Farmer Buckleys Exploding Trousers - And Other Odd Events On The Way
To Scientific Discovery

Product Description

In August 1931, New Zealand farmer Richard Buckley hit the local headlines
- or rather his trousers did. One minute they were drying in front of the fire; the next there was a huge blast & a ball of flames. Farmer Buckley's trousers had exploded. The culprit? A popular pesticide of the day, which when combined with clothing fibres unexpectedly formed a highly combustible compound. This incendiary story is a striking example of how scientific advances meant to improve people's lives can sometimes backfire. Contrary to the widespread belief that science & technology move steadily on from one discovery to the next, the fascinating stories in this entertaining collection present some of the unfamiliar characters & events that litter the path of scientific progress, where setbacks & mishaps are the norm, & breakthroughs are the exception.