Working in Glass How a twisted triangle of glass tubing helped democratize chemistry and build the modern laboratory. This essay will appear in our forthcoming book, “Making the Modern Laboratory,” to be published this summer. By Spencer Wright It was a revolutionary idea in the 1830s, and it remains one today — virtually anyone can learn to make their own scientific equipment. With a few dollars’ worth of glass tubing, a flame, and a little practice, you can create all kinds of chemical...