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‘Dazzling’ globetrotting adventure in history of alchemy wins 2026 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize

“Chemistry can’t be viewed as some long, glorious, progressive march to an enlightened future. It came from everyday people, living their lives by their own understanding of the world, and just trying to get by.” – The Age of Alchemy 

The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry by self-proclaimed science adventurer Kit Chapman has been announced as the winner of the 2026 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize. 

The announcement was made by Vice President of ºìÌÒÊÓƵ, Professor Sheila Rowan FRS, at an award ceremony at ºìÌÒÊÓƵ in London this evening. 

ºìÌÒÊÓƵ Trivedi Science Book Prize celebrates the best popular science books from the past 12 months, championing non-fiction that uses captivating narratives to open up the wonders of science to a wider audience. 

The Age of Alchemy, published by Profile Books, stood out to the judges for its strong narrative voice and global perspective. Judges described it as “dazzling”, “beautiful”, and a “rollickingly ambitious piece of science writing” that “could have a huge impact in shaping who scientists are in the future”. 

The winning book traces chemistry through time and continents, long before the Age of Enlightenment – from the first chemists who forged unimaginably strong steel in Sri Lanka millennia before it should have been possible to the alchemists in Roman Egypt, such as Mary the Jewess, who designed apparatus still in use today. 

Kit Chapman is an award-winning science communicator whose work has taken him to over 100 countries to seek out amazing tales from the cutting edge of science. He is a lecturer at Falmouth University and has a master’s degree in pharmacy and a PhD in the history of science. He has written for publications including New Scientist, Nature, Chemistry World, and The Telegraph. 

Judges’ praise for The Age of Alchemy

Professor Mike Benton FRS, palaeontologist and chair of the judging panel, said: 

In The Age of Alchemy, Kit Chapman shows us that the birth of chemistry was the cumulative feat of centuries of forgers, distillers and fermenters from across the globe, not just a select few that appear in textbooks, nor indeed, on ºìÌÒÊÓƵ’s walls. Many of the fundamental discoveries in chemistry were people simply making a living through metallurgy, making medicines, and occasionally seeking mystical ways to make gold. This is a wonderfully eclectic book that could re-write the way chemistry is taught in schools. 

Subhadra Das, historian and author of Uncivilised: Ten Lies that Made the West, said: 

As a science historian, I am thrilled to say that this is a damn good history book.  

Its pages are generously stuffed with stories of researchers from all over the world whose work shaped the science of chemistry as we know it today. It’s great to see the foundational research of so many medieval Muslim and women scholars brought to the fore – so much so that Isaac Newton can sit comfortably in the footnotes. The Age of Alchemy is a rollickingly ambitious piece of science history writing that could have a huge impact in shaping who scientists are in the future. It’s an absolute pleasure to read, and I’m sure it will appeal to science and history buffs alike. 

Eshaan Akbar, comedian and Sex Education actor, said: 

I wish someone had given me this book when I was aged 14 and studying chemistry at school. The Age of Alchemy is a thoroughly interesting and accessible read, “enlightening” us on how chemistry as we know it is built on the contributions of so many human beings throughout history. I can imagine anybody of any age picking up this book and immediately sinking their teeth into the wonders of science. 

Irenosen Okojie, multi-award-winning author of Nudibranch, said: 

This book was dazzling. A fun, globetrotting read with a strong voice that balances great storytelling with science, it presents a history of chemistry that takes us far beyond the western perspective. 

Adeela Badshah, non-fiction range manager at Waterstones, said: 

Despite the challenge of condensing an almost 4000-year history of science down to under 300 pages, Chapman has presented a beautifully complete piece of work. It was a joy of a book that I could not put down, and I cannot wait to finally share it with people.  

Marnie Chesterton, BBC radio science presenter, said: 

This book was a gorgeous delight to read with page after page of little treats. Chapman does a great job at painting the big picture to show just how many people around the world fed into the science that we know today. 

As the winner of the 2026 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize, Kit Chapman will be presented with a cheque for £25,000, with the five runners up receiving £2,500.