Naturally… CHEMISTRY!
Teaching module for junior secondary schools 16 - 23 - 30 october 2025
Are we really sure that natural is always better than chemical? Often the word ‘chemical’ is a bit scary, as if it were something artificial or harmful. Yet this science is simply the study of matter and its transformations, and it’s all around us! In these lessons, we will explore the chemistry in our daily lives and in particular in three areas we are familiar with: food, clothes and colours. We will learn how chemistry, when used wisely, helps us to improve what nature has to offer, making our lives more comfortable, more beautiful and safer. Because in the end, chemical and natural are not at all contrary… indeed, they often work together to make our world even more amazing!
In collaboration with Il Chimico sulla tavola.
Flavourings
- Thursday 16 October 2025 at 10:00 - 12:00
In this first lesson, we will explore the chemistry of natural and artificial flavourings to learn their differences and their history, introduce some famous molecules and dispel the main myths that cast doubt on their quality, safety and sustainability.
Fibres
- Thursday 23 October 2025 at 10:00 - 12:00
Artificial and synthetic fibres are often considered inferior to natural ones in terms of quality, performance and even sustainability. But is it really so? In this second lesson, we will explore their world, clarifying the differences between these three categories, understanding the strengths and possible problems of each, and recounting the challenges to be faced from a sustainability perspective, without any fanfare.
Colours
- Thursday 30 October 2025 at 10:00 - 12:00
Until (relatively) recently, colour was a privilege that only a few could afford. Natural molecules with a colouring effect were either very expensive or very ineffective. It was only with the advent of the first dyes, created in a laboratory, that the world really became colourful. In this third lesson, we will explore the chemistry of natural and artificial dyes, first clarifying what colour is and where it comes from, telling the incredible story of the discovery of the first artificial dye, and debunking the false myths that consider artificial dyes less safe than natural ones.
