Plastics, fertilizers, clothing, medicines and electronics: $100-a-barrel oil has huge downstream consequences

Tensions in the Middle East often trigger concerns about rising gasoline prices. But disruptions to oil supplies could affect much more than the cost of filling up a car. That’s because crude oil is not only burned as fuel. It is also the raw material for thousands of products that modern societies depend on, including plastics, fertilizers, clothing fibers, medicines and electronics.

As a biochemist, I’m interested in how certain chemicals can shape society, and oil is a prime example.