More features – Page 47
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A revolutionary casualty
In 1789 Nicolas Leblanc was lauded for developing an industrial process that turned salt into soda. Then the French revolution stripped him of everything he had worked for.
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FeatureMetallic plastic
Metal-containing polymers stand to benefit from the mechanical properties of polymers and the chemical properties of metals. Tom Westgate finds that recent advances in design and synthesis make these materials far more than mere chemical curiosities
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Call that chemistry?
This year’s Nobel prize in chemistry was a tour de force for crystallography, underscoring the vital role chemistry plays across the sciences, reports Bea Perks
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A force for change
Atomic force microscopy has long revealed surface wonders to scientists from many disciplines. Now new probes are bringing improved resolution. Yfke Hager investigates
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Nicotine rehab
Nicotine has amazing powers as an anti-inflammatory. Now researchers are hunting for a nicotine surrogate that bypasses its nasty side effects, as Lisa Melton finds out
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Going underground
Many countries consider that the best way to dispose of nuclear waste in the long term is to bury it deep underground. Simon Morgan looks at how this could be done
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East meets west
Oxygen Healthcare, a family-run contract drug discovery company, promises cost reduction through its Indian research base. Sarah Houlton reports
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Higher than the sun
Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith, head of the UK fusion programme, would like to see viable fusion power a reality in his lifetime. To this end, he is strongly backing Iter, an international fusion project, as Katharine Sanderson finds out
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Around the world
The Earthwatch Institute, which has just celebrated its 35th birthday, supports vital research by dispatching fee-paying volunteers to project locations around the globe.
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Triangular thinking
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, US ,was initially driven by an emerging electronics industry. It now houses a large number of biotech firms, as Mark Whitfield finds out
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Made to measure
The familiar ways of reaching consensus about measurements are leading chemists into troubled waters. Mike Sargent looks for some clear solutions
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Joined-up testing
Europe's Joint Research Centre has played a significant role in developing Reach legislation and is at the forefront of the drive to develop alternatives to animal testing.
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Ions in the open air
Ionisation techniques that remove the need for sample preparation are taking mass spectrometry into new and exciting research areas, reports Steve Down
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Catalysts of creation
In the quest to understand the origins of life on Earth, scientists are finding fresh evidence that bundles of RNA called ribozymes were the first truly biological molecules.
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Down on the plastics farm
Soaring oil prices could see biomass become competitive as a source for chemicals traditionally derived from petroleum. Andrew Scott investigates
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Chemical origami
Sensors with molecular probes that fold around their targets, in combination with electrochemical detection, are being heralded as the ultimate user-friendly 'just add sample' device. Michael Gross reports.
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Biosensors make it big
The biosensor market is expanding rapidly but many new and innovative biosensors will probably never make it to market, reports Jon Evans.
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100 years of the FDA
The 1906 pure food and drug act was set up to protect US citizens from unregulated and potentially harmful products. Implementing the regulation has presented the US Food and Drug Administration with many high-profile challenges, as Fiona Case finds out.
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Working towards a one-stop shop
Acquiring companies across Europe, the US and Japan has given Biotage an enviable range of products and services, coupled with a challenging cultural mix, reports Bea Perks.
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Insect detectives
The powerful sense of smell that insects possess is being put to use in applications from detecting rotten tomatoes to controlling one of the deadliest of diseases in Africa. John Bonner finds out more.