All articles by Philip Ball – Page 2
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OpinionHeated crystals jump to enantiomeric separation
Chiral asparagine monohydrate crystals can segregate by handedness – if you arrange them carefully first
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FeatureSmall molecules that switch up cell development could transform medicine
Turning mature somatic cells back into flexible stem cells using small molecules could revolutionise medicine, especially for regeneration and cancer. Philip Ball reports
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OpinionAn unprecedented supramolecular structure brings new complexities to life
The transcription factor FOXP3’s interactions with DNA present more evidence of the importance of disorder
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OpinionAtmospheres conducive to life
Researchers propose a new biosignature that could hint at habitable exoplanets
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ResearchMolecular movie captures DNA repair from start to finish
Study spans pico- to microsecond timescales to uncover enzymatic process
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OpinionSearching for new physics using ultracold molecules
‘Clock transitions’ could make it possible to discover if a flaw in the Standard Model exists – without the need for high-energy particle colliders
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OpinionWill the assembly theory imbroglio do anything for evolution?
A claim to have explained selection has caused a stir, and it’s worth asking why, says Philip Ball
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OpinionMoving beyond protein structure
Efforts to understand how intrinsically disordered regions interact have produced a variety of answers
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OpinionWhy Roman concrete is still stronger than RAAC (and other modern concretes)
Researchers are searching for ways to replicate the self-healing properties of the ancient material
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OpinionShape is not enough to distinguish life from abiotic systems
No morphological differences between living and non-living systems are yet known
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ResearchCrystal structure prediction tool a ‘significant and thought-provoking advance’
Algorithm needs just the chemical formula to find the ground state of a crystalline compound
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OpinionCan life exist outside of the habitable zone?
Speculation about conditions on Venus raises questions about our existing definitions
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OpinionHow van der Waals first linked liquids and gases
150 years ago, a doctoral thesis changed our understanding of matter
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OpinionThe long and short of telomere rejuvenation
Telomerase is unlikely to be a straightforward elixir of youth
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OpinionInterpreting the impact of AI large language models on chemistry
LLMs may outperform Alphafold, but currently struggle to identify simple chemical structures
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OpinionHuman genome editing in perspective
Ethical, cultural and safety considerations are high priorities for researchers
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OpinionNew phase of amorphous ice formed by ball milling
Medium-density amorphous ice has a structure and density similar to liquid water
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FeatureWhat does AI mean for chemistry?
Phil Ball looks at whether letting machines do our thinking for us will change our understanding of chemistry itself