It’s a Gas: The Sublime and Elusive Elements That Expand Our World

A breathtakingly broad array of topics, from ghosts to steam power to disease, fill Miodownik’s (materials and society, Univ. Coll. London; Liquid Rules: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives) entertaining exploration of how gases have shaped human history. Each chapter feels like its own podcast episode, sometimes incorporating personal anecdotes alongside history and science. Narrator Daniel Weyman’s calm delivery gives the impression of a lecturer on stage. His measured pace and pleasant inflections combine with everyday examples to make science feel relatable. The way he performs Miodownik’s ponderings and memories might even fool listeners into believing this is an author-read work. There are odd facts to pique listeners’ interest, but overall, Miodownik’s text endeavors to show that science inhabits every aspect of human life no matter how mundane. Listeners may need to expand their idea of what gas is since he covers topics they might not normally associate with the definition, such as wind. The jump from topic to topic makes this an especially good audiobook for people who don’t plan to listen to it in its entirety in one session, despite its short length.