Philip Robinson
Editor, Chemistry World
I graduated from the University of Edinburgh, eventually leaving with a PhD in NMR spectroscopy after spending a happy decade in and around the Joseph Black chemistry building. I’ve since worked in education, publishing, communications and project management. Diverse roles, but all linked by communication and science – a (winding) thread that led to my interest in science writing and journalism.
At Chemistry World, we are not cheerleaders for science. We try to put chemistry in its scientific, societial and cultural context. A good science story is simply a good story. However, the telling needs some skill, and at least a little knowledge, to do it well.
NewsTwelve Nobel laureates tell us about winning chemistry’s biggest prize
Winners from the last two decades look back on the day a call from Stockholm changed their lives
OpinionAnalytical chemistry is never far from the frontiers of science
New and better tools are pushing back boundaries and changing the world
OpinionGLP-1 drugs could be more than a win–win for weight loss
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are changing lives, and could change our attitudes
OpinionUK science has a long list of asks for Labour, with few easy fixes
Stretched finances mean hard realities
OpinionUnderstanding our brains is complicated, beware of simple ideas
Stepping up from chemistry to complexity
OpinionScience shouldn’t be shy about controversies
Debates and disagreements are all part of the process
OpinionA milestone year
2024 is set to be a special year for Chemistry World because it’s 20 years since we published our first issue
OpinionBonds are the ties that bind chemistry
Those seemingly simple sticks belie our most complex concept
FeatureDo other chemistry prizes predict the Nobels?
We’ve looked at the numbers so you don’t have to
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
OpinionDeep sea mining is on hold, for now
But some countries say it will be essential to enable decarbonisation
OpinionA year of war in Ukraine
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is now one year old. For Ukraine, the anniversary has been a moment to reaffirm support among its allies and keep the world’s attention on Kyiv as the conflict moves increasingly by increments with no end in sight. For the Kremlin, the moment has been used to justify continuing the war, as a special operation that was supposed to last weeks now runs into its second year. For those who have lived through the war, it’s a reminder of just how much has changed and how much has been lost.
OpinionHow will AI and automation change chemistry?
It’s going to change our lives. But it’s not clear in what ways
OpinionWill we always keep naming things after people?
Choosing a name deserves careful consideration
FeatureVisualising the Nobel nomination archive
Who nominated whom for the biggest prize in chemistry