Who would guess that a Mt. Lebanon mom conducts strange concoctions, some with titles like "Goopy Goop: Oobleck" or "Foamy Volcano" in her kitchen.

Not only that, she's written a book full of experiments for kids to do in their kitchen. Cynthia Light Brown's book, Amazing Kitchen Chemistry Projects You Can Build Yourself (Nomad Press) came out this spring to comments by two Nobel prize winners in chemistry.

Ronald Hoffman declared, "Chemistry experiments in the kitchen from mysterious oobleck to soda rockets, this book is the greatest fun. I can't wait to try some of these experiments. The grandchildren? They will have to wait."

Peter Agre, MD, wrote, "When young people actually put their hands on scientific projects, they realize how much fun science really is."

An absolute, irrevocable love of wondering how the world works. Brown has always loved science.

It started with collecting rocks and wondering about their shape and color.

In fact, "Everybody who came to our house got a rock as a present," she explained. Later, she began to wonder how the rocks were formed.

Her parents, sensing a daughter who might make use of it, got her a chemistry set.

For Brown, "Chemistry is about how everything in the universe is put together." No question is too odd, whether wondering about bubbles or egg shells or carbon, Brown is fascinated. And the questions lead to searches. And the searches are what propelled the book.

In addition to being able to try out experiments that reveal concepts in chemistry, Brown has included sidebars about notable moments in history where chemists made a difference.

There is a fascinating story about how Danish scientists found a way to hide their gold medals from invading Nazi soldiers in World War II. There is another story about Mahatma Ghandi and what salt meant to the people of India.

Of all the stories she found, Brown liked the story of Erasto Mpemba, who discovered something remarkable when he and his classmates made ice cream.

Brown used a variety of research tools, most importantly she allowed her mind to "be open to whatever is out there."

She hopes that kids will find, "You can explore, experiment, make their own deductions and compare that with everything else they know." Most of all she wants them to know, "It's fun!"

Her next book, Discover National Parks: National Monuments will be out next spring. Again, a book filled with "history, factoids, and sidebars" it is aimed at helping kids explore different scientific concepts.

In the meantime, let's hope Brown's children, Nick (14), Katie, (12) and Gracie (8) find a way to watch over mom so she doesn't blow up the kitchen.