What if I told you that many of the everyday objects around you are hiding extraordinary scientific secrets?  This blog will uncover the strange and intriguing chemistry we unknowingly encounter every day; chemistry that can forever change our “reaction” to science.

Dr. Steven Farmer lives in the Northern San Francisco Bay Area and currently holds a tenured position of professor at Sonoma State University. In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Farmer maintains an active research group, which focuses on organic chemistry and chemical education. Dr. Farmer is an experienced, infectiously enthusiastic public speaker and has recently spearheaded a public outreach effort designed to increase the public’s knowledge of and interest in chemistry, which has taken him to schools, colleges, and public meetings.  If you know of a group which may be interested in hearing him speak please contact him at farmers@sonoma.edu.

Dr. Farmer is the author of the book:

Strange Chemistry: The Stories Your Chemistry Teacher Wouldn’t Tell You

https://www.amazon.com/Strange-Chemistry-Stories-Teacher-Wouldnt/dp/1119265266/

Strange Chemistry opens the audience’s eyes to the extra-ordinary scientific secrets hiding in the everyday objects around them. The book covers broad subjects that touch on everyday life, including the chemistry of poisons, illicit drugs, explosives, foods, common household products, and radiation.

Did you know that many components of foods come from quite unexpected sources, for instance, Gummi Bears^® are actually made from cows, Junior Mints^® are shiny because they are coated with bug secretions, and many packaged luncheon meats have viruses added to them?

Readers will find the information not only intriguing, but also absorbing and edgy. Unlike other science interest books, Strange Chemistry focuses on the darker, wilder side of chemistry, which, unfortunately, most authors and chemistry teachers tend to avoid.