Research
When it comes to correcting the scientific record, chemists prefer to have a quiet word
Those surveyed even report introducing ‘errors’ into their work to satisfy reviewers
Opinion
Otto’s ozoniser and the value of nurturing inventors
Marius-Paul Otto (1870–1939) patently used his entrepreneurial spirit to clean up
News
Flame retardants no longer required in many UK baby and children’s products
Move should reduce exposure of children to chemicals that have come in for criticism for their persistence and bioaccumulation
Opinion
What makes a scientific breakthrough truly chemical?
Why MOFs are a great choice for the Nobel prize in chemistry
Opinion
Odile Eisenstein: ‘Some of the most important advice is to be persistent’
The pioneering theoretical chemist on teaching herself programming and the importance of freedom
Webinar
Walter Kohn: from kindertransport and internment to DFT and the Nobel prize
Join us on 25 November as we explore the legacy of Walter Kohn, the 1998 joint winner of the Nobel prize in chemistry
Opinion
The lost treasure of electron microscopy
Unpublished images should be brought to light to aid science communication and speed up discovery
Webinar
Restoring integrity: tackling fraud and data manipulation in scientific research
Join us on 27 November to learn how you can fight back against fraudulent research and paper mills
Highlights
How the pioneers of metal-organic frameworks won the Nobel prize
From wooden models to thousands and thousands of structures, Julia Robinson tells the story of how Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi won the 2025 Nobel prize in chemistry
Rethinking workplaces for neurodivergent staff
Neurodivergent people often excel in skills highly valued in chemistry. Nina Notman investigates how employers are breaking down barriers and harnessing these talents through workplace adjustments and recruitment reforms
From flying ointments to healing herbs: the forgotten chemistry behind historical witchcraft practices
The unusual concoctions of village witches have historically been dismissed as nonsense hocus pocus – but is this the whole story? Victoria Atkinson investigates the chemistry behind the myth and whether there was more to witchcraft than ritual and superstition
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
The young female astronomer who worked out what the sun is made of
100 years ago, Cecilia Payne deduced that the sun is mainly made of hydrogen – but was encouraged to downplay her findings by her PhD supervisor. Mike Sutton takes up the story
How the Royal Society of Chemistry is reshaping recognition in the chemical sciences
Changes over the past five years have enabled a wider variety of team and individual excellence to be celebrated
Opinion
Why an inclusive culture is the best way to unlock chemistry’s potential
Reasonable adjustments enable diverse teams that can grow, innovate and tackle global problems
Feature
Rethinking workplaces for neurodivergent staff
Neurodivergent people often excel in skills highly valued in chemistry. Nina Notman investigates how employers are breaking down barriers and harnessing these talents through workplace adjustments and recruitment reforms
News
Chemistry for the visually impaired that can be felt, heard and smelt
The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, recently brought chemistry alive for students with sight loss
Research
First-generation graduate chemists face challenges throughout their entire academic lifetime
Study highlights need for mentorship and more inclusive networks
Opinion
Nurturing socioeconomic inclusion for a brighter tomorrow
Understanding why individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are underrepresented in the chemical sciences
Feature
Fixing medicine’s gender gap
For centuries, the default subject in medicine research and training has been the male. Julia Robinson talks to the scientists and clinicians trying to improve things for the other 51% of humanity
Mary Sherman Morgan: The best kept secret in the space race
Anna Demming reveals the scientist who invented the fuel that powered the first US satellite into orbit, yet died with barely a trace on record of her achievements
Martin Gouterman: the gay man behind the four-orbital model
Abhik Ghosh tells the story of a porphyrin chemist who was a leading figure in Seattle’s gay rights movement of the 1960s
William Knox, the only Black supervisor in the Manhattan Project
The story of the Knox family is one of education overcoming adversity, finds Kit Chapman
Odile Eisenstein: ‘Some of the most important advice is to be persistent’
The pioneering theoretical chemist on teaching herself programming and the importance of freedom
Robert Huber: ‘I call the last century the century of vision’
The Nobel laureate on the joys of entering a developing field, and the century of vision
Karl Mueller: ‘I realised I had matured when I started giving away my best ideas’
The director of Ames National Laboratory in the US discusses getting hooked on chemistry via parental inspiration and a benchtop NMR
A prize better than the Nobel
How a reality check, a little patience and a lot of polysaccharides shaped my scientific journey
How a mistake in the lab taught me new things about myself
One extra drop of titrant was all it took…
What I learned from going back to university in my 30s
Advice for the young student (at heart)
Cryptic chemistry crossword #110
‘Manage to oddly ignore arguing (3)’ by distracting yourself with this cryptic crossword
Chemistry wordoku #118
Find the Scottish chemist in the solution to this sudoku-style puzzle
Cryptic chemistry crossword #109
‘Right away, ensure to proceed (5)’ to complete this cryptic chemistry crossword
Chemistry wordoku #117
A sudoku-style logic puzzle with a chemistry twist
Opinion
What makes a scientific breakthrough truly chemical?
