Water as you’ve never seen it before

What is water? A clear, colourless, odourless liquid. It exists in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. It is all around us and within us. It covers over 70% of our Earth's surface. It is the fundamental condition for life; all the chemical processes of all living organisms—both animals and plants—take place in it. Without water, we would simply die; it is impossible to live without it. Water is also the most important raw material in practically all industries, and agriculture cannot exist without it at all. And it has many extraordinary properties that we still know little about, scientists included. WHY doesn't it flow in a straight line, but in a spiral? HOW does it flow even in a glass? WHERE did it get its memory and ability to perceive emotions? WHY does it defy many physical laws? Renowned publicist Dr Milan Syruček decided to explore and describe these and many other questions surrounding water. He took a thorough approach, venturing into all areas where water is found and used: physics, biology, history, politics, wars, disasters, and medicine. And he arrived at the future of humanity, because there is enough water, yet there is too little. He reveals and proves that although we know water, we still do not truly know it. Illustrations: Richard Böhnel. PhDr. Milan Syruček (born 1932) is known as a journalist and foreign policy commentator. He graduated from the Faculty of Arts at Charles University and began collaborating with the Mladá fronta editorial team during his studies. As its reporter and head of the foreign department, he later travelled the world and participated in many significant events, negotiations, and international conferences. He wrote reports and commentaries from his travels, which were published in print, television, and radio. In addition, he is the author of 18 non-fiction books on political issues and personalities: Rozpůlený banán (The Split Banana), Dědictví generála (The General's Legacy), Kissinger ve službách Bílého domu (Kissinger in the Service of the White House), Evropa zítřka (The Europe of Tomorrow), Záhady Angkoru (The Mysteries of Angkor), Osudové minuty Země (The Fateful Minutes of the Earth), Svět mezi čtyřma očima (The World Between Four Eyes), Růže pro prezidenta (A Rose for the President), Henry Kissinger, V zajetí džungle (Captive in the Jungle), Banderovci – hrdinové nebo bandité? (Banderites – Heroes or Bandits?), Tajná zbraň na Ussuri (Secret Weapon on the Ussuri), and others.