Superfoods, Silkworms, and Spandex answers all your burning questions about the science of everyday life, like:

• why superfood is a marketing term, not a scientific one;
• why plastic wrap is sometimes the environmental choice;
• why supplements to reduce inflammation may just reduce your bank account;
• how maraschino cherries went from a luxury good to a cheap sundae topper;
• what's behind old book smell;
• how margarine became a hot item for bootleggers;
• why duct tape is useful, but not on ducts; and
• how onstage accidents led to fireproof fabrics.

A book with an incredibly high 'Did you know that. . . ?' quotient . . . Completely captivating. -- New Brunswick Reader

Dr. Joe & What You Didn't Know acts as both the source and satiation of scientific curiosity through a series of 177 chemistry-related questions and answers designed to both inform and entertain. From the esoteric to the everyday, the topics Dr. Joe Schwarcz tackles range from Beethoven's connection to plumbing to why rotten eggs smell like rotten eggs.

How did a sheep, a duck, and a rooster usher in the age of air travel? What does Miss Piggy have to do with the World Cup? And is there really any danger in eating green potatoes? The answers to these whimsical questions and more are revealed in this collection in an accessible scientific fashion.

Only Dr. Joe can turn the world's most fascinating questions into a compelling journey through the great scientific mysteries of everyday life. -- Paul Lewis, former president and general manager, Discovery Channel

Interesting anecdotes and engaging tales make science fun, meaningful, and accessible. Separating sense from nonsense and fact from fiction, these essays cover everything from the ups of helium to the downs of drain cleaners, and provide answers to numerous mysteries, such as why bug juice is used to color ice cream and how spies used secret inks. Mercury in teeth, arsenic in water, lead in the environment, and aspartame in food are also discussed. Mythbusters include the fact that Edison did not invent the light bulb and that walking on hot coals does not require paranormal powers. The secret life of bagels is revealed, and airbags, beer, and soap yield their mysteries. These and many more surprising, educational, and entertaining commentaries show the relevance of science to everyday life.

A delightful and informative read. Dr. Schwarcz tells it like it is, whether the subject is light at heart or as weighty as death. --The Cosmic Chemist

From the #1 bestselling author - a cornucopia of mind-expanding insights into the science of the real world.

Dr. Joe - as he is affectionately known to millions of readers, listeners, viewers, and students - brings his magic formula to Doubleday Canada with Brain Fuel.

As with Dr. Joe's previous best-selling books, Brain Fuel informs and entertains on a wild assortment of science-based topics. But this is not science trivia. If you are looking for serious scientific discussions, you'll find them here. If you are looking for practical consumer information, that's here too. If you are searching for ways to stimulate interest in science, look no further, Mom. And if you are simply wondering why the birth of Prince Leopold was so different from Queen Victoria's previous seven; or why an iron rod that went through a man's head is now on display in a museum in Boston; or why white chocolate has such a short shelf life; or why eggs terrified Alfred Hitchcock - and what all of this means for the rest of us, and why - then bingo.

Do you know if your waiter sings in the bathroom?

Or if the lady who whipped up the icing on your cake wore false fingernails?

When was the last time you microwaved your dishcloth?

Is your orange juice pasteurized?

The bestselling popular science author of A Grain of Salt serves up interesting factoids about the way that science has helped shape our everyday lives (Joe Culotti, PhD, professor of molecular and medical genetics, University of Toronto).

What difference does an atom make? It could mean life or death! Get the lowdown on oxygenated water, the healing powers of prayer, and the health benefits of chocolate. Could there be a link between McGill University and Jack the Ripper? Find out how cinnamon helps to counter high cholesterol, and learn just how sweet sugar alternatives can be.

In the tradition of Schwarcz's five previous bestsellers, Let Them Eat Flax fries scientific baloney with humor, wit, and information. From food poisoning to the secret of the Stradivarius violin, fertilizers to spontaneous human combustion, Schwarcz investigates explosive subjects and delivers the unbiased, scientific facts readers need to make informed decisions in their everyday lives.

Have you ever wondered about the science behind Alice's strange adventures in Wonderland, Casanova's experiments with Spanish Fly, and zombies in Haiti? In Radar, Hula Hoops, and Playful Pigs, chemist and columnist Dr. Joe Schwarcz offers 67 entertaining essays exploring these and other delightful nooks and crannies of chemistry.

