Montreal Gazette - An infectious love for science; Joe Schwarcz's brain sparks was a hit at high school

Who could write a book about 179 facts and make it a page-turner? The man who started making science quizzes for his friends when he was in high school. That's Joe Schwarcz, PhD, professor and director of McGill University's Office for Science and Society.

He writes a weekly column, The Right Chemistry, for The Gazette about science, or, more specifically, chemistry. He also hosts a radio show on CJAD. Impressive enough credentials already, but he is also a prolific book writer, having penned 10 bestsellers -all based on everyday science. And Schwarcz was in his element when I saw him on stage at his Magic of Chemistry show at McGill in December.

That was when I found out that chemists are not necessarily boring people in white lab coats who sit around and talk gibberish while observing some molecular reaction. Schwarcz not only kept all members of the audience -from grandparents to grade-school kids -enthralled, but he explained chemistry in a way that even engaged the 6-yearolds...