How Has Chemistry Improved People’s Lives?
Chemistry improves almost all aspects of people’s lives either directly or indirectly; advances in chemistry have led to life-saving medicine, improvements to the way humans treat their environment, sources of green energy and other useful technologies. Chemistry is often referred to as the “central science” because of its role in connecting and advancing disparate fields, and its effects on people’s lives reflect its diverse applications.
The American Chemistry Council notes that advances in chemistry helped further medicine as a discipline. For example, chemistry yielded helpful chemical tests that diabetics can use to quickly check their insulin levels. Chemistry has also helped in the discovery and subsequent large scale manufacture of lifesaving drugs. Meanwhile, chemistry is also responsible for the fertilizers and pesticides that farmers use to improve crop yields, improving quality of life worldwide by reducing hunger. Water treatment facilities around the world rely on the principles of chemistry to make water safe to drink. Safety in sports also benefits from chemistry because of padding and helmets made from advanced plastics.
Chemistry also improves people’s lives in more mundane ways. For example, winemaking, brewing and distilling of spirits are also all processes that benefit from chemistry; the fine products on the modern market in these fields are all produced in part thanks to thorough knowledge of the science.
