La rivista CnS – La Chimica nella Scuola costituisce un ausilio di ordine scientifico, professionale e tecnico per i docenti delle scuole di ogni ordine e grado e dell’Università; si offre come luogo di confronto delle idee e delle esperienze didattiche nelle discipline chimiche.
Conferenza ICCE ed ECRICE 2026 a Erzurum,come Roma 2012
Copyright (c) 2026 Liberato Cardellini https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
16a Conferenza della European Science Education ResearchAssociation (ESERA), 25-29 agosto 2025
Ricerca in didattica – Una finestra sul mondo
Copyright (c) 2026 Elena Ghibaudi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
The United Nations General Assembly has designated 2025 as the “International Year of Quantum Science and Technology”. Quantum science, in fact, provides the foundation for basic research and the interpretation of the atomic/molecular world, and its beginning can be dated back to the works of Heisenberg and Pauli in 1925. The study of the molecular world, however, did not begin that year. Nineteenth-century chemists, in fact, developed useful concepts in this world and connected them to the macroscopic properties of chemical substances. In this educational paper, we intend to discuss the conceptual aspects and “open issues” of the relationship between quantum mechanics and the historical concepts of chemistry. Although this physical theory represented a revolutionary change in the study of the atomic/molecular world, it still struggles to gain traction in the educational and general/cultural contexts, both for “objective” reasons and due to the current lack of attention to the analysis of the conceptual/philosophical problems of this theory and their educational treatment.
Copyright (c) 2026 Giovanni Villani https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Carcinoma mammario: tra prevenzione e ricerca
Imagine a woman touching her breast and discovering a small lump. Behind that simple gesture, there is a world of science, prevention and courage. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Addressing risk factors, such as obesity, and adopting a healthy lifestyle are key strategies to prevent this disease. Epidemiological studies have shown that obesity significantly increases the modifiable risk of developing breast cancer, particularly after menopause, when adipose tissue becomes a real source of estrogen, which promotes the development of some forms of cancer. But this story must also be linked to the hard work of women scientists who, defying all barriers and prejudices, have given great help to research and treatment. They have demonstrated that being a woman and a scientist is not an exception, but a valuable force for progress. This article aims to offer a reflection on researchers who have dedicated themselves to ambitious projects channelling their passion at the service of science and women’s health and well-being.
Copyright (c) 2026 Emine Tasan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Intelligenza artificiale: vantaggi, opportunità, rischi
Artificial intelligence has become a central subject of study and global debate. Based on an extensive literature review and Brookings Institution reports, this article outlines the benefits and risks of AI, especially regarding its unguided use by young people outside the framework of traditional education and social norms.
Copyright (c) 2026 Paola Bortolon https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
The article examines the state of climate commitments made by the world’s leading countries, particularly Italy. It then examines the very disappointing results of COP30, held in Belém in November 2025. In conclusion, it notes that the state of the ecological transition regarding the control of global warming remains worrying.
Copyright (c) 2026 Fabio Olmi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Copyright (c) 2026 Luigi Campanella https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Estrazione e studio della ficocianina da Spirulina platensis:un’esperienza di didattica laboratoriale
Phycocyanin, extracted from the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis, is a phycobiliprotein pigment known for its antioxidant properties and for its use as a natural colorant in the nutraceutical and cosmetic fields. This work describes an experimental pathway carried out by students of a technical institute with a specialization in “Chemistry and Materials,” aimed at studying the characteristics of cyanobacteria and the stages of extraction, purification, and characterization of phycocyanin, as well as the investigation of its denaturation induced by chemical agents. The experience provided students with a comprehensive educational pathway, promoting active learning and problem-solving skills, and promoting the development of competencies in autonomous management of experimental work, critical interpretation of data, and understanding of the relationship between protein structure, stability, and function.
Percorsi laboratoriali per la Scuola Secondaria di secondo grado
Copyright (c) 2026 Anna Maria Madaio https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Copyright (c) 2026 Margherita Venturi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Recensione del libro Radici siciliane – La corda ingenua di sei grandi personaggi tra storia e immaginazione di Francesco Giuliano
Copyright (c) 2026 Enzo Bonacci https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Importanza della chiralità e dell’analisi enantioselettiva: applicazioni in campo forense
Chirality is defined as the property of a molecule to exist in two non-superimposable mirror images, known as enantiomers. Despite the presence of numerous physical properties in common, enantiomers exhibit divergent interactions with chiral biological systems, thereby impacting pharmacological activity and toxicity. The thalidomide case represented a significant turning point in the realm of pharmaceutical regulation, underscoring the paramount importance of enantiomeric separation for ensuring drug safety. The advent of sophisticated techniques, such as chiral HPLC in conjunction with mass spectrometry, has rendered the analysis of complex chiral samples with exceptional precision attainable. This analysis is of crucial importance not only for research and clinical practice, but also for forensic science and chemical and forensic intelligence. It allows us to distinguish between legal and illegal uses, identify routes of administration, metabolic processes and synthesis methods.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ina Varfaj https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Professor Domenico Spinelli, during the five academic years, from 1969 to 1974, in which he worked at the University of Palermo, succeeded in impacting Palermo’s organic chemistry so deeply, both scientifically and humanely, that even today, fifty years after his move to Bologna, his first- and second-generation students from Palermo still remember him fondly. The salient passages of the years he spent in Palermo are reported in this article, in the hope of being able to give an idea of one of the personalities who made a notable contribution to Italian chemistry in the second half of the 20th century.
