ChemScrapes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ChemScrapes is a chemistry-themed single-panel cartoon series created by Australian chemist Brendan A. Burkett. The cartoons depict anthropomorphised molecules, laboratory equipment, and chemical concepts in humorous situations, often relying on puns and wordplay rooted in chemistry.[1][2]
| ChemScrapes | |
|---|---|
| Author | Brendan A. Burkett |
| Website | chemscrapes |
| Syndicate(s) | Self-published; Chemical & Engineering News (Sketch Chemistry, 2017-2022) |
| Genre(s) | Science humor, chemistry |
History
Burkett began drawing chemistry cartoons informally around 1999, though the cartoons initially had little exposure beyond occasional appearances in conference catalogues and chemistry society magazines.[1] The name "ChemScrapes" was coined in late 2007 by the late Professor Brian Halton of Victoria University of Wellington, who suggested it to give the growing collection of cartoons a formal identity. The name plays on the subject matter (chemistry) while also implying that the cartoons are "scraped from the bottom of the barrel", a self-deprecating reference to Burkett's deliberately simple drawing style. Halton also proposed capitalising the "S" to draw attention to the word "Scrapes".[1]
Between 2008 and 2015, ChemScrapes cartoons appeared sporadically on platforms such as Reddit and gained modest recognition in the chemistry blogosphere. The series attracted wider attention from 2016 onward through social media, where the speed of Burkett's drawing style allowed real-time interaction with the online chemistry community, including impromptu drawing challenges.[1]
Sketch Chemistry
In 2017, Burkett partnered with Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the news magazine of the American Chemical Society, to produce Sketch Chemistry, a regular monthly cartoon panel.[2] The column appeared in both the online and print editions of the magazine, with Burkett collaborating with C&EN journalist Michael Torrice on the editorial process for each panel.[3] Sketch Chemistry ran until the end of 2022.[1]
Publications
A collection of nearly 200 ChemScrapes cartoon panels was published in 2018 under the title ChemScrapery: A Cartoon Collection from the World of ChemScrapes (ISBN 978-981-11-7226-7).[4] The book is also available in digital format on Kindle.[4]
Creator
Brendan A. Burkett holds a PhD in chemistry from the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University, completed in 2001. He subsequently held postdoctoral positions at the University of Southampton and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University before joining Victoria University of Wellington as a lecturer in organic chemistry in 2004. In 2008, he moved to Singapore to work at the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES), a research institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).[1][5]