Andy Extance
Before becoming a full-time science writer, Andy Extance worked for six and a half years in early-stage drug discovery research, followed by brief stint in silicone adhesive and rubber manufacturing.
However, when he had his first feature – on a cause of common heart-related problems in new drug candidates – published in Chemistry World in 2004, the course of his career shifted. After working as news editor for Compound Semiconductor magazine, he went freelance in 2009. Today Andy’s science writing explores everything related to chemistry, from Earth’s environment to space, from food to fusion, and from solar cells to how we smell.
NewsOpaque UK funding changes herald cuts to facilities and research programmes paused
Projects face withdrawals and delays as UKRI prioritises economic growth and applied research over curiosity-driven areas
NewsQuestions over microplastics findings don’t mean we are safe, scientists say
Researchers seek to overcome measurement issues arising from field’s youth, while some criticism has turned into harassment
BusinessFunding boost for Grangemouth whisky waste-to-chemicals firms
Governments hope £9 million in grants will help MiAlgae and Celtic Renewables replace oil-refining jobs
FeatureThe Antarctic manganese mystery
RRS Sir David Attenborough scientists are trying to measure the potentially crucial role of ocean manganese, finds Andy Extance. But how do you do cutting-edge science in the inhospitable Southern Ocean?
FeatureOne medical inhaler can have the impact of 30kg of carbon dioxide
Propellants in asthma inhalers produce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to driving 200 miles, yet most healthcare systems overlook this climate impact. New low-carbon alternatives are in development, Andy Extance reports, but barriers remain
BusinessArvinas and Pfizer seek a new home for protein degrader drug
Companies offer bifunctional cancer drug vepdegestrant to new partners after disappointing trial results
ResearchFirst valence electron measurements capture fleeting reaction process
Femtosecond timescale x-ray laser measurements study how a hydrogen atom breaks off an ammonia molecule
BusinessSarepta gene therapy deaths highlight tragic rare disease dilemma
Regulators block Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment after fatal side-effects outweigh questionable efficacy
NewsExplainer: The chemistry of permastink and how to prevent it
How to avoid throwing out smelly polyester sportswear
FeatureHow decarbonisation will help the UK’s last refineries survive
Carbon capture and low-carbon hydrogen are central to any possibility of supplying liquid fuels compatible with net zero, reports Andy Extance
NewsWhat are the prospects for making green hydrogen straight from seawater?
Competing with better-established desalination coupled with electrolysis, direct seawater splitting technologies are targeting niches
ResearchReprocess, reuse, repeat: greener recycling of perovskite solar cells cuts costs
Mainly water-based approach is also cheaper than using new starting materials
FeatureThe promise of drugs that send proteins to the shredder
Andy Extance charts how research into revolutionary targeted protein degradation therapies is moving from serendipity to strategic discovery
ResearchGPT-based AI tool predicts inorganic crystal structures
CrystaLLM uses GPT to arrange atoms, turning text-based data into numerical tokens
FeatureA mouthful of mouthfeel
Andy Extance learns how the chemicals in food and drink create sensual culinary experiences
ResearchVisible light-powered catalysts clean up ‘forever chemicals’
Organic photoredox catalysts show promise for fluorinated pollutants
FeatureClearing up the compostable plastic mess
Rather than a potential triumph, the compostable plastics we use look increasingly like a tragedy. Andy Extance looks at the problems and seeks solutions
ResearchProteins with multiple structures open up AlphaFold’s black box
AI prediction model often fails to identify fold-switching, helping show how it works and the limits of its usefulness
FeatureHow satellite remote sensing is enhancing our understanding of Earth
Instruments in space have studied the planet’s atmosphere and surface, and are now being joined by powerful new ones, finds Andy Extance
BusinessMDMA rejection poses questions for psychedelic drug trials
Decision prompts reflection over how psychotherapy is involved, regulating combination treatments and safeguarding patients