An exciting journey from acids and bases to aspirin and bananas.

How much do you actually know about the scientific processes behind everyday things like cooking, cleaning, and taking medication?

For example, do you know why water expands when it freezes instead of decreasing in volume like all other materials? Or that monosodium glutamate (MSG) is no more harmful to your health than any other seasoning?

So many of the choices we make daily are influenced by popular opinion or unfounded trends. It’s time to take knowledge into your own hands and acquire the information that will allow you to lead a safe and healthy life.

Doctor of Chemistry Ilana Fried lays out the endlessly fascinating foundations of household chemistry, from the compounds and molecules that surround us every day to the more complex reactions and solutions that make up our lives. She takes readers on a journey through the chemical world, teaching them how to make informed decisions, what to be wary of, and how to distinguish between scientific truth and baseless fears.