The science that dare not speak its name

THE rot began in 1929 when Paul Dirac had the arrogance to declare that physics could solve all chemistry’s problems. Little by little, the interesting bits began to be hived off into disciplines such as astrobiology and polymer science. Today, much of chemistry has been rebranded as glamorous-sounding nanotechnology. So let’s not forget chemistry’s power. With hindsight, it’s clear that the “cold fusion” a pair of electrochemists thought they had stumbled upon 20 years ago will not deliver the energy miracle it promised, but the affair reminds us that chemistry retains the ability to surprise (see “Interview: Fusion is a…