All History articles
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WebinarWalter Kohn: from kindertransport and internment to DFT and the Nobel prize
Join us on 25 November as we explore the legacy of Walter Kohn, the 1998 joint winner of the Nobel prize in chemistry
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OpinionCoblentz’s infrared spectrometer and the overlooked power of vibrations
Vibrational spectroscopy’s intuitive insight into molecular structure was initially shunned by chemists
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Webinar200 years of benzene, the peculiar molecule that defied classification
Join us on 11 November to celebrate benzene’s 200th birthday
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OpinionThe simple machine that visualised atomic orbitals
In 1931, Harvey Elliott White developed a device that traced out the shapes of electron clouds by approximating solutions to the Schrödinger equation
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WebinarFrom folklore to pharmacology: the chemical roots of witchcraft
Learn about the chemistry of witchcraft through the ages – join us on 28 October
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FeatureFrom 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
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ResearchUnique Iron Age kohl from Iran differs from that of ancient Egypt
Eye makeup found to contain graphite and manganese but not organic ingredients
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OpinionThe fungal source of Titian’s rich reds
Laccaic acid, thought to be produced by lac insects, is produced by a symbiont similar to the zombie ant fungus
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OpinionContemporary chemistry owes a lot to benzene's beginnings
Celebrating what started when Faraday found the molecule with no end
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OpinionFaraday’s laboratory manual and the isolation of benzene
Instruction on how to be as much at home in the lab as was the man himself
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FeatureThe young female astronomer who worked out what the sun is made of
100 years ago, Cecilia Payne deduced that the sun is mainly made of hydrogen – but was encouraged to downplay her findings by her PhD supervisor. Mike Sutton takes up the story
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NewsCollection of Alan Turing’s papers sells for a record £465,400
Items included a personal letter from his mother and an original copy of his only chemistry paper
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OpinionWhat the smell of benzene tells us about the world
A philosophical discussion about how much we can trust our senses
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OpinionBenzene’s 200-year legacy of transformation
As we celebrate the anniversary of benzene’s isolation, we must remember that scientific centenaries carry additional agendas
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ResearchAncient ‘Egyptian Blue’ pigment recipes recreated
Work could aid conservation of Egyptian artefacts
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OpinionWay’s electric light and flashes of brilliance
The continuing adventures of John Thomas Way under the mercury-powered spotlight
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OpinionHow feminist bioethics can improve women’s health
From correcting research imbalances to placing value on lived experiences