Congratulations to award-winning journalist and adventurer Kit Chapman (KES 96-01) whose book, 'The Age of Alchemy' has won the prestigious Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize 2026.

The Royal Society 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 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”. 

Kit's book explores how early innovators have shaped modern chemisty; from the alchemists of Roman Egypt who designed apparatus still in use today, to Stone Age leatherworkers and Tang Dynasty herbalists, to name but a few. 

He was recently interviewed about the book by the BBC's Inside Science podcast which can be listened to HERE.