The Good, the Bad, and the Chemistry: Decoding Chemical Sensationalism

Is there really coal tar in macaroni and cheese? Should you eat things that you can’t pronounce? If a chemical is used to make yoga mats, is it safe to consume? Questions like these come up because there is a lot of information—and misinformation—about chemicals online and in the media. Chemists have a leg up on the rest of us when it comes to answering these questions. They see molecules in everything from coffee to blood to cheesy sauce, and they understand the way atoms and compounds work, including what makes some beautiful and others dangerous. At this Weeknights at the Wagner lecture, chemist Dr. Michelle Francl will decode the mysteries about chemicals and provide strategies that non-chemists can use to determine whether mainstream recommendations about chemicals are scientifically sound or purely sensationalism.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Click here to register.