Webinar
In conversation with Richmond Sarpong
Hear from the synthetic chemist rewriting the rules of molecular construction – join us 3 December
Feature
The evolution of chemical notation
Chemical notation has come a long way since the cryptic symbols of the alchemists – but agreeing on how to represent molecules, bonds and reactions has never been straightforward, and the challenge is far from over
Opinion
Why innovation gets stifled if you've settled into the fur-lined rut
Progress involves assessing all processes for improvements – even those whose inefficiencies we’re comfortable with
Business
Strikes at GSK’s Belgian sites over plans to cut 1200 jobs
Layoffs spread across R&D, manufacturing and support functions
Careers
The PhD to biotech series: Networking, hiring reality and making the transition stick
In the fourth and final part of the series, Matteo Tardelli discusses strategies to find and thrive in the industry
Feature
How asymmetric autocatalysis won the Nobel prize
Mason Wakley tells the full story of how Henri Kagan and Kensō Soai’s work on non-linear effects and asymmetric autocatalysis won the 2026 Nobel prize in chemistry
Podcast
Waterproof white inspired by nature & low-stakes mistakes
How can structural colour provide an alternative for pigments, chemicals and their environmental cost? And the Chemistry World team discusses their low-stakes mistakes.
News
Neurodiverse students use different strategies to reason through chemistry problems
Greater understanding of the challenges these learners face could lead to new strategies to help them in areas where they are weaker
Highlights
The evolution of chemical notation
Chemical notation has come a long way since the cryptic symbols of the alchemists – but agreeing on how to represent molecules, bonds and reactions has never been straightforward, and the challenge is far from over
How asymmetric autocatalysis won the Nobel prize
Mason Wakley tells the full story of how Henri Kagan and Kensō Soai’s work on non-linear effects and asymmetric autocatalysis won the 2026 Nobel prize in chemistry
NMR spectroscopy from its origins to hyperpolarisation and beyond
From Richard Ernst’s Nobel prize-winning techniques to hyperpolarisation and in-situ battery analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy continues to reinvent itself
The chemistry helping to unravel the Bayeux Tapestry’s secrets
As the Bayeux Tapestry comes to the British Museum, scientists reveal how chemistry and imaging technology are unlocking its hidden history
150 years of Gibbs’ phase rule
In 1876, Josiah Willard Gibbs published an equation that would transform chemistry – yet barely anyone noticed at the time. The story of his phase rule is one of delayed recognition, mathematical abstraction and enduring scientific legacy
Neurodiverse students use different strategies to reason through chemistry problems
Greater understanding of the challenges these learners face could lead to new strategies to help them in areas where they are weaker
Opinion
Avtar Singh Matharu: ‘Being a visible role model is really important’
The green chemist on being authentic, having good mentors and being proud of your culture
Opinion
Chemistry contains multitudes
There’s room (and need) for all the various subspecies of chemical scientists
News
The genius narrative isn’t inspiring – science biographies for children may send a demotivating message
Analysis of over 400 children’s books finds ideas around early interest in science and innate ability could turn young readers away from science
Careers
How a university opened its doors to neurodivergent employees
From all-around support to tailored recruitment, a University of Nottingham initiative offers a blueprint for improving neuro-inclusion in the technical workforce
Careers
Making lab equipment more accessible for chemists with physical disabilities
‘Chemical laboratories are often designed around a very narrow idea of standard talent,’ says one academic striving to make such spaces more inclusive
Opinion
How learning languages helps me become a better scientist
Lessons from a multicultural scientific journey
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
Susumu Kitagawa: ‘I tell my students three words: luck, stubbornness and perseverance’
The winner of the 2025 Nobel prize in chemistry on books, porous materials and his mantra for success
Avtar Singh Matharu: ‘Being a visible role model is really important’
The green chemist on being authentic, having good mentors and being proud of your culture
Sarah O’Connor: ‘There’s nothing that matches that thrill of discovery’
The natural product chemist talks growing up in New York, her dad’s late pursuit of a PhD, and her journey to plant chemistry and to Germany
Finding brightness in the depth of power cuts
The illuminating lessons I learned from living with loadshedding
The art of not letting the lab burn down
Behind every experiment is a technician quietly preventing catastrophe
Breaking a priceless chemistry artefact didn’t make the best first impression
But I found something precious in the department archives that will last for generations
Cryptic chemistry crossword #155
‘Philosopher reacts so surprisingly (8)’ to this cryptic chemistry crossword
Chemistry wordoku #164
This sudoku-inspired letter puzzle hides the name of an interdisciplinary researcher
Chemistry wordoku #163
Solve this sudoku-style puzzle and find a chemist known for their pioneering work on ensilication
Cryptic chemistry crossword #154
The solution to this cryptic chemistry crossword ‘even reveals the fish (3)’
Feature
The evolution of chemical notation
Chemical notation has come a long way since the cryptic symbols of the alchemists – but agreeing on how to represent molecules, bonds and reactions has never been straightforward, and the challenge is far from over
Opinion
Could AI undermine our (belief in the truth of) scientific theories?
