Have you ever wondered why ice floats and water is such a freaky liquid? Or why chillies and mustard are both hot but in different ways? This fascinating scientific tour of household objects has the answer to all of these, and many more, baffling questions about the chemistry and physics of the everyday stuff we use every day. Available in the LRC.

The fascinating tales in this book follow carbon, neon, silicon, gold and every single element on the periodic table as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, conflict, the arts, medicine and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them.

This book offers the reader two quite different books for the price of one, being a pacy murder mystery which also offers a fascinating insight into the workings of an industrial plant and the chemistry behind the processes involved.

What was life like for the scientists working at Los Alamos? This novel imagines this life through the wide eyes of the thirteen-year-old son of an MIT physicist who worked on the project. Filled with the sensuous excitement of scientific discovery and the outrageous behavior of people pushed beyond their limits, this book is a coming-of-age story that explores the mysterious connections between love and work, inspiration and history.

Smart, funny, joyous and powerful, this book featuring an unconventional female scientist with a quiet game-plan to change the world is undoubtedly one of 2022's most gloriously enjoyable debut novels. 

Enter this annual science competition from Oxford University. Click here for more information.

Write an article on the subject of your choice, suitable for publication in a review journal (e.g. Chemistry Review). 

Imaginary worlds podcast 

Imaginary Worlds sounds like what would happen if NPR went to ComicCon and decided that’s all they ever wanted to cover. Host Eric Molinsky  uses his skills to create thoughtful, sound-rich episodes about science fiction, fantasy, and other genres of speculative fiction.

Point of discovery podcast - 

Behind every scientific discovery is a scientist (or 12) and a story. “Point of Discovery” takes you on a journey beyond WHAT we know to HOW we know it. Along the way, listeners will meet the sometimes quirky, always passionate people. 

Listen to a podcasts from different elements in the periodic table 

Fantastic Fungi - available via Netflix

Delve into the magical world of fungi, from mushrooms that clear oil spills to underground fungal networks that help trees communicate. 

My octopus teacher avaialble via Netflix. 

An incredible true story about a man and his quest to befriend and octopus. A filmmaker forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world. 

Dark waters - 

A film about a corporate defense attorney takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution.

Dopesick - TV series on how one company triggered the worst drug epidemic in American history. 

Erin Brockovich film, available via Netflix.  

A true story, Erin was never trained, or indeed meant to work in a lawyers office. she discovers some legal files that don't add up... On investigation she discovers an injustice, and decides, against the odds, to take on the bad guys on behalf of a poor and very ill community in a small town.

Netflix

Delve into the digestive system with this lighthearted and informative documentary that demystifies the role gut health plays in our overall well-being.

BBC iplayer

Physicist Dr Helen Czerski explores the narrow band of temperature that has led to life on Earth. She reveals how life began in a dramatic place where hot meets cold, and how every single living creature on Earth depends on temperature for its survival.

Imperial college summer schools and work experience opportunities - keep a lookout on their website. 

Sign up for the Royal Institution christmas lectures in London 

Make a 'silver' egg 

Love chemistry? Become a student member of the Royal society for Chemistry.

Interested in becoming a medic? take a look at this website for info on volunteering and exams.