Chemistry features and long reads

Experimenting in a pandemic

Chemistry teachers have faced extraordinary challenges in preparing and running practicals in the past 18 months. Clare Sansom investigates how they have fared

How a virus ancestor powers our memory’s chemistry

By Andy Extance

Andy Extance tells the astonishing story of the Arc protein and its capsid forms, and the questions it poses

How the power of smell could identify new medical tests

By Ian Le Guillou

Diagnosis by odour is nothing to be sniffed at, finds Ian Le Guillou

The search for the grand unification of aromaticity

By Katrina Krämer

Researchers have been trying to find a full definition of aromaticity for almost two centuries, and yet keep discovering new types

Supermetals versus superbugs
By James Mitchell Crow
With pathogenic bacteria rapidly overcoming our arsenal of organic antibiotics, James Mitchell Crow asks if it is time to revisit metal-based antimicrobials
Reaching the molecular limit of magnetic memory
By Rachel Brazil
Clever chemistry could help computers cram even more data onto their hard drives. Rachel Brazil reports on single-molecule magnets
How should chemical mixtures be regulated?
By Nina Notman
Nina Notman explores the challenge of assessing and managing risk from the coincidental chemical mixtures to which humans and the environment are exposed

Experimenting in a pandemic

2021-08-31T09:25:00+01:00By Clare Sansom

Chemistry teachers have faced extraordinary challenges in preparing and running practicals in the past 18 months. Clare Sansom investigates how they have fared

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Long reads

An illustration showing a blackboard with aromatic compounds written on it

The search for the grand unification of aromaticity

The rise of ferrofluids

Computer-guided retrosynthesis

Why do people believe conspiracy theories?

An image showing botanical illustrations of wheat, pea, clover and leek

Getting to the root of soil nitrogen

An illustration showing a sundial with the gnomon pointing at a recycling symbol

Sustainable solar power

The search for the grand unification of aromaticity
The rise of ferrofluids
Computer-guided retrosynthesis
Why do people believe conspiracy theories?
Getting to the root of soil nitrogen
Sustainable solar power

Careers

Interactive science communicators make work fun
By Dinsa Sachan
Careers in inspiring the public
Doctoring the doctorate
By Kit Chapman
There are now more ways than ever before to complete your PhD, finds Kit Chapman
The life of a chief scientific officer
By Dinsa Sachan
A dream job for scientists who love to work with people

The rise of ferrofluids

By Hayley Bennett

Magnetic liquids are taking off, Hayley Bennett reports, but not as their inventor once imagined

Reaching the molecular limit of magnetic memory

By Rachel Brazil

Clever chemistry could help computers cram even more data onto their hard drives. Rachel Brazil reports on single-molecule magnets

Computer-guided retrosynthesis
By Andy Extance
Machine learning-based systems hope to outperform expert-guided reaction planning technology, finds Andy Extance
How should chemical mixtures be regulated?
By Nina Notman
Nina Notman explores the challenge of assessing and managing risk from the coincidental chemical mixtures to which humans and the environment are exposed
Cleaning up industry’s water worries
By Angeli Mehta
With clean water supplies increasingly scarce, Angeli Mehta looks at what industry is doing to reduce its demands

News and business

The future of ‘next generation’ DNA sequencing

By Rachel Brazil

As it gets cheaper and easier to read genetic code, its applications are expanding rapidly

Science and research ‘are dead’ in Afghanistan

By Rebecca Trager

Afghan researchers and scholars flee or go into hiding as the Taliban’s return to power sees the science academy and universities closed

3D printing in pharma

2018-04-27T10:30:00+01:00By Nina Notman

Nina Notman explores how 3D printing is carving out a niche for itself in the pharmaceutical industry

Why do people believe conspiracy theories?

By Rachel Brazil

Rachel Brazil looks into the dangerous world of chemical conspiracy theories and asks the experts what we can do about it

Drink, drugs and disease: the chemistry of breath tests

By Clare Sansom

From roadside tests to diagnosing Covid-19, Clare Sansom looks at how breathalysers have developed

The growing problem of pesticide resistance
By Bárbara Pinho
Weeds and other plant pests can no longer be controlled by chemicals as easily as they could. Bárbara Pinho talks to the scientists finding solutions
Smart tattoos are keeping tabs on our health
By Nina Notman
Nina Notman takes a snapshot of the burgeoning field of health and fitness monitoring tattoos and patches
Getting to the root of soil nitrogen
By Ian Le Guillou
The farming industry’s reliance on nitrogen compounds is altering the environment, but Ian Le Guillou finds a better understanding of the interplay between plants and microbes could help to reduce the impact