Hermann Kopp (1817-1892) is best remembered today as a historian of chemistry but during his
lifetime he was one of the most eminent chemists of his day and one of the earliest pioneers
of physical chemistry. Late in his career he wrote an endearing fantasy about personified
molecules. Published in 1882 Aus der Molecular-Welt (From the Molecular World) portrayed the
intimate details of what might actually be happening in the sub-microscopic world the atoms
and molecules we meet there have agency personalities sometimes even dialog. Filled with
appealing tropes humor and whimsical asides Kopp's short book provided an examination of the
chemistry and physics of his day that was always light-hearted on the surface but often
surprisingly profound. Properly interpreted the book provides a revealing tour of
nineteenth-century debates concerning chemical theory. It is here translated into English
richly annotated and equipped with an illuminating preface by a leading historian of
chemistry. It provides entertaining reading to practicing chemists as well as new insights to
historians of science.
