What's it all about ?

Molecules just got bigger: 10 billion times bigger, at Molecules Matter, a striking new exhibition staged throughout the Glasshouse range at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Now members of the public can discover for themselves some of the vital  molecules in plants and find out more in a fun and informative way about how man has put them to use. 

Running through each of the Glasshouse zones, Molecules Matter places massive molecular sculptures next to the plants from which the molecules come. See the Caffeine in the Coffee, the Vitamin C in the fruit and the DNA in us all.  Discover the molecular primordial soup from which we all originate, how the Jojoba bush saved the whale, how the star anise will save us in a Flu epidemic and much, much, more.

 The creator of the exhibition, Dr Graeme Jones, is a science entertainer who is spending one year as a NESTA Dreamtime Fellow putting molecules where we least expect them:  “I love molecules, and making molecular sculptures is a wonderful way of showing people the complex architecture of our molecular world,” he commented. “Don’t come along for a science lesson - just enjoy these majestic structures."

 “It is estimated that there are 250,000 species of plant on this earth and we only know some of the molecules in 15 per cent of them.  That is why the conservation work of organisations such as the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is so important.  Without plants there would be no contraceptive pill and hardly any anti-cancer drugs.”

RBGE Curator David Mitchell added: “Our work is all about exploring and explaining the world of plants. Molecules Matter takes this interpretation to the next level, showing the molecules behind the plants.  It is hard not to be inspired by the massive DNA model at the start of the exhibition and be blown away by the fact that every plant in the garden has its own unique genetic make-up.”