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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 ...

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Corpse flower's rare bloom aids forensic chemistry research
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Your fuzzy flannel pajamas could be incredibly flammable—here's what to know
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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
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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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Plants & Animals
Smaller ants devote more of their resting energy budget to their brains
Environment
Saharan dust carries desert bacteria across the Atlantic to Amazon rainforest
Cell & Microbiology
Amino acid boosts last-resort antibiotic's effectiveness
Earth Sciences
As ancient oceans warmed, carbon export and fish productivity surged
Plants & Animals
Chornobyl dog population shows genetic signatures of directional selection
Plants & Animals
Scientists count more than 2 million eels on one underwater mountain
Planetary Sciences
Supersonic waves could explain the strange orbits of hot Jupiters and Neptunes
General Physics
Can gravitational fields break and reconnect? Einstein's equations suggest they can
Plants & Animals
Rarely seen deep-sea barreleye fish filmed in 4K
General Physics
Against all expectations, researchers control the magnetic core of a single atom
Mathematics
The phantom lighthouse: New research explains one of Australia's strangest illusions
Plants & Animals
A spider named for Stephen Colbert has a genome about 50% larger than ours
Condensed Matter
Ultrathin metal layer boosts spin-related signals, opening a door to ultralow-power electronics
Analytical Chemistry
Atomic magnetism reveals why iron, but not chromium, can produce ammonia using sunlight
Paleontology & Fossils
150-year-old mystery about the identity of an 'extinct' giant crane solved
Cell & Microbiology
Macromolecular crowding could help build artificial cell systems
Molecular & Computational biology
Molecular architecture determines tomato plant resistance to its main pest
Space Exploration
Could next-gen artificial intelligence help map out future space outposts?
Archaeology
UV scans uncover natural varnish that may have preserved ancient Chauvet Cave drawings
Soft Matter
Explaining the difference between brittle and ductile behavior in polymer glasses

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 ...

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, ...