If news stories and the Internet are to be believed, the dangers from chemicals are increasing and cancer stalks us at every turn. Synthetic chemicals are essential for modern life, but our views of them are conflicted. Pharmaceuticals keep us healthy. Plastics are found in everything from toys to cars to medical supplies. Pesticides and herbicides boost food production and quality. It’s impossible to conceive of life in the 21st century without the materials and fuels that synthetic chemicals have made possible. From soap to sunscreens, we are faced with an endless stream of confusing messages about the safety of chemicals we come in contact with daily. How does the public adjudge hazard, safety and risk? In Scared to Death: How Chemophobia Threatens Public Health, presented by the American Council on Science and Health, journalist and scholar Jon Entine details how scientists assess the risks and benefits of chemicals. It’s an irrational fear of chemicals that poses the real risk to public health.