All articles by Neil Withers
-
PodcastDrugging the ‘undruggable’ cancer proteins & conserving the Bayeux Tapestry
How did molecular glues help crack one of cancer’s toughest targets? And we explore the chemistry behind the investigation and conservation of the Bayeux Tapestry.
-
PodcastA 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?
-
PodcastBattery 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.
-
PodcastAlphaGenome & the RNA world hypothesis
In this episode, we discuss Google DeepMind’s latest deep learning model AlphaGenome, dissect the origins of life from chemicals to complex lifeforms, and hear the latest headlines.
-
OpinionDon’t blame patients for the emissions of their inhalers
Alternatives with lower global warming potential are out there, but the onus can’t be on those suffering
-
OpinionThe clean beauty movement highlights wider challenges in balancing chemical risks and benefits
The ‘clean beauty’ movement exemplifies broader challenges in how we evaluate chemical safety, balancing risks against benefits while avoiding regrettable substitutions.
-
OpinionChemistry's capital C
From refinery scale to a nanosecond existence, carbon is everywhere – in life as well as chemistry
-
OpinionPolymorphs matter – especially when they might disappear
Disappearing polymorphs offer a fascinating example of the dark arts of crystallisation
-
OpinionPeering into the future of material characterisation
Operando analysis offers real-time data on what happens to devices at the atomic level
-
-
-
OpinionCan supercapacitors be the next energy superheroes?
Offering complementary properties to batteries, their time might be round the corner
-
-
OpinionJulia Kornfield: ‘I’ve often followed an instinct about a person’
The polymer expert on power imbalances and following her instinct
-
FeatureDo other chemistry prizes predict the Nobels?
We’ve looked at the numbers so you don’t have to
-
OpinionThe classic sandwich
Ferrocene turned our understanding of structure and bonding on its head
-
FeatureCharting the rise in antimicrobial resistance
We look at the data behind antibiotic drug discovery and development, bacterial resistance and the financial problems with the current business model
-
OpinionThe heavy appeal of liquid metals
The shiny and dense fluids offer both ancient mystery and future promise
-
OpinionReturning to the moon
It’s been a while, but space agencies are starting to plan their trips back to our satellite, with the goal of building semi-permanent bases
-
OpinionNuclear wasted
Atomic energy has the potential to reduce our carbon footprint, but the problem of waste is devilishly complex