Misunderstood Memes

The eternal struggle of synthetic chemists! While they're busy discussing complex reaction mechanisms and multi-step syntheses, there's always that one person who thinks they're just fancy alchemists trying to turn lead into gold. The hilarious disconnect between modern chemical synthesis (with its precise calculations, controlled reactions, and molecular engineering) versus the medieval pseudoscience of alchemy is perfectly captured in this suspicious squint. Next time you hear someone mention "ligand optimization" or "stereoselective catalysis," resist the urge to ask if they've found the philosopher's stone yet!