Investigate the nefarious chemistry of the KGB, the colors of urine, and the mysteries of baldness. Learn how shampoos really work, and discover which cleaning agents must never be combined. Get rid of that skunk smell in a jiffy, and get a whiff of what's behind the act of passing gas. Read about the ups and downs of underwear, the invention of gunpowder, Van Gogh's brain, John Dillinger's chemical exploits, and Dinshah Ghadiali's bizarre attempts to cure disease with colored lights. Finally, discover the amazing links between radar, hula hoops, and playful pigs!

Written by popular media personality Dr. Joe Schwarcz, this 1999 Canadian best-seller is proof positive that a little intellectual dip into the vast ocean of chemistry can not only be useful but pleasurable as well.

Looking for a headache cure? Try willow bark. Wondering how that ice cream got its color? Could be from bug juice. Giving us the lowdown on these and other chemical phenomena, The Genie in the Bottle reveals the fun and fascinating secrets collected by popular science writer Dr. Joe Schwarcz.

Blending quirky chemistry with engaging tales from the history of science, Schwarcz offers a different twist on licorice and straight talk on travel to the dark side of the sun, along with the skinny on chocolate research, ginkgo biloba, and blueberries. Find out how spies used secret inks and how acetone changed the course of history. Dr. Joe even solves the mystery of exploding shrimp and, of course, delves into the secret of the genie in the bottle.

Infused with Schwarcz's humor and his fondness for the wonders of magic and science, The Genie in the Bottle celebrates some of the the most amazing corners of our universe-and our cupboards.

A compendium of short articles on a variety of subjects, written in a humorous, accessible style, and larded with intriguing trivia . . . Dr. Joe skewers food myths, opposition to GMOs, Dr. Oz, and Vani Hari, aka the Food Babe. -- Science-Based Medicine

The internet is a powerful beast when it comes to science; the answer to any query you may have is just a few keystrokes away. But when there are multiple answers from various sources, how do we know what information is reliable? In Monkeys, Myths, and Molecules, award-winning author Dr. Joe Schwarcz takes a critical look at how facts are misconstrued in the media. He debunks the myths surrounding canned food, artificial dyes, SPF, homeopathy, cancer, chemicals, and much more.

Unafraid to expose the sheer nonsense people are led to believe about health, food, drugs, and our environment, Dr. Joe confronts pseudoscience and convincingly and entertainingly advocates for a scientific approach to everyday life.

Crave answers? Dr. Joe Schwarcz demystifies the chemistry of everyday life, serving up practical knowledge to both inform and entertain. Guaranteed to satiate your hunger for palatable and relevant scientific information, A Feast of Science explains that chemical is not synonymous with toxic. Are there fish genes in tomatoes? Can snail-slime cream and bone broth really make your wrinkles disappear? What's the problem with sugar, resistant starch, hops in beer, microbeads, and secret cancer cures? Are natural products the key to good health? Dr. Joe answers these questions and more. Cutting through the fat of story, suggestion, and social-media speculation, A Feast of Science gets to the meat of the chemical reactions that make up our daily lives.

Joe Schwarcz tells it like it is. Whether he's plumbing the mysteries of chicken soup or tracing the development of polyethylene, Schwarcz takes a little history, adds a dash of chemistry, and produces a gem of an essay every time. I wish he'd been my chemistry professor when I was in school. -- Christine Gorman, senior writer, Time Radar, Hula Hoops, and Playful Pigs really does tell it like it is in 67 short, entertaining, and informative pieces about chemistry in everyday life. Find out the latest about homeopathy and alternative medicine. Fill up on facts about soybeans, tomatoes, tea, ginseng, chicken soup, hot dogs, and the benefits of eating chalk. Explore the science behind Alice's strange adventures in Wonderland, Rumpole's deadly cheese soufflé, and Casanova's experiments with Spanish Fly. Investigate the nefarious chemistry of the KGB, the colors of urine, and the mysteries of baldness. Find out how virgins can reduce anxiety and how Chinese Restaurant Syndrome may increase it. Learn how shampoos really work, and discover which cleaning agents must never be combined. Get rid of that skunk smell in a jiffy, and get a whiff of what's behind the act of passing gas. Take a painless glimpse into the discovery of anesthetics. Read about the ups and downs of underwear, the invention of gunpowder, zombies in Haiti, Van Gogh's brain, John Dillinger's chemical exploits, little Mikey's exploding stomach, and Dinshah Ghadiali's bizarre attempts to cure disease with colored lights. Even Houdini makes a magical appearance. Finally, discover the amazing links between radar, hula hoops, and playful pigs! It is hard to believe that anybody could be drawn to such a 'dull and smelly' subject as chemistry until, that is, one picks up Joe Schwarcz's book and is reminded that with every breath and feeling one is experiencing chemistry. Schwarcz gets his chemistry right, and hooks his readers. -- John C. Polanyi, Nobel Laureate Dr. Schwarcz has written a book that has done three things which are difficult to do. First, the book is enormously enjoyable-it commands and holds your attention. Second, it explains science and scientific phenomena in a simple and yet accurate way. And third, it stimulates you to think logically and in so doing, it will lead to a scientifically literate reader who will not be so easily misled by those who wish to paint science and technology as being a danger to humankind and the world around us. -- Michael Smith, Nobel Laureate

