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
Careers
A career journey where nothing is lost and everything is transformed
What Lavoisier can teach you about career development
Business
Detecting airborne pathogens by DNA sequencing
UK spin-out Agnos Biosciences turned a ‘wacky idea’ into a sensor with applications from agriculture to hospitals
Opinion
Africa should treat entrepreneurial science as a lifeline, not a luxury
Synchronised action from universities, policymakers and scientists is needed to bridge the gap from ideas to impact
Opinion
The current academic system doesn’t incentivise risk-taking
But playing it safe can have negative consequences for a field
News
Supervisors can make or break wellbeing of early-career researchers, survey finds
76% said that their supervisor had a moderate to severe impact on their mental health
Opinion
Letters: May 2026
Readers delve into ancient history, celebrate glassblowers and ponder if they are alchemists
Highlights
Fritz Strassmann: the principled chemist who discovered nuclear fission
Analytical chemist Friedrich Strassmann played a crucial role in discovering nuclear fission with Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner, but his principled opposition to Nazi ideology nearly destroyed his career. His story of scientific rigour and moral courage deserves greater recognition
The toxic chemistry behind skin bleaching products
The global skin-lightening market is worth over $10 billion and growing, but the unregulated products driving it contain dangerous chemicals linked to serious health risks. Zahra Khan speaks to the scientists and advocates trying to fix the problem
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
National scientific organisations consistently underrepresent women within their membership
Change is happening slowly but institutional processes continue to stymie the progression of women
Opinion
As a first-generation student, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing
And that brought challenges and unexpected opportunites
News
Royal Society asks for help as it unveils interactive UK map charting memorialisation of women in science
Locations, landmarks and monuments dotted throughout the UK highlight the contributions of women
Feature
The toxic chemistry behind skin bleaching products
The global skin-lightening market is worth over $10 billion and growing, but the unregulated products driving it contain dangerous chemicals linked to serious health risks. Zahra Khan speaks to the scientists and advocates trying to fix the problem
Opinion
Alexandra Navrotsky: ‘I don’t think you attract people to science by big initiatives’
The nanogeoscientist on the importance of people to good science, the recent turnaround on diversity, equity and inclusion and why she will never be a professional artist
Careers
Statements alone don’t make labs inclusive for disabled chemists
Leaders need to provide proactive support to disabled employees making adjustment requests
News
Royal Society of Chemistry calls for labs to become more inclusive for disabled chemists
Innovative thinking could address many of the problems that makes labs inaccessible
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
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
Steve Liddle: ‘Try and do something different to what everyone else is doing’
The organometallic chemist on working with the f-elements, following your instinct and remaining grounded
Veronica Vaida: ‘Some Harvard faculty expressed puzzlement at having a woman colleague’
The renowned physical chemist and environmental scientist on growing up in Romania and forging her career as a woman in the US in the 1970s
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
The chemist anthropologist
What new species remain to be discovered in the lab?
Why failing my first chemistry test was the best thing that ever happened to me
Lost in reactions, but driven by curiosity – how a supportive teacher enabled me to find my way to a career in science
June 2026 puzzles
Download the June 2026 puzzles from Chemistry World
Cryptic chemistry crossword #135
Can you find the ‘Philosopher who’s a bit of a pig! (5)’ in this cryptic chemistry crossword?
Chemistry wordoku #144
Our sudoku-style puzzle with a hidden chemist
Chemistry wordoku #143
Find the small regulatory protein hidden in the solution to this sudoku-style puzzle
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
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
Webinar
How and why soap works: the science behind the suds
Discover the chemistry behind our favourite household cleaner – join us on 25 June
News
Physicist's piezoelectric pirouettes claims top spot at this year’s Dance your PhD competition
Contemporary dance explains why some materials generate electricity under stress
Opinion
How sketching and painting have enhanced my scientific practice
A visual approach to chemistry aids discovery and communication
Opinion
Letters: May 2026
Readers delve into ancient history, celebrate glassblowers and ponder if they are alchemists
Opinion
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
Feature
The toxic chemistry behind skin bleaching products
The global skin-lightening market is worth over $10 billion and growing, but the unregulated products driving it contain dangerous chemicals linked to serious health risks. Zahra Khan speaks to the scientists and advocates trying to fix the problem
Opinion
Alexandra Navrotsky: ‘I don’t think you attract people to science by big initiatives’
The nanogeoscientist on the importance of people to good science, the recent turnaround on diversity, equity and inclusion and why she will never be a professional artist
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
Careers
Supporting pregnant chemists
Risk assessments and flexible working policies all provide valuable support – but how proactively this is offered varies greatly
Careers
A career journey where nothing is lost and everything is transformed
What Lavoisier can teach you about career development
Opinion
The current academic system doesn’t incentivise risk-taking
But playing it safe can have negative consequences for a field
Opinion
Implementing ideas in industry
An initial thought can take on a life of its own as different stakeholders contribute their expertise
News
Supervisors can make or break wellbeing of early-career researchers, survey finds
76% said that their supervisor had a moderate to severe impact on their mental health
Webinar
How and why soap works: the science behind the suds
Discover the chemistry behind our favourite household cleaner – join us on 25 June
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.
News
Chemists think they know what happened on board the Mary Celeste
While many theories have surfaced as to what caused a loaded ship to be devoid of its crew, could this explanation close the case?
News
Physicist's piezoelectric pirouettes claims top spot at this year’s Dance your PhD competition
Contemporary dance explains why some materials generate electricity under stress
Opinion
How sketching and painting have enhanced my scientific practice
A visual approach to chemistry aids discovery and communication
News
Record-breaking chemistry experiments: from giant crystals to lemon batteries
School science staples that have set Guinness World Records
Opinion
Is that a fact, or your opinion?
When experts are sidelined or undermined, the truth needs all the allies it can get