Classification and discipline: The order of the elements

Classification and discipline: The order of the elements

—The periodic table, a product of the collective creativity of science classrooms in the nineteenth century.—   The periodic system is one of the most popular icons of contemporary chemistry. It is a classification of the elements that, through...
Science in the classroom

Science in the classroom

—A journey through the teaching of experimental science and the training of the elite.—   There is no scientific discipline that is valued without, at least, one founding father. Chemistry has two. The father of modern chemistry, Antoine Lavoisier,...
William Whewell and science as a liberal profession

William Whewell and science as a liberal profession

—Science emerged as a profession in the nineteenth century, at the same time as a structure of disciplines and specialties was took shape.—   William Whewell (1794-1866) developed a unique academic career in the first half of the nineteenth century....