Bestselling popular science author Dr. Joe Schwarcz debunks the baloney and serves up the raw facts in this appetizing collection about the things we eat

Eating has become a confusing experience. Should we follow a keto diet? Is sugar the next tobacco? Does fermented cabbage juice cure disease? Are lectins toxic? Is drinking poppy seed tea risky? What's with probiotics? Can packaging contaminate food? Should our nuts be activated? What is cockroach milk?

We all have questions, and Dr. Joe Schwarcz has the answers, some of which will astonish you. This collection is guaranteed to satisfy your hunger for palatable and relevant scientific information as Dr. Joe separates fact from fiction with an assortment of new and updated articles about what to eat, what not to eat, and how to recognize the scientific basis of food chemistry.

From pesticides and environmental estrogens to lipsticks and garlic, the science that surrounds us can be mystifying. Why do some people drill holes in their heads for enlightenment? How did a small chemical error nearly convict the unfortunate Patricia Stallings for murdering her son? Where does the expression take a bromide come from? Dr. Joe Schwarcz investigates aphrodisiacs, DDT, bottled water, vitamins, barbiturates, plastic wrap, and smoked meat. He puts worries about acrylamide, preservatives, and waxed fruit into perspective and unravels the mysteries of bulletproof vests, weight loss diets, and mad honey. From the fanciful to the factual, Dr. Joe enlightens us all -- no drills attached.

Ultimately, the author successfully demonstrates how claims should be queried and analyzed before they are accepted. -- Library Journal

We are in a crisis. A tsunami of misinformation and disinformation is threatening to engulf evidence-based science. While quackery -- loosely defined as the spread of false knowledge, often accompanied by various versions of snake oil -- is not a novel phenomenon, it has never posed as great a threat to public health as today. COVID-19 has unleashed an unprecedented flurry of destructive information that has fueled vaccine hesitancy and has steered people toward unproven therapies. Conspiracy theorists have served up a distasteful menu of twisted facts that create distrust in science.

In Quack Quack, Dr. Joe Schwarcz, who has been battling flimflam for decades, focuses on the deluge of anecdotes, cherry-picked data, pseudoscientific nonsense, and seductive baseless health claims that undermine efforts to educate the public about evidence-based science. The wide scope of the topics drawn from past and present aims to cast a life preserver to people drowning in a sea of misinformation.

Written with a light touch and refreshing humor, this book provides a solid, authoritative starting point for anyone beginning to look at the world with a skeptical eye and a refresher for those further along that path. -- Library Journal

The author's entertaining writing style and clear, precise explanations make the book a joy to read. -- Booklist

Eat this and live to 100. Don't, and die. Today, hyperboles dominate the media, which makes parsing science from fiction an arduous task when deciding what to eat, what chemicals to avoid, and what's best for the environment. In Is That a Fact?, bestselling author Dr. Joe Schwarcz carefully navigates through the storm of misinformation to help us separate fact from folly and shrewdness from foolishness.

Are GMOs really harmful? Or could they help developing countries? Which miracle weight-loss foods gained popularity through exuberant data dredging? Is BPA dangerous or just a victim of unforgiving media hype? Is organic better? Schwarcz questions the reliability and motives of experts in this easy-to-understand yet critical look at what's fact and what's plain nonsense.

Science has gone viral! In more ways than one.

