Is Chemistry Real?

1 credits · Undergraduate

This course explores how to make sense of the chemistry we encounter in news, social media, and everyday life, and how to decide what to trust. Through lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on activities, students examine how chemical knowledge is produced, funded, evaluated, and communicated. Using timely case studies involving nutrition, water, health, energy, and the environment, we explore how to identify trustworthy sources, recognize misinformation, and understand scientific uncertainty and consensus. Through discussions, field work, and creative communication projects, students learn how chemistry operates not only in the laboratory, but also in public conversations that shape personal choices and societal decisions. No prior chemistry background is required.