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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
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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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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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Earth Sciences
California's tectonic stress has reached record level, earthquake model reveals
Ecology
50 years of data reveals true extent of climate change impacts on kelp forests
General Physics
Newfound sound wave scattering rule may lead to less bulky, more effective soundproofing
Cell & Microbiology
Frozen rat chromosome springs back to life inside a mouse embryo
Astronomy
Black hole feeding bursts may explain JWST's Little Red Dots in early universe
Plants & Animals
Critically endangered Chinese pangolin found in Nepal's sacred forest
Archaeology
Ancient hominins selected basalt sources for specific tools nearly 800,000 years ago, study reveals
Bio & Medicine
DNA design unlocks nanometer-scale catalyst control for cleaner hydrogen production
General Physics
Physicists create new family of Schrödinger-cat states
Nanophysics
Twisted stacking lets 2D conductor keep single-layer performance in bulk form
Plants & Animals
Elusive Cozumel dwarf fox reappears in first confirmed photos after two decades
Condensed Matter
Nickelate superconductors share a common electronic fingerprint
Astrobiology
Cosmic bombardment may have opened Earth's crust for prebiotic chemistry
Bio & Medicine
Medicinal plants yield carbon nanoparticles that glow red and flag toxic metals
Ecology
Corals have a hormonal clock and it looks surprisingly like ours
Astronomy
Neutron star merger simulations gain new precision with AI-driven r-process heating
Earth Sciences
Ocean collapse triggered ancient wildfires, research suggests
Molecular & Computational biology
How plants survive constant DNA damage: Newly identified repair protein protects growth-critical stem cells
Space Exploration
Plants could be used to grow medicines in space, study shows
General Physics
Tabletop experiment helps reconcile fundamental physics

Mining microbial treasures from toxic sites

Filled with a noxious brew of copper, cadmium and arsenic, with a pH rivaling that of sulfuric acid, Montana's Berkeley Pit seems inhospitable to life. Nonetheless, scientists have discovered microorganisms in this abandoned ...

The smell of dark chocolate, demystified

Chocolate is one of the most-consumed treats around the world, and the smell alone is usually enough to evoke strong cravings from even the most disciplined eaters. Much like a fine wine, high-quality dark chocolate has a ...

What is pepper spray?

Whether it's walking down a dark street at night or fighting off grizzly bears on the trail, pepper spray is an effective tool to fend off an attacker and get safely away. But have you ever thought about what gives this personal-defense-in-a-can ...

Drug companies warm up to continuous manufacturing

For decades, most industries, from petrochemicals to paper, have embraced continuous manufacturing processes. In contrast, the ultraconservative pharmaceutical industry has remained committed to batch operations. But recently, ...

Perfume makers seek natural, sustainable scents

In 1921, perfumer Ernest Beaux discovered that adding synthetic aldehydes to natural rose and jasmine scents produced just the right fragrance combination for the iconic CHANEL No. 5 perfume. Today, perfume makers have more ...

Improving quantum computers

For decades, experts have predicted that quantum computers will someday perform difficult tasks, such as simulating complex chemical systems, that can't be done by conventional computers. But so far, these machines haven't ...

A comprehensive look at cow's milk

Milk is a staple of the human diet, full of key nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins. Cow's milk in particular is one of the most-used dairy products globally, with over 800 million tons produced annually ...