“Lithium makes a fine battery because it's a scarily reactive metal. Pure lithium ignites on contact if it touches water - a flake of it would sizzle and fry on the water-rich cells of your skin.”

American writer

Sam Kean is an American writer known for books that tell the story of scientific discoveries in a narrative style. He was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and lives in Washington, D.C. He has written for The New York Times Magazine, Mental Floss, Slate, Psychology Today, and The New Scientist. He has also published eight books, and they have been reviewed positively by The Wall Street Journal, Library Journal, and The New York Times.