Many of the substances we rely on daily go unnoticed and sometimes their availability is taken for granted. Yet behind each one lies a complex history of discovery, production, and global impact. Throughout history, humans have exploited natural resources and modified their environment to enhance their quality of life, a feature that sets them apart from other forms of life. As a result, human progress has been relentless, from the invention of the wheel to the development of engines, satellites, and computers. Like engineering, inventions in chemistry have followed an upward trajectory....
Many of the substances we rely on daily go unnoticed and sometimes their availability is taken for granted. Yet behind each one lies a complex history...