Jamie Durrani
After completing a PhD in asymmetric catalysis at the University of St Andrews, I started working at the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2015. Being passionate about science writing, I really enjoyed the opportunity to contribute articles to Chemistry World. I eventually managed to sneak into a full-time role on the magazine in September 2016.
ReviewClearing the Air: The Beginning and the End of Air Pollution
Jamie Durrani reviews Tim Smedley’s new book
ResearchMinty-fresh solvent for sustainable cross-couplings
Eucalyptol could replace diethyl ether, DMF, THF and toluene in many synthetic reactions
PodcastMethylphenidate (Ritalin)
Jamie Durrani diverts his attention to the rise of Ritalin, a drug first identified as a way of improving tennis performance
ResearchVenom peptides reveal secrets of scorpion evolution
The shapes of toxins found in venom are helping to resolve the scorpion’s family tree
ReviewBitter Pills: The Global War on Counterfeit Drugs
Muhammad Zaman’s book gives an account of the challenges facing drug regulators worldwide
ResearchBiomarkers reveal ancient history of tobacco smoking in the Pacific Northwest
Stone pipe residues suggest wild tobacco was smoked for centuries before the arrival of Euro-American settlers
ResearchWaste vegetable oils turned into chemicals for drugs and plastics
Dual catalytic system converts complex carboxylic acids into terminal alkenes
NewsThomas Steitz, Nobel laureate who unlocked the inner workings of the ribosome dies
Steitz shared the 2009 chemistry Nobel prize for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome
ResearchBifunctional catalyst enables direct production of liquid fuels from syngas
Zeolite-supported cobalt nanoparticles enable selective Fischer–Tropsch conversion of syngas to gasoline, jet fuel and diesel
ResearchSound-sensing protein finally found after 35-year hunt
Quest to find the protein responsible for our ability to hear finally appears to be over
ResearchFatty acid residues reveal impact of climate change on ancient farming community
Lipid biomarkers help track an extended period of drought that brought societal changes to a Neolithic settlement
ResearchHeterogeneous catalysts supported on glass wool
Cheap material offers easy way to separate catalysts from reaction mixtures
ResearchAncient Egyptian chemists were making cosmetics 3500 years ago
Formulation of earliest manufactured make-up unmasked
NewsExplainer: the carbon dioxide crisis
Low stocks of carbon dioxide are causing problems for the food industry. So what’s really going on?
ReviewUnthinkable: an extraordinary journey through the world’s strangest brains
A book that tells the stories of people who experience reality in extraordinary ways
ResearchHippo dung is a serious matter for river ecosystems
Large amounts of organic material transferred into river systems by the animals can change entire ecosystems
ResearchHydrogel saves precious artwork to reveal hidden ‘Michelangelo’ message
New non-invasive technique safely removes sticky tape without damaging works of art