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...chemistry during their function. A key ingredient is the basic blackpowder (later known as gunpowder) mixture that was originally discovered by 8th century Chinese alchemists. In fact blackpowder has been used as a major constituent of fireworks since the early firecrackers made by the Chinese in about AD1000. The English monk Roger Bacon introduced blackpowder to Europe...

...lies at the centre of our modern life, playing a part in areas as diverse as the development of new drugs and materials, analysing our environment through to more mundane activities such as washing your clothes and making your tea. But to truly understand the role chemistry plays you need to have a sound grasp of a number of fundamental principles. This free course,...

...chemistry, the environment and health. Here are just six key players...The contribution of women as scientists in the areas of chemistry, the environment and health are hugely significant and far-reaching. Here are just a few examples which illustrate the breadth of their previous and continuing contributions. 1: Marie Curie [portrait of Marie Curie] Marie Curie was the...

...chemistry is vital to reduce both the use of resources and the environmental impact of society on the planet...Find out more about The Open University's Chemistry courses. Sustainable use of resources must be considered because fossil fuels and other mined commodities are being depleted, and there is increasing demand from humanity. Achieving sustainability involves many...

...chemistry, biology and life-sciences, and Earth and environmental sciences. Across these multiple disciplines you will meet time scales that include ages, durations and rates, and size scales including distances in three dimensions, which underpin areas and volumes...Scale – dealing with the miniscule to the massive, over milliseconds to millennia – is central to all...