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
Electron microscopy reveals how ruthenium reordering boosts hydrogen production from ammonia
Self-improvement process sees ruthenium clusters transition from amorphous shapes to truncated nanopyramids
Two-way polymerisation produces both elastic and rigid recyclable thermoset plastics
One-pot synthesis uses dihydrofuran monomers
Quick test could catch fatal tick fever before it’s too late
Lateral flow test diagnosed fatal disease in animal model before symptoms appeared
Life’s ingredients discovered in samples Nasa probe returned from an asteroid
Computer simulations shed light on how material can shrink when heated
How AI is transforming chemistry research
Superheavy element half-life measurements push back the limits of stability
Tuning polymer microstructure produces adhesive stickier than super glue
Simulations suggest why highly unsaturated molecules are so abundant in the interstellar medium
Highlights
Low concentration chemicals spur toxicological debate
Improved analytical techniques mean tiny amounts of endocrine disrupting compounds or PFAS can be found in many places. But is it a problem? Anthony King talks to the scientists on both sides of the fence
On the trail of the male contraceptive pill
As multiple novel male contraception compounds enter clinical trials, is family planning about to undergo a second revolution? James Mitchell Crow reports
The promise of drugs that send proteins to the shredder
Andy Extance charts how research into revolutionary targeted protein degradation therapies is moving from serendipity to strategic discovery
A mouthful of mouthfeel
Andy Extance learns how the chemicals in food and drink create sensual culinary experiences
Life on ice
We may be able to freeze embryos, but challenges remain for larger organs. Hayley Bennett talks to the scientists trying to push the boundaries of cryopreservation
Topics
Computer simulations shed light on how material can shrink when heated
New theory offers insights into the origin of the very low and negative thermal expansion observed in cordierite
Simulations suggest why highly unsaturated molecules are so abundant in the interstellar medium
Shocks, cosmic rays and x-rays seem to ionise and fragment saturated molecules via mechanisms that result in structures with the highest possible number of π bonds
Computer simulation of carbonless DNA prompt researchers to consider alternative biochemistries
Researchers swap nitrogen and boron into DNA to create analogues that are geometrically and electrostatically equivalent to conventional DNA
Chemists use AI to uncover pigments used on Berlin Wall murals
GPT-based AI tool predicts inorganic crystal structures
AI tool learns to build molecules fragment by fragment
Large language models are better than humans at answering chemistry questions
AI robots work together to perform autonomous synthesis and analysis
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
Stonehenge Altar stone likely came from Scotland, not Wales
Mineral analysis matches sandstones from over 750km away
Computer program ‘paints’ porphyrin structures in the style of famous artist
Algorithm turns molecules’ structure into Mondrian-inspired representations
Pioneering preservative removal from ancient Greek ship allows accurate dating
Extraction of polyethylene glycol from ship’s wood enables radiocarbon recalibration
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
Science needs to get its house in order when it comes to energy use and waste
Labs have an outsized environmental footprint but solutions are within reach
Redox reactions ‘mine’ old fluorescent light bulbs for europium
In just three simple steps rare earth element can be recovered, avoiding ‘ecologically devastating’ mining
Chemists funded to cut the environmental footprint of their labs
The Royal Society of Chemistry to support 33 projects in 11 countries aiming to make chemistry research greener
Analysis of three French chemistry labs shows how they could halve their carbon footprint by 2030
Open-source tool helps researchers evaluate a series of carbon mitigation strategies
There’s a world of chemistry in water
Managing our most precious resource
Caltech grad students and postdocs secure pay rises and better benefits
After months of negotiations union helps academics secure expanded protections and new rights
Explainer: How an American car workers’ union became a champion for postdocs
The United Auto Workers union now represents over 100,000 academics, supercharging their fight for better conditions
MRC funding changes spark opposition from researchers concerned by unit closures
Nobel prize winners and the Astronomer Royal are among 600 scientists warning that specialist medical research units will shut
Peer review frozen, meetings cancelled: Trump administration leaves its mark on NIH
Chaos ensues following suspension of grant reviews, travel, meetings and public communications at funder
UK ‘on a good track’ one year after rejoining Horizon Europe
Early figures suggest UK researchers are benefitting from the resumption of European research collaboration