Chem

CHEMISTRY: A VOLATILE HISTORY
~ Discovering the elements ~

Professor of theoretical physics, Jim Al-Khalili, traces the extraordinary history of chemistry and follows in the footsteps of alchemists and scientists who changed chemistry forever. This alluring scientific documentary is a story of the vital components of which everything in our world is made out of- the elements. It delves deep into the story which began with the Ancient Greek theory of there being just 4 elements in our universe; earth, fire, water and air. We see how this theory was disproved and how long it actually took before scientists realised that there was more to the world than this. We also observe how science, chemistry in particular, progressed through time. From the humorous discovery of fiery phosphorous, to the more conflicting birth of oxygen, this video travels back hundreds of years in time to show exactly how scientists unravelled the secrets of our world.  
People may have different views on this video, particularly because of its genre. Personally, I do not fascinate documentaries on science or any other subject for that matter, though I found myself rather intrigued by the topics that were discussed by presenter Jim Al-Khalili. Not only was it educational, it also included a little banter and wit, along with related animations and graphics. Along with the way he engaged the audience and captivated them, the video also incorporated graphics which related to the video. The experiments he also conducted (the ‘urine breakthrough’, ‘discovery of Hydrogen’) showed the audience not only how elements were discovered, but it also made them feel a sudden urge to carry out experiments of their own. The intensity of the documentary made the viewer’s feel the joy, unhappiness and anger as they time travel through the birth of elements. Even those who aren’t too keen on the topic of science, feel as if science is suddenly so much more captivating and enjoyable. Along with the good...