A night at the opera

The importance of communicating chemistry to the public should not be underestimated. In an era where the way of life to which we have become accustomed is threatened, it is vital that society understands the disciplines that can help us to meet the challenges we face. In recent years, progress has been made in advancing the public understanding of science, and many scientists are now actively involved in public engagement work. An unusual context for communicating chemistry through opera has been described in an article by André, based on a lecture delivered to a range of audiences over the last two years.

Many operas feature chemically-related skulduggery, normally in the form of a poisoning incident, and this article provides fascinating reading for those of us with little knowledge of this area of the arts. While opera may not be to everybody's tastes, many films and TV shows have featured chemistry in a historical context, including the BBC's recent hit Ripper Street, and this sort of approach could easily be adapted to other forms of art.

David Read summarises André's article.