James Urquhart
James is a freelance science journalist and writer based near Edinburgh. With a background in biology, science communication and history of science, James' interest in chemistry have grown over his years' of contributing to Chemistry World since 2006. He has previously worked for New Scientist as a video and multimedia producer and he also writes about nature and the outdoors, so he can often be found wandering the mountains of Scotland with a camera close to hand.
ResearchChemistry and AI pushes biosignature detection for life back billions of years
Combining analytical chemistry with machine learning doubled the age of ancient rocks that can be examined for signs of primordial life
ResearchAll stirred up: chemical engineers refute claims that ‘stirring doesn’t matter’
Failing to mix reactions in heterogeneous or industrial systems could cause numerous issues and might even be dangerous, preprint claims
ResearchTale of Britain’s post-Roman economic crash overturned by ancient metal pollution discovery
Analysis points to metal-working industry continuing long after Romans left
ResearchElectron irradiation converts hydrocarbon crystals into nanodiamonds
Flawless nanodiamond synthesis that wasn’t thought possible accomplished by transforming adamantane
ResearchAI method makes designer binders for ‘undruggable’ proteins
Technique can create molecules that target disordered regions of proteins and peptides
ResearchEngineered microbe could clean up persistent oil pollution hotspots
Bacterium can break down five hydrocarbon pollutants into harmless compounds
ResearchOne of the biggest questions in Mars science may have been answered by the Curiosity rover
Mystery of where all the carbon dioxide went that once made the red planet far more hospitable has puzzled scientists for years
ResearchCould ‘woolly’ mice put mammoths on the path to de-extinction?
Scepticism that mice with mammoth gene edits could ever produce a viable animal in elephants
ResearchMedieval bear’s teeth shed light on historic heavy metal pollution
1000 years ago, a bear died after falling down a cave shaft in Romania’s Carpathian mountains. Was lead poisoning to blame?
ResearchAI inspired by AlphaFold can predict chromatin structures found in chromosomes
System could help unravel how genome folding influences genes
ArticleCheap electrochemistry process can turn urine into powdered fertiliser
Straightforward process can precipitate valuable nitrogen compounds
ResearchProtein cement is the trick to how ticks stick
New insight into bioadhesive proteins could aid development of future biomedical tissue sealants
ResearchFluorspar to fluorine chemicals without going via hazardous hydrogen fluoride
Safer way to turn calcium fluoride mineral into valuable industrial materials
ResearchMineral-extracting microorganism could solve early Earth’s nitrogen-fixing mystery
Ancient microorganisms could have extracted vital nitrogen compounds using molybdenum mined from rocks
ResearchWater-splitting reaction reversal could extract lithium more sustainably and cheaply
Environmentally-friendly electrochemistry could cut extraction costs by 40%
ResearchAI trained on photos of salt ‘stains’ can predict their chemical composition
Imaging could become a simple way to identify inorganic salt crystals on other planets
ResearchGlassy gel superpolymer is sticky and can self-heal but is also hard yet stretchy
New class of polymer owes its properties to ionic liquid solvent
ResearchRecycled construction waste could cut cement and steel’s carbon footprint
Cement can be regenerated during steel recycling in an electric arc furnace
ResearchGenetic engineering feat coaxes yeast to produce valuable vaccine compound
Yeast could head off supply fears for vaccines ingredient by replacing soapbark tree as source of adjuvant
ResearchPlaying with plastic toy building bricks creates microplastic and nanoplastic pollution
Effects of such microscopic plastic particle on health is unknown but scientists urge caution – and more research