Katrina Krämer
After finishing my A-levels, I wanted to study arts or languages, but then decided that being a chemist in a white coat was definitely cooler.
So I went on and spent ten years studying chemistry in Germany, Spain and the UK, before realising that not working in a lab can also be fun. After one year in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s graduate trainee scheme, I joined Chemistry World first as editorial assistant and now as science correspondent.
My favourite CAS number is 102-54-5.
Research‘Inside-out’ chirality discovered by chance could have been missed in many molecules
A structure assignment odyssey finds a natural product with a type of isomerism never before seen in small molecules
- Research
First atomically thin carbon may end debate on nature of amorphous materials
Images of 2D carbon rule out one of two competing theories amorphous materials’ structure
- Podcast
Book Club – Antimony, Gold, and Jupiter’s Wolf by Peter Wothers
We talk about chemist Peter Wothers’ first popular science book that uncovers the surprising origins of the elements’ names
- Research
Mystery around ‘stealthy’ surfactants deepens as study raises more questions
Simple explanation for why inorganic boron clusters behave like organic surfactants doesn’t convince everyone
- News
China tops chemistry research ranking, leaving US in second place
Huge growth in high-quality research means China leads this year’s Nature ranking
- News
Reusable bamboo mugs leach dangerous amounts of formaldehyde and melamine
Bamboo fibre mugs release ‘alarming’ amounts of potentially harmful compounds into hot drinks, analysis finds
- News
Bullying and harassment helpline launched
Chemical scientists who have been targeted, accused of or witnessed bullying can now contact the Royal Society of Chemistry’s support line
- Podcast
Book Club – Transcendence by Gaia Vince
We discuss prize-winning author Gaia Vince’s new book Transcendence, and discover how collaboration made humans Earth’s most successful species
- Opinion
Christina White: ‘Discovery requires the human element’
The pioneering organic chemist on taking inspiration from sport
- Research
Mystery of why magic mushrooms go blue solved
Chemists reveal colourful indigo-like polymers that turn psychotropic mushrooms blue when cut
- News
Giant periodic table four times larger than previous record holder
Enormous 660m2 periodic table adorns Australian university’s new science building
- Research
Trigold anion is first example of strange twisted aromaticity
A blue tin–gold cluster is the first to show in-plane σ-Möbius aromaticity
- Podcast
Book Club – Language Unlimited by David Adger
We discuss linguist David Adger’s book that delves into the origins of human language and tries to uncover the hidden structure behind what we say (or sign)
- Opinion
John Hartwig: ‘There’s a lot of distrust of science’
The catalysis innovator on the thrills of heading to the mountains and having a reaction named after him
- Research
Tiny water droplets reveal minimum number of molecules to make ice
Ice as we know it ceases to exist in droplets that fall below this threshold
- Research
Protons are even smaller than scientists thought, experiment reveals
The proton-radius puzzle isn’t solved just yet though
- Research
Double aromaticity found in boron analogue of metallabenzene
Boron–rhenium cluster is both σ- and π-aromatic
- Research
Steric shield leads boron to aromatic rings’ most remote region
Bulky blocking counterion makes quick work of borylating arenes’ inaccessible para position
- Research
First stable solid pentavalent plutonium compound stumbled upon by chance
Never-before-seen form of plutonium could shake up models of how radioactive contaminants disperse in the environment
- Review
Exhibition: On Edge
Through artwork – videos, audio pieces, installations and paintings – this exhibition looks at how anxiety affects individuals and society.
