The achievements and excitement of chemistry are evident in our everyday lives. Scientific research has not only led to cures for serious diseases and produced life-enhancing synthetic materials but has also offered profound insights into the nature of the world around us. In this way chemistry has made a huge impact on human progress in the 20th century. We can expect even more exciting developments in the new millennium. Illustrated in full colour, this book describes the key developments in the molecular sciences in recent years and those likely to happen in the near future. These include the many remarkable discoveries made in the life sciences, and the huge variety of technological applications of chemistry: liquid crystals, batteries, catalysts, plastics and novel electronic materials. The book also explains how chemistry is actually carried out: methods of making and analysing molecules, calculating their properties and studying how and why chemical reactions occur. Endorsed by Prime Minister Tony Blair and written in clear accessible language by a group of leading chemists, The Age of the Molecule will appeal to anyone who wants to understand the world and ourselves at the molecular level.