The next on-line seminar of the Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry will be given by Dr Katy Duncan (Royal Institution) who will present:

The Experimental Life of Faraday’s The Chemical History of a Candle

This will be live on Thursday, 3 December 2026, beginning at 5.00pm (London time). The format will be a talk of 20-30 minutes, followed by a moderated discussion of half an hour.

To register please e-mail meetings@ambix.org<mailto:meetings@ambix.org> with ‘SHAC on-line seminar’ in the subject line. You will then be sent a Zoom link on the morning of the seminar.

The seminar will be also accessible live on YouTube at

Most previous on-line seminars can be found on the SHAC YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/SocietyforHistoryofAlchemyandChemistry

The Experimental Life of Faraday’s The Chemical History of a Candle

Katy Duncan

Michael Faraday’s The Chemical History of a Candle (1861) has never been out of print. Candle was the publication that followed a series of lectures that Faraday gave to young people over Christmastime at the Royal Institution (Ri). It sought to demonstrate basic chemical principles through its namesake, exploring capillary action to burning and everything in between. With new editions and translations, it has been one of the most impactful pieces of science communication across the globe as it continues to inspire people into science over 150 years on.

This festive talk will examine the trajectory of Candle. First, it will examine some of the previous iterations of the demonstrations and lectures Faraday gave, at Christmas Lectures and otherwise, and trace various changes Faraday made over time. It will then examine his preparation notes, and compare Faraday’s demonstrations to recreations of these demonstrations at the Ri today, underscoring the difficulties in undertaking many of these apparently ‘simple’ experiments. In closing, it will explore the reception of Candle over time, both in terms of its own legacy, and publishing (ostensibly) children’s lectures as a successful form of popular science communication.