Has "Breaking Bad" Made The Reputation Of Chemistry Worse?
Monday, September 26, 2011 - 16:20
in Physics & Chemistry
Are students inspired to go into physics because of a television show like "The Big Bang Theory"? Probably not, or else 60% of America would be cops and lawyers.But chemistry has a bad reputation, argues a recent editorial in Nature Chemistry, and "Breaking Bad" gets some of the blame for keeping its reputation bad. It's a cable show on AMC, so not exactly on the minds of all that many people, but it chronicles the transformation of Walter White from suburban high school chemistry teacher to crystal meth dealer and criminal mastermind who uses his chemistry expertise (poisons, noxious gases, and acid) to eliminate rival meth dealers. read more