Last update:

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 ...

More news

Other
Testing used cars for drug traces to investigate third-hand contamination risk from methamphetamine use
Other
Video: Preventing Christmas tree fires, with science
Other
Video: The strange chemistry of Mexican Coke
Other
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
Other
Finally, a video that really explains how color works
Analytical Chemistry
How do heat protectants for hair work? A chemistry expert explains
Other
Nobel chemistry winner sees engineered proteins solving tough problems
Other
Nobel Prize in chemistry honors 3 scientists who used AI to design proteins—life's building blocks
Other
What are proteins again? Nobel-winning chemistry explained
Other
Demis Hassabis, from chess prodigy to Nobel-winning AI pioneer
Other
AI-aided research, new materials eyed for Nobel Chemistry Prize
Other
Nobel winners hope protein work will spur 'incredible' breakthroughs
Other
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?
Other
Improving cat food flavors with the help of feline taste-testers

Other news

General Physics
How some cyclists paradoxically start 'from rest' with a non-zero velocity
Archaeology
Iron Age seeds reveal the origins of Iberian wine
Paleontology & Fossils
Tyrannosaurus rex teeth reveal a body temperature close to the human average
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
Mathematics
Mathematician challenges a 2,000-year-old legend about the Parthenon's optical illusions
Bio & Medicine
Building big with DNA gets a software upgrade
Cell & Microbiology
Tendon cells can rebound from stiffness when returned to softer tissue-like surroundings
Planetary Sciences
Snow, monsoons and oceans shift Earth's center of mass each year, satellite tracking shows
Biochemistry
Thinking outside the binding site: Drug molecule makes a square peg fit a round hole
Biochemistry
Why you really shouldn't overcook your proteins
Planetary Sciences
Newfound 'baby' planet smashes record for youngest known world
Archaeology
Henry VIII's dissolution enforcer stashed Catholic manuscript—its lost pages have just been rediscovered
Astronomy
Webb measures extreme gas outflows from distant 'dead' galaxies
Plants & Animals
Caffeine pollution could disrupt crustacean defenses against predators
Ecology
Fungi neutralize spruce defense mechanisms with sugar
Nanophysics
Light lets microswimmers switch between bacteria-like and algae-like propulsion
Archaeology
Insect remains reveal Indigenous burial practices in the Canary Islands
Quantum Physics
Circular Rydberg atoms set three records, staying stable for 11 milliseconds
Plants & Animals
Why do some chimpanzee mothers carry their dead infants for months?

Electrochemistry amps up in pharma

Sparked by several high-profile reports, electrochemistry—using electricity to perform chemical reactions like oxidation and reduction—is gaining popularity in the pharmaceutical field. Some researchers have embraced the ...

Will lithium-air batteries ever take flight?

Amid growing climate concerns, many governments and scientists worldwide are trying to reduce air travel's environmental impact. Electric planes are a possible solution, but better batteries are needed to power large aircraft ...

The sweet taste of innovation

Would that ice-cold bottle of soda taste as refreshing, knowing that it contains 65 grams (5 tablespoons) of added sugar? With a new U.S. food-labeling policy set to kick in, public health groups are banking on the answer ...

Scientists enhance color and texture of cultured meat

A team of Tufts University-led researchers exploring the development of cultured meat found that the addition of the iron-carrying protein myoglobin improves the growth, texture and color of bovine muscle grown from cells ...

Could young blood hold secrets to longer, healthier life?

In what sounds like a scene from a science fiction movie, researchers in 2005 stitched together old and young mice so they shared a circulatory system. Youthful blood seemingly rejuvenated many tissues of the elderly rodents, ...

Affordable and mobile purification of dialysis water

People who suffer from end stage renal desease frequently undergo dialysis on a fixed schedule. For patients this artificial washing of the blood is a major burden. To remove toxins from the blood, large quantities of dialysis ...

Nobel week continues with the Chemistry Prize

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry will be announced Wednesday, a day after the Physics award was given to a Canadian-American cosmologist and two Swiss scientists.