Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Solo atoms : electrons, nuclei and quanta -- Atomic duets : the chemical bond -- Atoms in concert : states of matter -- Patterns within patterns : perfect crystals -- The inevitable flaw : imperfect crystals -- The great mediator : water -- From mine, quarry and well : minerals -- Almost forever : ceramics -- Monarchs of the cave : metals -- The busy electron : conductors and insulators -- A mysterious harmony : glass -- To the organic world : carbon -- Strangeness in proportion : liquid crystals -- Of snakes and ladders : polymers -- The vital threads : biopolymers -- The essential bag : the cell -- Mortal coils : the organism -- A place in the sun : the plant -- Mandatory hunter : the animal -- Enchanted loom : the mind.

Using the cosmos as a backdrop, Rodney Cotterill delivers a fascinating journey of Nature's materials, from the atom to the living organism. This is a beautifully illustrated, expanded account of the highly praised Cambridge Guide to the Material World. The author seamlessly blends the physics, chemistry and biology of Nature, portraying matter with all its elegance and flaws. Although the book is divided into material types, the author connects concepts and pinpoints commonalities between the inorganic and organic domains. It challenges the reader to question our structured view of the world and whether this limits our scientific endeavour, aptly demonstrated by the new chapter devoted exclusively to the mind. Through the breadth of topics and engaging prose, this book will act as a superb introduction to material science for students and those intrigued by the material world we live in.