Selenium

Besides reading the New York Times science and education sections, I tend to read all different types of books in my spare time. While my time has been a little less sparse as of late, not having a TV in Ann Arbor has given me the opportunity to read a little bit more than usual. Here are some of my favorites:

I get a lot of my fun facts from here (including today's)! It's a great read for both science-y and non-science-y alike.

A professor had recommended that I read this before traveling to the Mid West. The book classifies students in rural high schools into four types based on whether they leave, if they come back after leaving, and the jobs they hold.

I LOVE Malcolm Gladwell. I can't get enough of this guy. His books make you stop and think about your perceptions of common occurrences. In this particular book, Gladwell questions the link between success and resources. It's shocking.

Common Occurrences: Because it responds to light, selenium is found in photocopiers and laser printers. Selenium also provides a red pigment for glazes. Nutrition wise, selenium is found in brazil nuts, fish, eggs, and mushrooms.

Fun Fact: Locoweed is a prairie plant from the pea family that has a high selenium content and when too much of it is eaten by cattle, they get "high" and stagger and stumble around. The same outcome happened to William Crookes, a scientist who pioneered the study of selenium, who was unknowingly high on selenium for large amounts of time and was convinced that he could talk to his dead brother.