Absolute Zero And the Conquest of Cold Author:Tom Shachtman In a sweeping yet concise scientific adventure story, Tom Shachtman takes us on a journey in which the extraordinary secrets of cold are teased apart and mastered, bringing advances in civilization and comfort. Starting in the 1600s with an alchemist's attempt to air-condition Westminster Abbey, the incredible story includes the invention of the... more »rmometers and scales, the sale of Walden Pond ice to tropical countries by nineteenth-century merchants, and the pursuit of absolute zero by scientists who competed with as much fervor as those racing to the poles.« less