Curious Minds "Drink, drugs & toxic books: thrills in spectroscopic imaging" by Dr. Graham Bruce, St. Andrews University

Graham uses light to investigate the chemical composition materials. Because light is non-destructive and non-invasive – spectroscopic techniques can provide information on samples in-situ with no need for complicated sample preparation. Graham will shed light on a number of mysteries he has been involved in – from detecting counterfeit whisky in Scotland, through screening for falsified medicines in West Africa to revealing toxic pigments in Victorian book covers. Be careful. If you have any old books with bright green covers – that’s Arsenic!!