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Teresa is researching how to create energy by chemical reactions.
Teresa: I still have some sequencing that I have to work out to make sure that it's safe, but I did it.
Matt: It's just been you against the whole world, hasn't it? How have you done it and stayed so positive?
Teresa: The gift of faith.
Why does Matt think Teresa's experiment will be against the whole world?
He does not think that it will be but that it has been
against the whole world
which is an expression to describe a high level of difficulty which needs to be overcome, usually without any help since the rest of the world is against you. When placed in such difficulty, most people may lose heart, however Theresa has stayed positive through out.
A related phrase is
Take on the world.
It is also the title of the number one hit song by Helen Reddy
It could be as simple as nobody thinks she will succeed or nobody thinks she will be doing the right-proper thing, or take the appropriate action. Also, it could imply the difficulty of circumstances and or the process. It means in fewer words: you are facing a great deal of resistance!
