by Tara REDICAN, Manhattan Village Academy

How has Chemistry impacted and shaped our past, present, and future?

Introduction

 Chemistry has shaped our past.  

Our understanding of what air is,  our understanding of atoms, our understanding of how matter changes is all related to chemistry and all of these ideas an more have shaped our past.  Just think about the Bronze Age or how money is made or jewelry or steel or chemicals in our homes. 

Also, past discoveries of elements and chemicals have changed our world, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst, and sometimes for the better and worse.  Chemical discoveries like TNT, aspirin, plastics, cosmetics, soap, steel, batteries, and so much more have changed our lives forever.   Even small ideas like the Haber process can have a large impact.

http://rashidfaridi.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/the-atomic-bomb-and-the-end-of-world-war-ii/Some ideas have been historical like nuclear power and nuclear weapons. 

Present and future chemical work will certainly continue to change the our world and how we live our lives.   Chemical and quantum work like String Theory, CERN, superconductors, cold fusion and more could possible change history.