Artificial intelligence models that make predictions based solely on data present problems for philosophers
Opinion
Ben Zhong Tang: ‘If you have to do something, try to do it well’
The polymer chemist on finding love for a subject, working with others and staying optimistic
Opinion
Is that a fact, or your opinion?
When experts are sidelined or undermined, the truth needs all the allies it can get
Opinion
Chemistry has always been women’s business
Female chemists played essential roles in developing chemical practice
Opinion
Archaeon’s lack of metabolism challenges definitions of life
A question that is not the same as asking whether something is alive
Opinion
Democratising science, one step at a time
Artifical intelligence is just the latest method to open up chemistry to more people
Book
Crucibles: from alchemy to chemistry
An excerpt from Philip Ball’s book Alchemy traces chemistry back to its beginnings
Research
Is this painting of a Roman emperor a lost Leonardo da Vinci?
Pigment analysis sheds light on Renaissance painting mystery
News
The genius narrative isn’t inspiring – science biographies for children may send a demotivating message
Analysis of over 400 children’s books finds ideas around early interest in science and innate ability could turn young readers away from science
Research
Polymer sponge could save stars of the silver screen from ‘vinegar syndrome’ destruction
Material that mops up acetic acid could slow degradation of old movie reels
Feature
The evolution of chemical notation
Chemical notation has come a long way since the cryptic symbols of the alchemists – but agreeing on how to represent molecules, bonds and reactions has never been straightforward, and the challenge is far from over
Feature
NMR spectroscopy from its origins to hyperpolarisation and beyond
From Richard Ernst’s Nobel prize-winning techniques to hyperpolarisation and in-situ battery analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy continues to reinvent itself
Podcast
Drugging the ‘undruggable’ cancer proteins & conserving the Bayeux Tapestry
How did molecular glues help crack one of cancer’s toughest targets? And we explore the chemistry behind the investigation and conservation of the Bayeux Tapestry.
News
The genius narrative isn’t inspiring – science biographies for children may send a demotivating message
Analysis of over 400 children’s books finds ideas around early interest in science and innate ability could turn young readers away from science
Careers
How a university opened its doors to neurodivergent employees
From all-around support to tailored recruitment, a University of Nottingham initiative offers a blueprint for improving neuro-inclusion in the technical workforce
Opinion
Why innovation gets stifled if you've settled into the fur-lined rut
Progress involves assessing all processes for improvements – even those whose inefficiencies we’re comfortable with
Careers
The PhD to biotech series: Networking, hiring reality and making the transition stick
In the fourth and final part of the series, Matteo Tardelli discusses strategies to find and thrive in the industry
Podcast
Waterproof white inspired by nature & low-stakes mistakes
How can structural colour provide an alternative for pigments, chemicals and their environmental cost? And the Chemistry World team discusses their low-stakes mistakes.
News
Neurodiverse students use different strategies to reason through chemistry problems
Greater understanding of the challenges these learners face could lead to new strategies to help them in areas where they are weaker
Careers
The PhD to biotech series: Clarifying your direction before you leave academia
In the first of a four-part series, Matteo Tardelli suggests some things to consider when deciding whether a move into industry is for you
Opinion
Making low-stakes mistakes is how we learn
Sharing mistakes helps us grow and avoid bigger incidents in the future. Please get in touch if you’ve ever made a low-stakes mistake in your career.
News
Looming social media ban for under-16s in UK sparks debate on accessing science online
Restrictions on children’s access to site like YouTube and TikTok will begin in March 2027
News
Cockroaches producing energy-rich milk bag this year’s chemistry Ig Nobel prize
Could cockroach milk one day line supermarket shelves?
News
‘Lots of researchers were doing very unusual things – I created an awards ceremony to celebrate them’
Marc Abrahams, founder of the Ig Nobel prizes, on how the annual parody science award show began and how it’s changing
Webinar
Boron: in search of the real fifth element
What makes boron so extraordinary? Find out on 21 October with author Stephen Mansell
Opinion
Building global links and growing local chemistry talent in The Gambia
Members of the Chemical Society of The Gambia have experienced success since joining Commonwealth Chemistry
Webinar
How and why soap works: the science behind the suds
Discover the chemistry behind our favourite household cleaner
Podcast
Inert materials & the Mary Celeste
In this episode, we discuss how to ensure experimental instruments are truly inert, chemistry’s answer to the fate of the Mary Celeste, and hear the latest headlines.