Vogel’s textbooks and their international impact on teaching
A shared reference that we risk losing in a digital age
Exploring the origins of our chemical terms
A chemical by any other name would smell as sweet
Maintaining mental balance
Finding solace from human affairs in the eypiece of a telescope or microscope
Inclusion should be central for chemistry
Why chemistry must remain committed to DEI
Super-powered science
Screaming fans excited about your research, the Sharpie on your lanyard for signing autographs – wouldn’t that be nice?
Can the work of Professor R Obot be beautiful too?
The rise of AI raises questions about how we judge results
Why we need public analysts
As the Association of Public Analysts winds up, Duncan Campbell reflects on the continued importance of the profession
Celebrating the coffee break
One of the most surprisingly productive parts of the day
Our columnists
Philip Ball is an award-winning journalist, author and broadcaster who explores the history and philosophy of chemistry
Celebrating 100 years of the Pauli exclusion principle
How a quantum view of electron states enabled us to understand the stability of matter
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
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
Sharing the burden of contraception could also mean sharing the risk
What if risk assessments for contraception considered the sum of risk to both members of a couple?
Letters: February 2025
A reader argues for greater use of quantum chemistry in Iupac definitions
Profiles
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
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’
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’
After-school club students in Chicago discover promising bioactive compound via goose droppings
Chicago antibiotic discovery lab engages middle school students from underrepresented communities in hands-on research
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
Yvonne Perrie: ‘Good research culture is about being able to learn and fail without judgment’
The drug delivery expert and multidisciplinary researcher on the importance of learning from failure and how a summer in a margarine factory influenced her career
What makes a good lab manager?
By Thomas McGlone
The planning and people skills needed to keep everything running smoothly
The chemical industry is falling short on supporting women
By Kasia Jankowska
Unless barriers are broken down, the future of the industry is unsustainable