The firm has grown alarmed at the lack of trained chemists coming through the university system, as more and more teenagers choose arts and business subjects.

With three pupils sitting English for everyone sitting a physics exam, Bayer has updated its Science for Life website to ensure teenagers have the latest information, worksheets and images on all aspects of science.

UK spokesman Steve Painter said: “Science-based companies like ours have long recognised the benefits and importance of communicating through the educational route. We are now providing useable resources that are up to the minute, curriculum relevant and appealing to students."

"While it is true that science has always, and still does, offer many different interesting and rewarding careers, we have constantly tried to capture the young person's imagination. Science really has to project itself as truly 21st century and that is why our site includes information on areas like gene therapy and nanotechnology. We even try to strike a balance by offering research work on controversial areas like genetically modified food and drug doping.”

Bayer has recently buried the hatchet with Friends of the Earth, after the green lobby group won a battle to publish test details of Bayer’s development of GM pesticides. However, the company has more benign interests, and makes more than 10,000 products from Autan fly spray to aspirin and Baby Bio.