My working life was spent as an industrial chemist and I have enjoyed a variety of other interests yet I’ve always been particularly fascinated by the ingenuity and brilliance of humans over history to develop resources and shape them to our own needs, be it for great good or to terrible ends, and sometimes for both, as accepted wisdom and circumstances have often changed over time. I present several illustrated talks on various topics with, when appropriate, a degree of humour attached. I always look forward to questions from my audience at the end of the talks which can reveal some fascinating further details and discussion.