Virtual reality (VR) is an opportunity in today's higher education learning that risks ending up in a polarized approach where teachers are either for or against it. Instead, we need nuanced discussions about what VR can add to learning, cognitively and emotionally. In research, there are examples of how VR is used as a substitute for or as a complement to physical laboratories. The advantages of using a virtual laboratory are for example that certain rather costly and risky processes in physical laboratories can be handled safely and without wasting resources, something that promotes a sustainability perspective. In addition, research shows that the use of virtual environments sometimes simulates gaming experiences, which can both arouse positive emotions and increase motivation. Something that needs to be considered, however, is that the learning that takes place in the virtual and physical laboratories is different and that strong negative emotions can also arise.