Why MOFs are a great choice for the Nobel prize in chemistry
Opinion
The conceptual challenge of consumer safety
Understanding causation can motivate product improvements
Opinion
What the smell of benzene tells us about the world
A philosophical discussion about how much we can trust our senses
Opinion
How feminist bioethics can improve women’s health
From correcting research imbalances to placing value on lived experiences
Opinion
In search of truth and rules
To codify and predict ever more complex phenomena is one of science’s great drivers
Opinion
Classifications, racial discrimination and Covid-19
Lessons with philosophical significance for how we group people and objects
Opinion
The moral theories behind climate deadlock
Why is it so controversial to do the right thing for the environment?
Opinion
The fungal source of Titian’s rich reds
Laccaic acid, thought to be produced by lac insects, is produced by a symbiont similar to the zombie ant fungus
Research
Portable device detects poisonous pigment in books
St Andrews librarians and physicists partner to create sensor that can detect the spectrum of toxic green colourant
Research
Ancient ‘Egyptian Blue’ pigment recipes recreated
Work could aid conservation of Egyptian artefacts
Opinion
Otto’s ozoniser and the value of nurturing inventors
Marius-Paul Otto (1870–1939) patently used his entrepreneurial spirit to clean up
Webinar
Walter Kohn: from kindertransport and internment to DFT and the Nobel prize
Join us on 25 November as we explore the legacy of Walter Kohn, the 1998 joint winner of the Nobel prize in chemistry
Opinion
Coblentz’s infrared spectrometer and the overlooked power of vibrations
Vibrational spectroscopy’s intuitive insight into molecular structure was initially shunned by chemists
News
Chemistry for the visually impaired that can be felt, heard and smelt
The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, recently brought chemistry alive for students with sight loss
Research
First-generation graduate chemists face challenges throughout their entire academic lifetime
Study highlights need for mentorship and more inclusive networks
Research
When it comes to correcting the scientific record, chemists prefer to have a quiet word
Those surveyed even report introducing ‘errors’ into their work to satisfy reviewers
News
Maternity lab coat aims to close a gap in PPE market and end unsafe practices
Genius Lab Gear wants to stop trend of pregnant women creating Frankenstein lab coats with a tailored and adjustable lab coat
Careers
Employees need freedom to choose how to work most effectively
This is especially important to ensure neurodiverse employees get the support they need
Feature
Rethinking workplaces for neurodivergent staff
Neurodivergent people often excel in skills highly valued in chemistry. Nina Notman investigates how employers are breaking down barriers and harnessing these talents through workplace adjustments and recruitment reforms
Careers
Navigating parenthood and the return to the bench: A paternal perspective
Advice for how to combine fatherhood with a career in research
Opinion
Ask probing questions to work effectively in diverse teams
Sometimes, what you really want may not be what you say you want
Careers
The chemist who commemorates lab discoveries on his body
University of Nebraska’s drug design centre director is communicating his team’s scientific breakthroughs with tattoos and now has 29 on his arm
Opinion
The lost treasure of electron microscopy
Unpublished images should be brought to light to aid science communication and speed up discovery
Careers
Comic book chemistry
The scientists using visual storytelling to communicate their work – and how you can do it too
Opinion
I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten the words
The challenges of learning chemistry in your non-native language
News
How the extraordinary science of everyday items is bringing chemistry to the public
Three analytical chemists explain how turning powerful techniques towards ordinary objects inspires public engagement with science
Opinion
Learning about chemistry in prenatal class
Opportunities for infographics to contribute to health literacy