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Opinion
Rewriting the textbooks – authors tell us how they do it
Peter Atkins, Catherine Housecroft and Jonathan Clayden guide us through the changing world of textbooks
Feature
Seveso disaster at 50: how Italy’s dioxin catastrophe transformed chemical safety
On 10 July 1976, a chemical reactor near Milan released a cloud containing dioxin over residential areas. The Seveso disaster traumatised a community, sparked pan-European environmental campaigns and transformed industrial safety regulation across the continent.
Feature
Superatoms offer new dimension to materials chemistry palette
Could atomically precise nanoclusters mimic the chemistry of particular atoms without their toxic or cost drawbacks? James Mitchell Crow reports on the emerging third dimension of the periodic table
Opinion
Rewriting the textbooks – authors tell us how they do it
Peter Atkins, Catherine Housecroft and Jonathan Clayden guide us through the changing world of textbooks
Feature
AI agents accelerate catalyst discovery from simulation to scale-up
Artificial intelligence tools are transforming catalyst research, with new AI agents capable of completing in minutes what once took computational chemists days. Andy Extance explores how all scientists can benefit, from small groups to those at tech giants like Meta, Google and Nvidia
Opinion
Why I think it’s time to change how we teach the inductive effect
New evidence challenges the idea of long‑range inductive transmission, highlighting that some textbook explanations of inductive effects are oversimplified and, in key cases, completely wrong
Metabolised antibiotics can drive antimicrobial resistance just as much as their parent compounds
Studies on wastewater show that antibiotic transformation products may play an underappreciated role in driving antimicrobial resistance
Clever chemistry turns antibiotic-resistant bacteria’s own defences against them
Photosensitiser is activated by enzyme linked to resistance, making bacteria vulnerable to light therapy
Desert horned lizards that drink captured water from their skin inspire water-harvesting system
Halogen bonding makes its debut in a permanently porous framework
Microdroplet chemistry enables catalyst-free skeletal editing
Molecular labels streamline high throughput mass spec analysis by rapidly ranking reactions
AI model fills in the gaps in crystal structures by placing missing hydrogen atoms
One-step photochemical method switches nitrogen and carbon to convert pyrazoles into imidazoles
PEGylated ligands boost speed and selectivity in mechanochemical arylations
Tentative US–Iran deal partially re-opens Gulf shipping
Significant uncertainty remains, and plants will need specialist teams and equipment to restart
What kinds of reactions do you do most?
Variety may be the spice of life, but there’s space for the boring but effective
Evonik to cut a further 3200 jobs by 2029
Olin and Huntsman to merge, creating $12 billion chemical giant
Making South Africa’s mines more sustainable
Breakdown product of pesticides and refrigerants may be classed as reproductive toxicant by EU
GSK agrees $10 billion deal for Nuvalent cancer drugs
How far will EU push for fairer trade with China?
Ukraine war sanctions straining Russia’s chemistry sector
Jonathan Clayden: ‘I like to feel that we have set the curriculum rather than followed the curriculum’
The co-author of the much-loved Organic Chemistry shares his insights on creating a chemistry textbook
Rewriting the textbooks – authors tell us how they do it
Peter Atkins, Catherine Housecroft and Jonathan Clayden guide us through the changing world of textbooks
Catherine Housecroft: ‘Undergraduates do not want to buy big, heavy textbooks’
The author of the authoritative Inorganic Chemistry discusses how changing student attitudes have led the shift to digital resources
Peter Atkins: ‘Rather than a single author book with an author’s voice, it’s becoming more of a committee construction’
The author of the venerable Physical Chemistry on how writing chemistry textbooks has changed over his career
Seveso’s lessons must not be forgotten
The disaster’s legacy is a testament to science’s humanitarian duty
Strands of investigation
LC–MS/MS techniques applied to hair can provide some answers when other analytical techniques aren’t possible
What kinds of reactions do you do most?