Copyright (c) 2026 Renato Noto https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
The fascinating story of Paris Green and of the previous pigment, Scheele’s Green, both containing arsenic, is reported here. The problem of poisoning from interior decorations and clothes is described, together with the use of Paris green as rodenticide and for the fight against malaria.
Copyright (c) 2026 Franco Alhaique https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Il campo di ricerca in didattica della chimica: notizie da oltreconfine
Il “Cruciverba di Mendeleev” come strumento di divulgazione scientifica: un’esperienza di successo tra scuola e università
This article describes the design and organization of the “Mole Day 2024” initiative, an event inspired by the U.S. Mole Day Foundation and adapted for Italy through a periodic table-themed competition. The project involved 94 classes from 30 schools across a wide national territory, totaling over 1000 students, and leveraged the collaboration of undergraduate, master, and PhD students as tutors. The initiative revolved around the use of a crossword puzzle based on chemical element symbols to stimulate learning and interaction, culminating in a final day with awards and interactive activities. The results highlight the effectiveness of playful and collaborative approaches in promoting interest in chemistry among high school students.
Un ponte fra Università e Scuola Secondaria di secondo grado
Copyright (c) 2026 Stefano Alberti, Marina Alloisio, Francisco Ardini, Andrea Basso, Anna Maria Cardinale, Marco Grotti, Lisa Moni, Silvia Vicini https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Acidi e basi, facciamo un po’ di ordine!
The article describes a learning unit project for primary schools, developed using active teaching methodologies, to classify substances as acidic, basic, or neutral and introduce the concept of pH as a measurement scale. The hands-on learning aims to enable all students, each at their own pace, to master the required knowledge and skills. A modular approach involving a sequence of activities designed to be carried out collectively under the guidance of the teacher structures a process of active knowledge construction, using an inductive approach. At the end of each laboratory activity, the key concepts are formalised in the notebook to structure and consolidate them. Ongoing formative evaluation is planned to monitor students’ progress, as well as a summative evaluation at the end of the didactic unit, aimed at providing the teacher with a final judgment on the students’ learning.
Percorsi didattici per la Scuola primaria
Copyright (c) 2026 Cinzia Amparore, Francesca Turco https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Un approccio sperimentale induttivo alla regola di Bredt e alle molecole anti-Bredt
Currently, even at a popular science level, the news of a recent and very important discovery has caused quite a stir, concerning the possibility of making stable some so-called anti-Bredt organic molecules; they were previously considered unstable, as a consequence of a rule that has been in force in organic chemistry since 1924. In this article, an inductive experimental approach to this rule is proposed, at the level of basic chemistry, with the main objective of deepening it, providing students with cultural information not limited exclusively to media communication.
Copyright (c) 2026 Pasquale Fetto, Roberto Soldà https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
L’esempio della pasta rinforzata come Capolavoro per tecnici chimici
Fortified pasta with ingredients derived from agriculture leftovers or expired foods was already proposed in scientific literature and it could suggest an interesting field at the crossroad between food science and biochemistry for the terminal year of chemistry technical high school, strictly linked with sustainability and territory traditions. In this article we proposed a teaching activity based on Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology applied to the preparation of fortified pasta with olive paté (OP) and to the design of some simple analysis performed on this material.
Copyright (c) 2026 Valentina Blengini, Serena Oneglio, Romina Giordano, Daniele Solazzo, Cristina Gandolfo, Gian Luigi Puleo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
2025: un anno difficile per il nostro pianeta
Recensione del libro Un pensiero ribelle – Maria Bakunin, la signora di Napoli di Mirella Armiero
Copyright (c) 2025 Margherita Venturi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most important challenges in the world, with bacteria evolving faster than new drugs. The discovery of lariocidin, an antibiotic derived from Paenibacillus, offers new hope against resistant bacteria. Lasso peptides, including lariocidin, are a promising therapeutic solution due to their stability and antimicrobial activity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Giovanni Pellegrino https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Dalla curiosità alla ricerca: il mio percorso tra accademia, industria e innovazione farmacologica
Scientific curiosity can become a driving force for both personal and professional growth. In this article, I share my PhD journey in Pharmaceutical Sciences, focused on studying AKT1 as a therapeutic target for cancer and rare diseases. Through computational modeling, in vitro experimentation, and collaboration with industry, I had the opportunity to explore innovative approaches to drug design. This experience enriched not only my scientific skills but also my perspective on the social role of research and the value of scientific education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Erika Primavera https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Bartolomeo Gosio, dalla candidatura al Nobel all’oblio
Bartolomeo Gosio (1866-1944) discovered the organication of metals in 1891 and purified the first antibiotic (micofenolic acid) two years later, next abandoning research at the turning of the century and dedicating the rest of his professional life to issues of public health. In the light of his seminal discoveries, which led to his nomination for the Nobel Prize in 1922, the oblivion of Gosio is surprising, and related to a series of unfortunate circumstances including the association of the gas named after him (Gosio’s gas) to pseudo-scientific claims in the realm of history and medicine. Rather than for his discoveries, Gosio was long remembered for allegedly carrying out the first studies on penicillin, but his contribution to this field is limited to the invention of the name “penicillin”, which, however, he used in the context of studies on organoarsenical compounds and not of antibiotics. The research on Gosio’s gas provides an interesting starting point for discussing the complexity of environmental issues and their reductive association to a single chemical compound or class of chemical compounds.
