Latest
Opinion
It’s time for consensus on science’s place in government
The latest shake-up of UK science policy oversight brings uncertainty to a sector that needs stability to succeed
Feature
Molecular ratchets: unlocking the chemistry of biological motion
Motor proteins power everything from muscle contraction to bacterial swimming. While replicating their chemically fuelled directional motion in the laboratory has proved difficult, researchers are making progress and developing molecular ratchets and motors that do useful work
Feature
Extremophiles are rewriting the rules of life on Earth
Creatures that survive extreme conditions like mind-boggling temperatures and toxicity challenge how we define life. Bárbara Pinho finds out how it will impact how we search for life beyond Earth
Business
Thermo Fisher antibody data manipulation is a breach of trust, say researchers
Science sleuths say the problem is impacting research progress and Thermo’s response falls short
Research
How a chance discovery overturned one of photochemistry’s oldest dogmas
The first hints of what’s behind the seemingly illogical mismatch between photochemical reactivity and absorptivity could finally end a team’s 10-year struggle to get their results taken seriously
Opinion
Rewriting the textbooks – authors tell us how they do it
Peter Atkins, Catherine Housecroft and Jonathan Clayden guide us through the changing world of textbooks
Photoredox catalyst introduces two nucleophiles across a carbon–carbon bond at once
Reaction also challenges the idea that C–X bonds can only undergo one-site transformations
Chemical treatment slashes emissions of making hydrogen from plastic waste
Process can produce hydrogen from polyethylene and polypropylene more cleanly than from natural gas
Relativity rewrites the textbook take on triple bonds, experiments on carbon–bismuth ion prove
Gold hydrogen bonds found to be as strong as other similar textbook interactions
First sugar detected in the interstellar medium
Rethinking ‘dynamic catalysis’ optimisation: chemists may have been doing it the wrong way for years
Elusive crystal structure of borylnitrenes finally captured
One-electron bonds may be more common than chemists thought
‘A materials breakthrough’: membranes to separate crude oil could slash energy costs
50 years after Seveso & changing the way we separate hydrocarbons
What have we learned 50 years on from the Seveso accident? And we discuss three promising membrane strategies that could replace fractional distillation in crude oil refineries.
Early lessons from the Garden Grove chemical incident
A runaway polymerisation raises questions about safety measures and their backups
Trust is easily broken and hard to rebuild
STFC’s £160 million cost-cutting plan prompts concern over future access to key UK research facilities
Thermo Fisher antibody data manipulation is a breach of trust, say researchers
New York state sues chemical companies over PFAS pollution
Chemical treatment slashes emissions of making hydrogen from plastic waste
One goal, three industries: retrosynthesis for pharma, agrochemicals and flavours & fragrances
Is industry getting more or less safe?
It’s time for consensus on science’s place in government
The latest shake-up of UK science policy oversight brings uncertainty to a sector that needs stability to succeed
Early lessons from the Garden Grove chemical incident
A runaway polymerisation raises questions about safety measures and their backups
Trust is easily broken and hard to rebuild
Thermo Fisher needs to be open and honest about data manipulation to reassure researchers
‘Science felt like a level playing field’: in situ with Anthony Cheetham
The materials chemist on being a scientific contrarian, his love of cricket, and what AI might mean for materials science
How the UK’s defence laboratory keeps the world safe from the threat of chemical weapons
DSTL has been supporting investigations into the use of chemical weapons for over 25 years - here’s how it does its job
Is industry getting more or less safe?
US figures suggest an increase in incidents involving serious injuries and fatalities in recent years
Should the EU stop exports of pesticides it has banned?
