Once upon a time, the though of artificially producing organic materials was though to be impossible. Humans were not supposed to meddle in the matters of life and death. But science marches on. What was once considered taboo became one of the bases of our modern civilisation.

​And it's all thanks to a single, simple, ubiquitous element on the periodic table.

So what is the world made of? This is certainly something we had taken for granted, even though we experience it with our senses – what we eat, smell, touch and see.

​Certainly with the advancement of chemistry throughout the ages, we have managed to create thing not found in nature, but how did we make sense of the nature of things so that we can manipulate them?

The following is a tale of triumph and tragedy,  of brilliance and ignorance, and of how the passion of one man formed the foundations of our modern civilisation.

Though Antoine Lavoisier should be remembered for more than his achievements and death, it is his legacy and his sacrifice that has sealed his place in the annals history.

​"Storm" is a beat-poem by renowned comedian Tim Minchin. Recognised as a profound modern literary work, it discusses the challenges of defending knowledge, reasoning, and logic in our times. 

​TEACHER'S DISCRETION ADVISED, SOME USE OF STRONG LANGUAGE

Yes, the Universe is this big, giant, unfathomable thing. But even the largest of things are made from the most basic of materials.

​And you can't get more basic than the nucleus of an atom...