Why can two molecules built from the same atoms, in the same order, be a life-saving medicine in one form and a danger in its mirror image? This book answers that question and shows why it matters every time you swallow a pill. If you are curious about how chemistry shapes health, or you simply love a good scientific mystery, this is for you.
Journey from Louis Pasteur sorting crystals with tweezers to the thalidomide tragedy that rewrote the rules of drug safety. Discover why life itself is stubbornly one-handed, and why making just one hand of a molecule stumped chemists for generations. Then meet Benjamin List and David MacMillan, whose surprising use of humble organic molecules as catalysts won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Written in the spirit of the Very Short Introductions, the book is concise, vivid, and free of jargon. Everyday images of gloves, locks, and keys make sophisticated ideas intuitive, while human stories keep the science alive. No chemistry background is needed, only a taste for wonder and a willingness to look at the world in the mirror.
