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Break the mold: Who defines the 'real' chemist?

The perception of a chemist varies. Some might imagine the "mad scientist" from old cartoons—a white-haired older man working with beakers in his lab—but as that cliche fades, the reality of what constitutes a chemist's job ...

Conclave: The chemistry behind the black and white smoke

This week, 133 cardinals have gathered in the Vatican to elect a new leader of the Catholic church. During their deliberations, the only indications of their progress are the regular plumes of smoke wafting from a freshly ...

Corpse flower's rare bloom aids forensic chemistry research

A corpse flower, aptly named Putricia, recently bloomed at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney for the first time in 15 years. For forensic scientist Bridget Thurn, it was a unique opportunity to investigate the intersection ...

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Video: Preventing Christmas tree fires, with science
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Video: The strange chemistry of Mexican Coke
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What's the difference between liquid and powder laundry detergent? It's not just the obvious
Materials Science
Pushing the boundaries of traditional ceramic techniques by merging art and science
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Finally, a video that really explains how color works
Analytical Chemistry
How do heat protectants for hair work? A chemistry expert explains
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Nobel chemistry winner sees engineered proteins solving tough problems
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Nobel Prize in chemistry honors 3 scientists who used AI to design proteins—life's building blocks
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What are proteins again? Nobel-winning chemistry explained
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Demis Hassabis, from chess prodigy to Nobel-winning AI pioneer
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AI-aided research, new materials eyed for Nobel Chemistry Prize
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Nobel winners hope protein work will spur 'incredible' breakthroughs
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Video: Why Canadian trash costs $30,000 per gram
Analytical Chemistry
What's the difference between MSG and table salt? A chemist explains
Other
Grenfell victims were 'overcome by toxic gases' after construction loophole
Analytical Chemistry
Evidence stacks up for poisonous books containing toxic dyes
Biochemistry
Researchers develop an instant version of trendy, golden turmeric milk
Other
Video: Don't drink raw milk. But what about raw milk cheese?
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Improving cat food flavors with the help of feline taste-testers
Analytical Chemistry
Retaining flavor while removing caffeine—a chemist explains the chemistry behind decaf coffee

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Astronomy
Black hole feeding bursts may explain JWST's Little Red Dots in early universe
Cell & Microbiology
Yeast experiments reveal an evolutionarily conserved backup route for making a molecule that's essential to life
Nanomaterials
Lighter X-ray aprons could spare health care workers from chronic pain
Plants & Animals
A 170 km journey by a freshwater stingray challenges long-held conservation assumptions
Archaeology
X-ray scans uncover Nazi symbols hidden beneath postwar painting
Social Sciences
Gleam-glum effect reveals emotional word cues in children as young as five
Plants & Animals
Critically endangered Chinese pangolin found in Nepal's sacred forest
Astronomy
Astronomers discover the earliest known flickering quasar
Condensed Matter
Nickelate superconductors share a common electronic fingerprint
Space Exploration
How Artemis II livestreamed hi-def videos and images from the moon to Earth
Astronomy
Alien signal claims face stricter verification under updated disclosure rules
Cell & Microbiology
Bacteria can learn and form memories without a brain
Earth Sciences
Superheated magma may explain why similar volcanoes erupt in very different ways
Cell & Microbiology
Antibiotics drive resistance in waterways—even after they break down
Archaeology
Wonderwerk Cave bones reveal possible fire use by human ancestors 1.79 million years ago
Space Exploration
Lunar orbiter concept could reveal five key elements across moon in two years
Ecology
How gene swapping helped build the planet's decomposers
Evolution
Epigenetic changes can be inherited without changing DNA in animals
Molecular & Computational biology
Continuous stirring made early life-like RNA systems more extinction-prone, experiment shows
Nanomaterials
'Flawless on the outside, flipped within': Detecting hidden defects in 2D dielectrics with light

Video: How tear gas affects your body

2-Chlorobenzalmalononitrile, better known as CS gas, is one of the most common tear gases used in the United States today, but did you know it's not actually a gas?

Benefits of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 are still unclear

With vaccines and therapeutic drugs for COVID-19 still under development, doctors are wondering whether antibody-rich plasma infusions from the blood of recovered patients could be a more immediate way to keep hospitalized ...

Latest findings on bitter substances in coffee

Coffee is very popular around the world despite or perhaps because of its bitter taste. Compounds contained in the coffee such as caffeine contribute to the bitterness to varying degrees. A recent study conducted by the Leibniz-Institute ...

Food technology: Insect flours

According to estimates of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), population growth will cause the worldwide demand for animal proteins to double by 2050. Even if free agricultural areas would be used, ...

New topological materials could have multiple electrical properties

This it is the story of a unique material—made of a single compound, it conducts electrons in different ways on its different surfaces and doesn't conduct at all in its middle. It is also the story of three research groups—two ...

COVID-19 antibody tests: How reliable are they?

With stay-at-home orders expiring around the world, many hope that COVID-19 antibody testing will help businesses and institutions reopen safely. Determining whether people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 is a key tool ...

What is tear gas?

In the past week, there have been reports of tear gas being used to control crowds protesting the death of George Floyd, so questions have arisen on the dangers of crowd control chemicals.

Exploring the neurological impact of air pollution

Air pollution has become a fact of modern life, with a majority of the global population facing chronic exposure. Although the impact of inhaling polluted air on the lungs is well known, scientists are just now beginning ...

A special elemental magic

A staple in every science classroom is the periodic table of elements, and for many it is their first introduction to the vast mysteries of the natural world.