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Decentring the central science

Nature Chemistry volume 15, pages 1319–1320 (2023)Cite this article

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Teaching the history of science along with the science itself can give students greater context about the topic they are learning and a wider perspective on how it has developed. Michelle Francl, who has wrestled with how much time to spend on teaching history in the chemistry classroom for years, considers how unconventional histories can shift the curriculum.

Imagine an opening aerial shot for an episode of a British crime series. A river winds nearby, trees sport their autumn colours, the stolid stone buildings of a college come into view, with students criss-crossing the pristine green. You can sense the crisp early-morning October air.

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Fig. 1

Science History Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Fig. 2: Birch tar ‘pit roll’ production technique.

References

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  1. Twitter / X: @MichelleFrancl

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, USA

    Michelle Francl

  2. Vatican Observatory, Vatican City, Vatican City State

    Michelle Francl

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  1. Michelle Francl
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Correspondence to Michelle Francl.

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The author declares no competing interests.

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Francl, M. Decentring the central science. Nat. Chem. 15, 1319–1320 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-023-01336-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-023-01336-5

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