Sticky: The Secret Science of Surfaces

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

At the scale of atoms and molecules, things quite often like to stick together. But these tiny interactions don't just matter at the nanoscale; taken together, they produce some important larger-scale forces friction, for example. This force keeps our cars on the road, trains on the tracks and our feet on the ground; similarly, anything moving through water or air encounters drag, a force caused by the viscous nature of fluids. In other words, there's a lot of stickiness going on, all the time. But what do we actually know about the physics of stickiness What's really going on How has nature evolved to make use of it, and what technological advances has it enabled the human race to create In Sticky, physicist Laurie Winkless brings the amazing world of surface science to the popular science market for the fist time. Using her characteristic fun and relaxed tone, she introduces readers to the glues, adhesives and textures that rule and improve stickiness to give plants and animals an advantage, as well as uncovering the physics behind our sense of touch. Sticky also shows how our understanding of slipperiness opened the door to high-speed flight and space travel, and asks why friction and other surface interactions can cause machinery to literally grind to a halt. This is fundamentally a materials science book, but it touches on topics as broad as medicine, robotics and geology. And, as we'll discover, there are still many great mysteries. By exploring the tiniest of interactions, Laurie Winkless shows how civilisation owes a great deal to our knowledge of the science of stickiness.

Reviews

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 *
An absolutely wild ride ... bright and interesting. [Sticky] is a book for the 2020s ... truly great popular science for anyone who wants to know more about how we interact with our world -- young or old, beginner or experienced scientist. * Nature *
Through a wide range of topics, including some that are likely to be less well known, Sticky offers readers an insiders guide to the secret science of surfaces. * Science *
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 youve 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 *
The excellence of [Sticky] shines through. Stickiness may not be something that we often think of as a science issue, but Winkless both shows how interesting it can be, and also how much there is still to learn in this topic that affects all our everyday lives. * Brian Clegg, PopScienceBooks *
An enthusiastic exploration of how surfaces interact. * Nature *

Author Bio

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.