Formulas rule our lives, whether we acknowledge their impact or not. Fall, for instance, demands a return to comforts like rich foods, nourishing stories and the warmth of companionship, perhaps from a well-behaved pet. We return to familiar patterns, i.e. formulas, whenever the season rolls around again, and each homecooked habit involves a symphony of molecular reactions designed to produce a desired outcome.
"Lessons in Chemistry" opens with such an experiment as thwarted chemist turned celebrated TV host Elizabeth Zott (played by Brie Larson) shows her audience how to cook lasagna using "a new variable."
