Abstract The status of chemistry in society is a profound, dichotomy of perceptions, and neither of these perceptions are in consistent agreement with the facts. While those engaged in the science and industry of chemistry hail the accomplishments that have come from the central science, there are a large number of people who view chemicals and chemistry as something to be afraid of, curtailed, and avoided wherever possible. Neither of these perspectives can possibly capture the full vision of chemistry because it encompasses the characterization, interaction, and manipulation of all matter. The true nature of chemistry, therefore, is complex and vast, as is its effect. Chemistry has resulted in the medical revolution of the past century in which drugs such as antibiotics have been used to cure diseases that have ravaged mankind for millennia. These advances, brought about by chemistry, have resulted in the average life expectancy rising from 47 in 1900, to 75 years in the 1990s. The world’s food supply has seen an explosive expansion in this century because of the development of chemicals that protect crops and enhance growth. In virtually every arena and every aspect of material life – transportation, communication, clothing, shelter, etc. – chemistry has resulted in an improvement, not merely in the trappings of life, but also in the quality of the lives of the billions of individuals who now inhabit the planet.