Why Did the Chemist Cross the Road?
The concept of marketing a product as “chemical free” is so bewildering to chemists – those people who have spent their lives devoted to what most of us left behind after the chemistry lessons of school – that they have engaged in all sorts of jokes at the expense of us non-chemists.
Looking for a good chemistry joke or joke for chemists?
Below you can see, in its entirety, a paper submitted in June to the academic journal Nature Chemistry by two chemists entitled, “A comprehensive overview of chemical-free consumer products.”
The joke is that there are no chemical-free products. Everything is a chemical. Therefore, when you see something that says “chemical free” you should know that you are witnessing opportunistic and unfaithful marketing.
The lesson for us all is to not be afraid of chemicals, but to seek a better understanding. Chemists have developed the substances and materials that enable so much of our lives today; we are undeniably better off with the products of chemistry than without. This article was originally posted by The BPA Coalition.
