Molecules That Matter: Catalog of an Exhibit
Raymond J. Giguere
2008, Chemical Heritage Foundation
191 pp
Hardcover, ISBN 978-0-9765723-7-4, Product #9780976572374
$25.00
Molecules That Matter explores ten organic molecules—Aspirin (1900), Isooctane (1910), Penicillin G (1920), Polyethylene (1930), Nylon 6,6 (1940), DNA (1950), Progestin (1960), DDT (1970), Prozac (1980), and Buckyball and Carbon Nanotubes (1990)—that have shaped the course of humanity throughout the 20th century. While other molecules could have been chosen for this exhibit, the impact of these ten is nothing short of astonishing. The idea was to identify a molecule for each decade of the 20th century and explore its scientific, historical, and sociological dimensions. This catalog reveals the academic and industrial research that led to the discovery and dissemination of these substances, and illuminates their social consequences. Color photos.