Friction: A Biography

Mechanical engineer Vail, who specializes in the study of friction, argues in this convincing debut survey that the force is important to virtually every aspect of life. She traces the history of tribology—the study of friction—from its roots in ancient history, when humans mastered fire, through the Industrial Revolution, when new lubricants were developed to create more efficient machines, to today, when the laws of friction play a role in everything from developing effective contact lenses and improving the texture of yogurt to addressing climate change. Vail gives significant attention to the latter, explaining that carbon-emitting machines like cars and planes use a substantial amount of energy to overcome friction. Tribologists have dramatically improved the efficiency of automobiles by reducing friction but significant changes can still be made, she says, as only about 21.5% of the fuel put in cars is used to move them, while about a third is used to overcome friction in components like the engine, transmission, and tires. Vail also discusses how studying friction has led to insights into the nature of black matter and the evolution of the universe. She imbues the eye-opening account with a playful tone, lamenting at one point that “the problem with being a tribologist is that you’re inundated with puns” (indeed, one chapter is titled “When You Rub the Wrong Way”). Readers will be inspired to start noticing how this hidden force shapes the world around them. (Jan.)