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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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Testing used cars for drug traces to investigate third-hand contamination risk from methamphetamine use
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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
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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

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Plants & Animals
Long-term oyster reef restoration shows clear success in murky waters
Condensed Matter
Hot electrons reveal electronic collisions may raise resistance in twisted graphene
Bio & Medicine
Building big with DNA gets a software upgrade
Biochemistry
Thinking outside the binding site: Drug molecule makes a square peg fit a round hole
Archaeology
Iron Age seeds reveal the origins of Iberian wine
General Physics
How some cyclists paradoxically start 'from rest' with a non-zero velocity
Archaeology
Henry VIII's dissolution enforcer stashed Catholic manuscript—its lost pages have just been rediscovered
Paleontology & Fossils
Tyrannosaurus rex teeth reveal a body temperature close to the human average
Archaeology
Insect remains reveal Indigenous burial practices in the Canary Islands
Cell & Microbiology
Tendon cells can rebound from stiffness when returned to softer tissue-like surroundings
Mathematics
Mathematician challenges a 2,000-year-old legend about the Parthenon's optical illusions
Planetary Sciences
Snow, monsoons and oceans shift Earth's center of mass each year, satellite tracking shows
Cell & Microbiology
Global database reveals hidden diversity and potential of deep-sea microbes
Biochemistry
Why you really shouldn't overcook your proteins
Plants & Animals
Brazilian sedge reproduces sexually but without DNA reshuffling, producing genetic clones
Planetary Sciences
Newfound 'baby' planet smashes record for youngest known world
Ecology
Fungi neutralize spruce defense mechanisms with sugar
Nanophysics
Light lets microswimmers switch between bacteria-like and algae-like propulsion
General Physics
Mobile trap transports 92 antiprotons by road and stores them for over a month in world first
Quantum Physics
Circular Rydberg atoms set three records, staying stable for 11 milliseconds

Egg-based flu vaccines: Not all they're cracked up to be?

Flu season is underway in the Northern Hemisphere, sickening millions of people and in rare cases, causing hospitalization or death. The best prevention is a flu shot, but it's not unusual for these vaccines to be less effective ...

Extending food shelf life with nanomaterials

When was the last time you were tempted by luscious cherries at your supermarket or saw that your favorite brand of packaged bread was on sale and you greedily bought too much? You likely had to throw away most of them because ...

Rapid DNA identifies conception boat fire victims

Thirty-four people died in a tragic boat fire on September 2, 2019, off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, California. Five crew members escaped with injuries after calling for help, but the intense fire aboard the Conception ...

Brewing beer that tastes fresh longer

Unlike wine, which generally improves with time, beer does not age well. Usually within a year of bottling, the beverage starts to develop an unpleasant papery or cardboard-like flavor that drinkers describe as "stale." Now, ...

The good side of carbon monoxide

Most people think of carbon monoxide as harmful, and with good reason—the colorless, odorless gas sends 50,000 people in the U.S. to hospitals each year when their furnaces malfunction or car engines run in poorly ventilated ...

A new way to create pumpkin spice products, drugs, cosmetics

"Like oil and water" doesn't apply just to personal relationships that aren't working. It also applies to the challenges scientists face when combining spices and other products that conventionally do not mix well in producing ...