Scientific institutions have a long history of anticipatory obedience
Societies should learn from this and speak up to support inclusion
Donna Nelson: ‘Being the science advisor to Breaking Bad was so much fun’
The well-known organic chemist on growing up in a small Oklahoma town, asking demographic questions and advising a hit television series
Why the chemistry community needs to engage with curriculum reviews
A level grade boundaries are one source of dissatisfaction for chemistry educators
Exploring the on-screen image of chemists
From Frankenstein to Breaking Bad and beyond
Vogel’s textbooks and their international impact on teaching
A shared reference that we risk losing in a digital age
What makes a good lab manager?
The planning and people skills needed to keep everything running smoothly
The chemical industry is falling short on supporting women
Unless barriers are broken down, the future of the industry is unsustainable
Can the work of Professor R Obot be beautiful too?
The rise of AI raises questions about how we judge results
Our columnists
Philip Ball is an award-winning journalist, author and broadcaster who explores the history and philosophy of chemistry
‘Hidden grammar’ explains proteins’ distribution into sub-cellular condensates
Proteins’ amino-acid sequences appear to guide their access to blob-like aggregates involved in many cell processes
Raychelle Burks is an associate professor in the US and an award-winning science communicator and broadcaster.
The champagne cases
When bottles of bubbly conceal criminal activities
Nessa Carson is a synthetic organic research chemist based in Macclesfield, UK
The right level of trust in the scientific literature
An overreliance on what’s gone before can hinder innovation
Chemjobber is a US-based industry insider, telling tales of tank reactors and organic obstacles
How long are medicines good for?
Stability data is necessary but tedious work
Derek Lowe is a medicinal chemist in the US, sharing wit and wisdom from a life spent in preclinical drug discovery
Maintaining mental balance
Finding solace from human affairs in the eypiece of a telescope or microscope
Alice Motion is an associate professor in Australia interested in citizen science, public outreach and education
Inclusion should be central for chemistry
Why chemistry must remain committed to DEI
Chris Nawrat (aka BRSM) is a process chemist at a major pharmaceutical company in the US
(–)-Scabrolide B (and friends)
An experimental confirmation with some extra surprises
Vanessa Seifert explores philosophical issues from the novel perspective of chemistry
The moral theories behind climate deadlock
Why is it so controversial to do the right thing for the environment?
Andrea Sella is a professor of inorganic chemistry in the UK with a passion for unravelling the unlikely origins of scientific kit
Vogel’s textbooks and their international impact on teaching
A shared reference that we risk losing in a digital age
Research landscape
The right level of trust in the scientific literature
An overreliance on what’s gone before can hinder innovation
The value of research is measured in many ways
Academia is a broad church
Extracting treasure from trash
The corpus of scientific literature needs a drastic clean-up
Learning to listen
Many things have changed in the last two decades, but effective collaboration is more important than ever
A holistic approach to success
Three activities that helped me to thrive in academia and beyond
How hoarding knowledge is hurting the industry in the long run
Sharing results that are not commercially viable would speed up research
The striking truth
Better pay can benefit the whole research enterprise
Industry landscape
Maintaining mental balance
Finding solace from human affairs in the eypiece of a telescope or microscope
New UKRI terms do more to acknowledge the diversity of PhD researchers
But further stipend increases are needed to fully widen access to doctoral study
Knowledge exchange will be vital for upskilling the chemistry workforce
To meet societal challenges, chemical scientists need more opportunities to learn across disciplines and sectors
Trump’s second term brings back interesting times for facts
Changes in the information ecosystem are set to continue
Letters: February 2025
A reader argues for greater use of quantum chemistry in Iupac definitions
Profiles
Donna Nelson: ‘Being the science advisor to Breaking Bad was so much fun’
The well-known organic chemist on growing up in a small Oklahoma town, asking demographic questions and advising a hit television series
Working towards an Australian First Nations periodic table
Zahra Khan finds out how a team of scholars is working with the Gadigal to develop a chart that celebrates Indigenous knowledge of the chemical elements
Charlotte Williams: ‘Being an academic is a wonderful job’
The award-winning inorganic chemist on early environmental influences and a career spanning industry and academia
Charlotte Williams: ‘Being an academic is a wonderful job’
The award-winning inorganic chemist on early environmental influences and a career spanning industry and academia
How Lisa Alford inspires students and celebrates technicians
She was awarded the Royal Society’s 2024 Hauksbee award in recognition of her extraordinary achievements ‘behind the scenes’
Mary Virginia Orna: ‘It felt like I was coming home to something I never knew existed’
The 90-year-old colour chemist on overcoming discrimination and the three loves of her life; Latin, chemistry and Italian opera
Thriving as a Deaf chemistry PhD student
Asma Sheikh talks about growing up, discovering her passion for chemistry and being a teaching assistant
Paul Anastas: ‘I’m proudest of being part of a global green chemistry community’
The father of green chemistry on his love of the environment, striving for unattainable perfection and breathing life into an old town library
Why the chemistry community needs to engage with curriculum reviews
By Kristy Turner
A level grade boundaries are one source of dissatisfaction for chemistry educators
Exploring the on-screen image of chemists
By John O’Donoghue
From Frankenstein to Breaking Bad and beyond