium, and their role in the atomic bomb, to the latest discoveries stretching the bounds of our chemical world, Superheavy reveals the hidden stories lurking at the edges of the periodic table. Why did US Air Force fly planes into mushroom clouds? Who won the transfermium wars? How did an earthquake help give Japan its first element? And what happened when Superman almost spilled nuclear secrets?In a globe-trotting adventure that stretches from the United States to Russia, Sweden to Australia, Superheavy is your guide to the amazing science filling in the missing pieces of the periodic table. You''ll not only marvel at how nuclear science has changed our lives – you''ll wonder where it''s going to take us in the future.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 AAAS/SUBARU SB&F PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE BOOKSHow new elements are discovered, why they matter and where they will take us.Creating an element is no easy feat. It’s the equivalent of firing six trillion bullets a second at a needle in a haystack, hoping the bullet and needle somehow fuse together, then catching it in less than a thousandth of a second – after which it’s gone forever. Welcome to the world of the superheavy elements: a realm where scientists use giant machines and spend years trying to make a single atom of mysterious artefacts that have never existed on Earth.From the first elements past uranium, and their role in the atomic bomb, to the latest discoveries stretching the bounds of our chemical world, Superheavy reveals the hidden stories lurking at the edges of the periodic table. Why did US Air Force fly planes into mushroom clouds? Who won the transfermium wars? How did an earthquake help give Japan its first element? And what happened when Superman almost spilled nuclear secrets?In a globe-trotting adventure that stretches from the United States to Russia, Sweden to Australia, Superheavy is your guide to the amazing science filling in the missing pieces of the periodic table. You’ll not only marvel at how nuclear science has changed our lives – you’ll wonder where it’s going to take us in the future.

Racing Green is the story of how motorsport science has become smarter and more environmentally friendly, and how these developments on the track are changing the world.Motor racing is the most scientifically demanding sport in the world: a combination of peak physical and mental skill, world-class mechanical nous and technological innovation. Ideas first pioneered during races – from ABS brakes to crash helmets – have been incorporated into car designs around the world to improve racing safety. And cleaner technologies first trialled and improved in modern racing are also informing the designs of everyday vehicles, such as better electric cars and more efficient fuels and tyres.Racing Green is the story of how motorsport science has changed the world, helping it become smarter and more environmentally friendly. From the radical shake-ups of safety in the 1970s through to innovations such as the lithium-ion battery, this book explores the science that has been translated from racing to the road. It looks at the history of motor racing, both its glories and its tragedies, and demonstrates how these moments led to some of the most important modern developments we see in car design today. It explores how motor racing is not only at the cutting edge of modern engineering, but also human psychology and physiology, both of which are integral to creating a winning car and driver. Author Kit Chapman is a lifelong motorsports fan who has previously worked with Virgin Racing''s Formula E team to explore the chemistry and material science of their racing cars. With cooperation from his wide range of contacts in the industry, he goes behind the scenes of the current breakthroughs to show where motorsport is likely to take us in the future, picking up extraordinary tales along the way, such as the maverick designer Warren Mosler, who designed a car that was so fast he wasn''t allowed to race it. Racing Green is a mix of travelogue and historical retrospective, combining visits to the experts and discussing the science with retellings of real-life incidents that represent milestones in modern car development.

Racing Green is the story of how motorsport science has become smarter and more environmentally friendly, and how these developments on the track are changing the world.Motor racing is one of the world''s most watched sports. In the United States alone, NASCAR has over 75 million fans and counting. It''s also the most scientifically demanding sport on Earth, requiring a combination of peak physical and mental skill, world-class engineers and a constant drive for technological innovation.Racing Green explores the science that has been translated from racing to the road, from the early 19th century through to innovations such as electric cars and autonomous vehicles. The history of motor racing, both its glories and its tragedies, led to some of the most important modern developments we see in car design today. Just as the heartbreaking death of Dale Earnhardt at the Daytona 500 led NASCAR to introduce a new raceway barrier method, ideas pioneered during races – such as crush zones to crash helmets – have been incorporated into race car and track designs around the world. Cleaner technologies first trialed and improved in modern racing are also shaping our communities beyond the track, from the hidden aerodynamics in everything from your grocery aisle to Apple''s new $5 billion headquarters to a Porsche made from flax and tires made from dandelions. Through exclusive interviews with NASCAR''s Research and Development Center, Formula 1 insiders, engineers, scientists and drivers, lifelong motorsport fan Kit Chapman goes behind the scenes of the current breakthroughs to show where motorsport is likely to take us in the future, picking up extraordinary tales along the way, such as the Ohio State University''s experimental electric car, the Buckeye Bullet, which broke the electric land speed record on the salt flats in Utah, hitting an astounding 340 mph, and the untold story of how motorsport used its unparalleled mechanical expertise to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.Racing Green is a mix of travelogue and historical retrospective, combining visits to the experts and discussing the science with retellings of real-life incidents that represent milestones in shaping the modern world

Racing Green is the story of how advances in motorsport science are changing the world, helping it become smarter and more environmentally friendly. Motor racing is already one of the most scientifically demanding sports: it involves a combination of peak physical and mental skill, world-class mechanical nous and perennial technological innovation. These innovations, first developed for racing, have been incorporated into everyday car designs to improve their safety – from ABS brakes to crash helmets – and ecological impact, via electric engines and more efficient fuels and tyres. Author Kit Chapman is a lifelong motorsports fan who has previously worked with Virgin Racing’s Formula E team on the chemistry and material science of their cars. With help from his wide range of contacts in the industry, Kit criss-crosses the globe from Ohio to Monaco, Spain to Bahrain. He steps behind the scenes of current engineering breakthroughs, picking up extraordinary tales along the way, such as that of maverick designer Warren Mosler who designed a car so fast it was banned from racing.Part travelogue, part historical retrospective, Racing Green combines visits to the experts with lively retellings of real-life incidents that became milestones in modern car development. Kit looks at the breadth of racing, both its glories and its tragedies, revealing the industry as a driving force for progress, and where it's on track to take us next.