Copyright (c) 2025 Giovanni Appendino https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
L’isomerizzazione fotochimica del carvone, la prima reazione fotochimica stereospecifica
Ciamician in 1908 described the first stereospecific photochemical reaction irradiating a natural occurring chiral terpene, carvone. Ciamician proposed a structure for the obtained photoisomeric product without a study devoted to confirming it. Some year later, Sernagiotto proposed, on the basis of some incomplete experimental results, a new structure for the photoisomer. Büchi proposed, on the basis of other experimental but not conclusive results, to return to the structure proposed by Ciamician. Finally, NMR spectrum of the photoisomer, performed in 1965, confirmed the Ciamician structure.
Copyright (c) 2025 Maurizio D’Auria https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
The second part of the article dedicated to the most important material substances that have characterized our world focuses on the characteristics and uses of cement, oil, lithium, rare earths and hydrogen. It reviews not only their positive aspects for the development of the world, but also the problems caused with their extraction, manufacture and use. Furthermore, it is examined the negative influence that some of them have had and still have on the planet’s climate and on our survival.
aspetti negativi connessi al loro utilizzo
Copyright (c) 2025 Fabio Olmi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Il miglioramento della didattica e la formazione docenti a Padova
In recent years, the University of Padua has invested substantially in the professional development of its faculty, with a strong emphasis on innovative, student-centered teaching practices. One of its flagship initiatives in this area is the Teaching4Learning (T4L) program—a faculty development model grounded in the principles of Active Learning (AL). The T4L program is designed to provide teachers the skills and strategies needed to implement active and inclusive pedagogies by offering a structured pathway that includes courses, hands-on workshops, teaching labs, peer mentoring, and opportunities for reflective practice. Through this initiative, the university not only enhances the quality of teaching, but also fosters a collaborative academic culture.
Copyright (c) 2025 Laura Orian, Concetta Tino, Giulia Licini https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
L’interpretazione chimica del vivente di Giovanni Villani: un progetto di lettura critica distribuita con le scuole secondarie di secondo grado
This paper presents a collection of reviews of the nine chapters of the book L’interpretazione chimica del vivente by Giovanni Villani, written by high school students who participated in an educational initiative focused on the reading and critical analysis of a scientific essay. The activity was carried out during the 2024–2025 school year as part of the “Piano Lauree Scientifiche – Chimica” program at Università degli Studi di Padova. Fourteen classes from various Italian regions (Veneto, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, e Piemonte) took part in the project. The book served as a springboard for students and their teachers to investigate the theme of life not only from a scientific standpoint, but also through historical and philosophical lenses.
Un progetto di lettura alla Scuola Secondaria di secondo grado
Copyright (c) 2025 Serena Bernardini, Laura Bucciol, Cinzia Vincenza Caia, Maria Paola Colleselli, Federica Dal Molin, Luana De Lorenzo, Alessandra De Togni7, Maria Cristina Finatti, Lucia Giuffreda, Manuela Granella, Assunta Iannone, Fedora Martignago, Enrico Paschetta, Federica Stazi, Valentina Domenici, Laura Orian https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Dal campionamento alla stima della sua incertezza
This work deals with the PNRR project “campionamento delle matrici ambientali”, whitin we particularly focused on soil and surface water. For these matrices we studied sampling method and procedure for pH analysis. For soil matrix, the sampling uncertainty was estimated using the ANOVA method.
Percorsi laboratoriali per la Scuola Secondaria
Copyright (c) 2025 Francesco Pellegrino, Domenico Lavieri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
This work represents an example of learning path on gems aimed at providing a structured, progressive experience for learners to acquire specific skills and fundamental knowledge of biology. The laboratory methodology is based on a phenomenological-inductive approach that involved learners in practical and reflective activities. This approach helps learners to achieve solid knowledge, which are consistent to the cognitive structures of pre-adolescents. Gems also provide an example of biological transformation that students can directly observe and experience, inferring its importance.
Copyright (c) 2025 Paola Savini, Antonietta Grande https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Ricchi premi e cotillon da distribuire in classe