Composed in four movements, Symphony in C explores carbon's multi-faceted characteristics, as epitomised by the classical elements of the ancients – Earth, Air, Fire and Water. A musical symphony is a unique and intriguing metaphor to explain the role of carbon in the history of life. But no other medium seemed grand enough, sweeping enough, or indeed able to capture the enormous complexity of the task.Carbon is the stuff of stars and the basis on which all life in the known universe is built. From the graphite and wood of your pencil to the cells that make up your blood and bones, everything you touch and everything you are is made of carbon. But what we know about carbon is dwarfed by what we don't know.The book takes readers on a fascinating journey exploring the role of carbon in the universe. The history of carbon, its origins and evolution, stasis and change, science and technology, spans almost 14 billion years, but remains utterly immediate and relevant today.
