Is chemistry really so difficult?

Presenter: Andrea Sella

Published: June 2015

Age: 14-19 and upwards

Views: 1269 views

Tags: chemistry;perception;genomics;molecular;biology

Type: Lectures

Source/institution: Royal Society

Chemistry has progressed in a way few outsiders appreciate. It underpins many other sciences; from genomics and molecular biology, food and sports science, through to cosmology and planetary science. Why hasn’t the public impression of chemistry evolved too?Chemistry is often perceived as difficult, abstract and dangerous. Chemists often use the visual spectacle of explosions and bubbling glassware to popularise the subject and as a result, the public view of chemistry has not caught up to the radical changes in the field.