Variety may be the spice of life, but there’s space for the boring but effective
Building global links and growing local chemistry talent in The Gambia
Members of the Chemical Society of The Gambia have experienced success since joining Commonwealth Chemistry
Marine chemistry in a warming world: preserving Earth’s largest natural buffer
Join us on 15 July to learn how climate change is affecting the ocean’s biogeochemical cycles
One small step for microorganisms: what extremophiles on Earth can teach us about life on other planets
Learn how some of the tiniest organisms thrive in the harshest environments – join us on 30 July
Discovering the elements: no simple stories
Discover the true nature of scientific discovery
How and why soap works: the science behind the suds
Discover the chemistry behind our favourite household cleaner
A warning for US science & wool’s chemical versatility
We discuss highlights from Marcia McNutt’s final address. Plus, what’s the chemistry behind the woolly sweaters keeping you warm?
Click chemistry marks 25 years & covalent bonding in the actinides
Click chemistry: it’s in the name. How has this unique discipline made its mark over the last quarter decade? And, we discuss new experimental evidence of how covalent bonding works in the actinides.
Quantum computing & a mysterious microplastic contaminant
How close are we to using quantum computers in our own labs? Plus, an unexpected source of contamination affecting microplastics research results.
Battery week 2026: The EV cathode race & battery-recycling photocatalysts
Who will win the EV cathode race, manganese cobalt or iron phosphate? Plus, how a new photocatalyst could change the way we recycle batteries.
Opinion
Jonathan Clayden: ‘I like to feel that we have set the curriculum rather than followed the curriculum’
The co-author of the much-loved Organic Chemistry shares his insights on creating a chemistry textbook
Opinion
Rewriting the textbooks – authors tell us how they do it
Peter Atkins, Catherine Housecroft and Jonathan Clayden guide us through the changing world of textbooks
Opinion
Catherine Housecroft: ‘Undergraduates do not want to buy big, heavy textbooks’
The author of the authoritative Inorganic Chemistry discusses how changing student attitudes have led the shift to digital resources
Opinion
Peter Atkins: ‘Rather than a single author book with an author’s voice, it’s becoming more of a committee construction’
The author of the venerable Physical Chemistry on how writing chemistry textbooks has changed over his career
Careers
Making lab equipment more accessible for chemists with physical disabilities
‘Chemical laboratories are often designed around a very narrow idea of standard talent,’ says one academic striving to make such spaces more inclusive
Sponsored
The scientists who will power our future
Calling in the next generation of scientists from all backgrounds to address the energy crisis and build the next generation of batteries.
Advantages of monodisperse PEG in drug development
Precision matters: why monodisperse PEG is transforming drug development.
Karl Fischer titration for moisture analysis: applications in batteries, fuels and food
Accurate moisture analysis has consequences that extend well beyond the laboratory. Karl Fischer titration is what keeps them in check. The question is whether the reagent is up to the task.
Why data visualisation is so important in the age of AI
Machines don’t need to draw charts and plots to work with data, but humans will still need datavis skills to work with machines.
Pittcon 2026 heads to San Antonio for analytical chemistry showcase
The world’s largest laboratory science conference returns to San Antonio in March 2026, featuring Nobel laureate Frances Arnold as keynote speaker and showcasing cutting-edge analytical instrumentation across five days of technical sessions and networking events.
Biphenyl: 20 years of Restek innovation
How Restek’s Biphenyl column changed chromatography
Explainer: the Welch Award in Chemistry
Many people have never heard about one of the biggest awards in chemistry. Chemistry World sets the record straight.
Optimising method transfer in regulated environments
Learn how to minimise risk and promote data quality with data-driven approaches and digital tools
Making lab equipment more accessible for chemists with physical disabilities
‘Chemical laboratories are often designed around a very narrow idea of standard talent,’ says one academic striving to make such spaces more inclusive
Meet the researchers finding fulfilment in leadership and administration
When a research responsibilities expand into something with a wider impact
How learning languages helps me become a better scientist
Lessons from a multicultural scientific journey
Socioeconomic background still holding back students in chemistry, RSC report finds
Access is only the first step to making the chemical sciences inclusive
Why setting up a café is a good idea for chemistry students
What do university chemistry practicals really test?
What to do if you’re facing dismissal
Ben Zhong Tang: ‘If you have to do something, try to do it well’
Supporting pregnant chemists
University of Sheffield planning to cut jobs in chemistry and materials science