Since we first heard rumblings about a novel type of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, terms like pandemic, spike protein, viral particles, variants, mRNA vaccines, antibodies, hydroxychloroquine, social distancing, immune response, convalescent plasma, aerosol transmission, and of course, face coverings, have entered our everyday vocabulary. The scientific literature has exploded with studies exploring every facet of COVID-19, but unfortunately the viral spread of misinformation about the pandemic has also reached epic proportions.

Science Goes Viral provides a framework for coming to grips with the onslaught of COVID-19 information and misinformation in this ever-changing pandemic. Here, you'll learn about the first antibodies ever identified, the connection between tonic water and coronavirus, and whether we can zap COVID with copper. And although our thoughts and daily activities have been hijacked by the pandemic, life does go on, as does the pursuit of science. Dr. Joe features his usual array of diverse topics, including biblical dyes, essential oils, Jean Harlow's hair, Lincoln's magician, and bioplastics, along with assorted examples of quackery.

Delving into the many fascinating facets of science can serve as a welcome distraction from the COVID curse. In fact, enchantment with science can also be contagious. Will you be infected?

Forty or so years ago, chemistry -- which had been recognized as a miracle-making boon to humanity - somehow became associated with warfare, sinister food additives, toxins and pollution.

It's a situation that Dr. Joe Schwarcz aims to put into perspective.

Yes, there's a downside to chemistry, he says, but this is dwarfed by its enormous benefits.

Dr. Joe's new collection of commentaries will inspire an appreciation for the science of everyday life, and equip you to spot the muddled thinking, misunderstandings and deceptions in media stories and advertising claims. Does organic food really always equal better food? Are vaccines dangerous? Will the latest health fad make you ill? Do expensive wrinkle creams do the job? What are the best ways to avoid cancer? The answers to such questions often lie in an
understanding of the chemistry involved. Ask Dr. Joe.

Science, Sense and Nonsense celebrates chemistry's great achievements, lambastes its charlatans, and explores its essential connections to our wellbeing. And does so in authoritative, highly readable, good humoured style.

Forget your dinner jacket and put on your lab coat: you have to be a nutritional scientist these days before you sit down to eat--which is why we need Dr. Joe Schwarcz, the expert in connecting chemistry to everyday life. In An Apple a Day, he's taken his thorough knowledge of food chemistry, applied it to today's top food fears, trends, and questions, and leavened it with his trademark lighthearted approach. The result is both an entertaining revelation of the miracles of science happening in our bodies every time we bite into a morsel of food, and a telling exploration of the myths, claims, and misconceptions surrounding our obsession with diets, nutrition, and weight.

Looking first at how food affects our health, Dr. Joe examines what's in tomatoes, soy, and broccoli that can keep us healthy and how the hundreds of compounds in a single food react when they hit our bodies. Then he investigates how we manipulate our food supply, delving into the science of food additives and what benefits we might realize from adding bacteria to certain foods. He clears up the confusion about contaminants, examining everything from pesticide residues, remnants of antibiotics, the dreaded trans fats, and chemicals that may leach from cookware. And he takes a studied look at the science of calories and weighs in on popular diets.

The Genie in the Bottle makes science downright fun. Dr. Joe Schwarcz blends quirky anecdotes about everyday chemistry with engaging tales from the history of science. Get a different twist on licorice and travel to the dark side of the sun. Control stinky feet and bend spoons and minds. Learn about the latest on chocolate research, flax, ginkgo biloba, magnesium, and blueberries. Read about the ups of helium and the downs of drain cleaners. Find out why bug juice is used to colour ice cream, how spies used secret inks, and how acetone changed the course of history. It's all there Dr. Joe also solves the mystery of the exploding shrimp and, finally, he lets us in on the secret of the genie in the bottle. The author's first book, Radar, Hula Hoops and Playful Pigs, was a 1999 best-seller in Canada. The author is a charismatic public speaker and notable crowd-pleaser. His fans call him Dr. Joe and he always brings humour, show-biz savvy, and magic to his work.

Health Lab's theme is the most popular of Dr Joe's specialities. There are riveting and sometimes hair-raising vignettes from the history of medicine and food production. There are reports aimed at equipping readers to recognize and beware muddled thinking, misunderstandings and deceptions in media stories about health and nutrition and in the claims made by the peddlars of alternative therapies. There is a wealth of information on the science of inner well-being and outer beauty. The secret to good health lies in understanding the chemistry involved. Ask Dr. Joe.