The benefits of incorporating real-world examples of chemistry into lectures and lessons is reflected by the recent inclusion of the Teaching with Problems and Case Studies column in this Journal. However, these examples lie outside the experience of many students, and so much of the impact of "real-world" examples is lost. This paper provides an anthology of references to analytical chemistry techniques from history, popular fiction, and film. Such references are amusing to both instructor and student. Further, the fictional descriptions can serve as a focal point for discussions of a technique's true capabilities and limitations.
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