Agrochemicals including paraquat remain legal elsewhere, prompting questions over regulatory responsibility
The art of not letting the lab burn down
Behind every experiment is a technician quietly preventing catastrophe
One goal, three industries: retrosynthesis for pharma, agrochemicals and flavours & fragrances
Join us on 15 September as we explore the latest in AI-powered retrosynthetic software, evaluating its performance across three different industries
Marine chemistry in a warming world: preserving Earth’s largest natural buffer
Learn how climate change is affecting the ocean’s biogeochemical cycles
One small step for microorganisms: what extremophiles on Earth can teach us about life on other planets
Learn how some of the tiniest organisms thrive in the harshest environments – join us on 30 July
Discovering the elements: no simple stories
Discover the true nature of scientific discovery
50 years after Seveso & changing the way we separate hydrocarbons
What have we learned 50 years on from the Seveso accident? And we discuss three promising membrane strategies that could replace fractional distillation in crude oil refineries.
An update on the Strait of Hormuz & potential explosives at an Antarctic base
Will temporarily reopening the Strait of Hormuz ease rising costs of resources? Plus, why are (possibly) explosive chemicals suspected to be present at a historical Antarctic base?
A warning for US science & wool’s chemical versatility
We discuss highlights from Marcia McNutt’s final address. Plus, what’s the chemistry behind the woolly sweaters keeping you warm?
Click chemistry marks 25 years & covalent bonding in the actinides
Click chemistry: it’s in the name. How has this unique discipline made its mark over the last quarter decade? And, we discuss new experimental evidence of how covalent bonding works in the actinides.
Podcast
50 years after Seveso & changing the way we separate hydrocarbons
What have we learned 50 years on from the Seveso accident? And we discuss three promising membrane strategies that could replace fractional distillation in crude oil refineries.
Opinion
Early lessons from the Garden Grove chemical incident
A runaway polymerisation raises questions about safety measures and their backups
News
Chemistry Nobel laureate Rudy Marcus passes away just before turning 103
Theoretical chemist who came up with one of his most important ideas in a just month also mentored more than 100 young researchers
Opinion
‘Science felt like a level playing field’: in situ with Anthony Cheetham
The materials chemist on being a scientific contrarian, his love of cricket, and what AI might mean for materials science
Opinion
Is industry getting more or less safe?
US figures suggest an increase in incidents involving serious injuries and fatalities in recent years
Sponsored
The scientists who will power our future
Calling in the next generation of scientists from all backgrounds to address the energy crisis and build the next generation of batteries.
Advantages of monodisperse PEG in drug development
Precision matters: why monodisperse PEG is transforming drug development.
Karl Fischer titration for moisture analysis: applications in batteries, fuels and food
Accurate moisture analysis has consequences that extend well beyond the laboratory. Karl Fischer titration is what keeps them in check. The question is whether the reagent is up to the task.
Why data visualisation is so important in the age of AI
Machines don’t need to draw charts and plots to work with data, but humans will still need datavis skills to work with machines.
Pittcon 2026 heads to San Antonio for analytical chemistry showcase
The world’s largest laboratory science conference returns to San Antonio in March 2026, featuring Nobel laureate Frances Arnold as keynote speaker and showcasing cutting-edge analytical instrumentation across five days of technical sessions and networking events.
Biphenyl: 20 years of Restek innovation
How Restek’s Biphenyl column changed chromatography
Explainer: the Welch Award in Chemistry
Many people have never heard about one of the biggest awards in chemistry. Chemistry World sets the record straight.
Optimising method transfer in regulated environments
Learn how to minimise risk and promote data quality with data-driven approaches and digital tools
How to become an open science champion
Five tips for your journey from adopter to leader
How a binational PhD opens two doors to a future research career
Top tips from Suvarna Sujilkumar, who is currently pursuing a Binational PhD at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Thiruvananthapuram, India and Julius Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU), Germany
From baseball to chemistry, and back again
With a lifelong passion for baseball and love of science, Jake Bruml began his career in biotech but transitioned to direct scouting for the Boston Red Sox
The art of not letting the lab burn down
Behind every experiment is a technician quietly preventing catastrophe
Watching unpaired electrons at work
Making lab equipment more accessible for chemists with physical disabilities
Meet the researchers finding fulfilment in leadership and administration
How learning languages helps me become a better scientist
Socioeconomic background still holding back students in chemistry, RSC report finds
Why setting up a café is a good idea for chemistry students