A stack of books

These green books are poisonous—and one may be on a shelf near you

A toxic green pigment was once used to color everything from fake flowers to book covers. Now a museum conservator is working to track down the noxious volumes.

During the 19th century, emerald green pigment was all the rage in fashion and home decor—despite the fact that it contains arsenic.
Photograph by Rebecca Hale, National Geographic
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