Explainers
-
NewsExplainer: why are curly arrows used in organic chemistry?
How organic chemists became arrow pushers and what quantum chemists have to say about this
-
News
Explainer: e-scooter battery fires
In India and across the world, several tragic incidents have prompted scrutiny of small battery vehicles
-
News
Explainer: why have bioorthogonal and click chemistry won the 2022 Nobel prize?
Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and Barry Sharpless have won the 2022 Nobel prize in chemistry – find out why
-
News
Explainer: How do sunscreens safely protect our skin?
And which is best – inorganic or organic sunscreens?
-
News
Explainer: The chemistry that keeps swimming pools clean and safe
How disinfectant chemicals protect us when we’re having a dip
-
News
Explainer: How do the Covid vaccines measure up against each other and omicron?
Looking at how the evidence stacks up for vaccines against variants and how their performance holds up over time
-
Research
Explainer: why has asymmetric organocatalysis won the chemistry Nobel prize?
In a rather unexpected move by the Nobel committee, this year’s prize in chemistry has been awarded to Benjamin List and David MacMillan
-
News
Explainer: The science of alkyl nitrites aka poppers
From their origins as 19th century angina treatment to becoming an important part of gay subculture, these recreational drugs exist in a legal limbo
-
Research
Explainer: How would UK science be affected by a no-deal Brexit?
Access to EU science schemes, freedom of movement and student places are all expected to be disrupted
-
News
Explainer: What is Crispr and why did it win the Nobel prize?
The science behind the prize-winning gene editing tool that could change our lives
-
News
Explainer: What is quantum tunnelling?
Welcome to a weird world where reactions that ought to be impossible occur regularly
-
News
Explainer: The science of Covid-19 testing
Rapidly-deployed methods are saving lives and easing minds
-
News
Explainer: how is the vaccine pipeline for Covid-19 looking?
The race to develop a vaccine is almost six months old. Who’s in the lead?
-
News
Explainer: Why is mixing cleaning chemicals such a bad idea?
Accidents involving cleaning products have been on the rise this year, most likely due to the Covid-19 pandemic
-
News
Explainer: how do disinfectants tackle Covid-19?
What we know about the biocides that attack the virus, and how you should use them
-
News
Why have lithium–ion batteries just won the chemistry Nobel prize?
The 2019 Nobel prize was awarded to pioneers of rechargeable battery tech – here’s what you need to know
-
News
How do you scrap a nuclear submarine?
The UK is facing a £7.5 billion bill to dismantle its 20 defunct vessels
-
-
News
Why the kilogram is changing forever
The way we decide the weight of everything on Earth is wrong
-
News
What is directed evolution and why did it win the chemistry Nobel prize?
If you’ve got questions about yesterday’s chemistry Nobel prize then we’ve got answers
