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Comic book chemistry
The scientists using visual storytelling to communicate their work – and how you can do it too
Feature
Consumers question safety of parabens and PFAS in personal care products amid health concerns
Growing research into cosmetic ingredients has been raising safety concerns among consumers. Bárbara Pinho explores the future of safer chemistry amid the ‘clean beauty’ trend
Feature
How stable isotope analysis reveals what ancient humans and Neanderthals ate
Analytical chemistry can tell us what our ancestors ate thousands – or even millions – of years ago. Rachel Brazil gets her teeth into the evidence
Business
Pharma sector jolted by unpredictable US tariffs policy
Firms face tough decisions amid Trump’s threatened taxes on pharmaceutical imports and ‘capricious’ approach to tariffs
News
Trump’s latest rule on research grants sidelines scientific merit and adds bureaucracy, academic groups warn
A new White House directive will see political appointees vet federal research funding decisions
Research
Molecular motor stitches together catenane rings
The light-powered system produces interlocked rings, without the need for templating strategies
Electron irradiation converts hydrocarbon crystals into nanodiamonds
Flawless nanodiamond synthesis that wasn’t though possible accomplished by transforming adamantane
First valence electron measurements capture fleeting reaction process
Femtosecond timescale x-ray laser measurements study how a hydrogen atom breaks off an ammonia molecule
Reflective cement could help buildings stay cool in hot weather
Scientists capture crystal structures of cannabinoid receptor in action
Discovery of unusual iodine–silver bond opens up new possibilities for coordination chemistry
Electrochemistry offers ‘modest’ boost to deuterium fusion reaction
Stereochemical editing used to tune explosive power of cage-like energetic materials
A greener approach to finishing fabrics
Way to unlock polaritons’ ‘magic power’ discovered
Ask probing questions to work effectively in diverse teams
Sometimes, what you really want may not be what you say you want
Pharma sector jolted by unpredictable US tariffs policy
Firms face tough decisions amid Trump’s threatened taxes on pharmaceutical imports and ‘capricious’ approach to tariffs
At least 51 deaths in Argentina linked to tainted medical fentanyl
Unrecovered byproducts from US mines could meet the country’s demand for dozens of critical materials
Four dead after nitrogen leak at pharma factory in India
India introduces new rules to tackle chemical contamination sites
Will oral weight loss drugs challenge injectables?
The challenge of developing oral alternatives to peptide weight loss drugs
Cheap virgin plastic limits recycling potential
Ask probing questions to work effectively in diverse teams
Sometimes, what you really want may not be what you say you want
Letters: September 2025
Readers discuss negative results, chemistry cold spots and more
What I learned from going back to university in my 30s
Advice for the young student (at heart)
The clean beauty movement highlights wider challenges in balancing chemical risks and benefits
The ‘clean beauty’ movement exemplifies broader challenges in how we evaluate chemical safety, balancing risks against benefits while avoiding regrettable substitutions.
The conceptual challenge of consumer safety
Understanding causation can motivate product improvements
Ure’s steam bath
A heating device from a fan of heated disputes
What happens next after the plastic treaty negotiations fail once again?
Bold action may now be needed to secure agreement on plastic pollution
Exploring the potential uses of usnic acid
As well as protecting lichen, this compound could have medical and cosmetic applications – if toxicity concerns can be overcome
Nature’s amazing chemistry: reflections on its complexity and diversity
Take a walk on the wild side to discover the wacky and wonderful chemical mysteries of the natural world – join us on 16 September
Women’s health: insights in research and inclusion
Learn about the history and importance of the gender gap currently impacting women’s health sciences
Forensic taphonomy: the chemistry of delivering justice
Join us to discover the chemical processes that occur after death and how they’re revolutionising criminal investigations
Modelling amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) release mechanisms
Learn how thermodynamic modelling and molecular simulation can help our understanding of amorphous solid dispersion
Careers
Comic book chemistry
The scientists using visual storytelling to communicate their work – and how you can do it too
Opinion
Ask probing questions to work effectively in diverse teams
Sometimes, what you really want may not be what you say you want
News
Proposal to limit US student visa durations draws criticism
Academic groups warn that the proposed rule will deter talented researchers, harm the economy and add bureaucracy
Opinion
What I learned from going back to university in my 30s
Advice for the young student (at heart)
Sponsored
Exploring the frontiers of the periodic table: bismuth catalysis and its applications
Join us on 16 October to learn about state-of-the-art synthesis coming from one of the world’s leading catalysis research groups
The power of CAD software in accelerating product development in chemical industries
CAD is reshaping everything from reactor design to plant optimisation and making digital design a cornerstone of modern chemical innovation
Nobel prize in chemistry 2025: Reaction
Join us on 10 October for an exclusive look at the Nobel in chemistry 2025 prize-winning science
Lipidomics for antibiotic resistance (AMR) mechanisms
Join us on 23 October to discover how microbial antibiotic exposure triggers lipidomic changes, offering insight into how lipids contribute to resistance mechanisms
Lost in space, found in data: real-world scientific exploration and discovery
Join us on 14 October as we navigate the world of multidimensional spaces in data discovery methodology
Digital product passports: building radical transparency for polymers in liquid formulations
Industry giants join alliance that is working to develop a digital record that will track a product’s entire lifecycle and environmental impact
We need to build the data that chemistry deserves - here’s how we can do it
Creating a purpose-built repository of standardised reaction data is a tall order, but the reward would be huge
Free energy methods and digital transformation of drug discovery
Synergistic application of AI-based generative chemistry and free energy methods streamlines molecule discovery and optimisation
Comic book chemistry
The scientists using visual storytelling to communicate their work – and how you can do it too
Letters: September 2025
Readers discuss negative results, chemistry cold spots and more
Establishing your independent research career
Writing grant proposals is an important skills to develop – and there is plenty of support you can seek
Teaching the next generation of cosmetic scientists
Trailblazing course receives accreditation from the Royal Society of Chemistry