This course will cover the history of alchemy (adopting a loose definition of the word) from the Middle Ages to present day - think attempts to find the "universal elixir" to modern day nuclear power plants.

Often the famous scientists we hear the most about are old white men, and scientists in movies almost always look like some version of Albert Einstein. Underneath this stereotype are centuries of groundbreaking scientific contributions from women and people of color. In this class, we'll explore these often untold stories, from the first woman mathematician in ancient Egypt to the African American women who helped put a man on the moon. We'll discuss the lives these fantastic scientists led and their exciting contributions to science.

We'll go through an overview of the chemistry behind popular types of food with a particular focus on misconceptions.