{"product_id":"friction-a-biography-9780674290662","title":"Friction: A Biography","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom the first spark of fire to the frontiers of energy, medicine, and space, a pioneering account of the invisible force that connects it all.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFriction, the force that resists motion, is synonymous with difficulty and complication. If you've ever replaced tires worn smooth by the road or reached for a can of WD-40 to fix a creaking door hinge, then you know the headache this force can cause. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this book, Jennifer Vail reveals beneath the difficulty and complication a force as enigmatic and intriguing as it is central to the human story. She traces how, from the moment we first harnessed the power of fire to the Industrial Revolution and beyond, the quest to manipulate friction has driven innovation, culture, and even our own evolution. Today, as scientists study friction in the most unexpected of places, they're learning why some viruses lie dormant for years while others devastate our cells immediately; where elusive dark matter might be found; and how the climate crisis ought finally be addressed. And yet, for all they've learned, scientists still haven't cracked the greatest mystery of all: how to bridge the distinct laws that govern friction at its largest and smallest scales. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eConnecting the discoveries of historical luminaries like Newton, da Vinci, and the Wright brothers to the latest breakthroughs in engineering, \u003ci\u003eFriction\u003c\/i\u003e is a captivating biography of this unsung hero of the physical world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Jennifer R. Vail\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Belknap Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/13\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 248\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.92lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.35h x 5.94w x 0.93d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780674290662\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/27\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/15\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eVail, Jennifer R.:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Jennifer R. Vail is the founder of DuPont's first tribology research lab and a member of the senior leadership team at TA Instruments, a manufacturer of tools used for analyzing the physical properties of materials. Her TED Talk, \"The Science of Friction,\" has been viewed more than two million times.","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Jennifer R. Vail \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":47579896381597,"sku":"9780674290662","price":47.91,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_4febad5c-7b7b-41dc-9fe2-03e605c17224.jpg?v=1768898183","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/friction-a-biography-9780674290662","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}