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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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Cell & Microbiology
Light reshapes gelatin scaffolds to steer cell growth in three dimensions
Earth Sciences
Fresh as the microplastic-laden Sierra snow: Storms can deliver pollution to even remote locations
Plants & Animals
Experimental study on moths supports the molecular cookie cutter idea proposed for butterflies
General Physics
Electrical signals reveal hidden magnetic information in altermagnets for first time
Planetary Sciences
Planetary collisions may help young worlds hold on to their atmospheres
Optics & Photonics
A blue laser for underwater communication and sensing
Plants & Animals
Is it a boy or a girl? For alligators, it may come down to one degree
Earth Sciences
Key Atlantic currents could collapse this century, but the risk is missing from almost all national climate plans
Cell & Microbiology
Researchers create first whole-body single-cell atlas of an adult vertebrate
Plants & Animals
Birds and humans share fundamental song and speech patterns, study finds
Plants & Animals
Long-distance flights can throw seabirds' internal clocks out of sync, causing navigation errors
Plants & Animals
Global maps reveal farming, dams and agricultural runoff as leading threats to freshwater species
Nanomaterials
AI helps uncover overlooked 2D materials and create 11 new ones
Analytical Chemistry
One molecule, many atoms: Platinum bonds respond to surface features up to 10 nanometers away
Analytical Chemistry
New catalyst builds proton highways to tackle a long-standing hurdle in green ammonia synthesis
Cell & Microbiology
Newly characterized Streptomyces strain yields previously unknown natural products
Plants & Animals
Smaller ants devote more of their resting energy budget to their brains
Astronomy
Cosmic microwave background offers evidence of gas flowing in galaxy clusters
Earth Sciences
As ancient oceans warmed, carbon export and fish productivity surged
Plants & Animals
Shrinking bat populations can weaken ecosystem benefits even while species remain widespread

Video: Why flamingos are cooler than you think

To many people, flamingos are synonymous with Florida, tacky lawn ornaments and cocktails on the beach. But their silly reputation belies their incredible survival skills.

Chemists warm up to preprint servers

Preprint servers—online sites that post scientific manuscripts for free, prior to peer review—are well-established in fields such as physics and biology. More recently, two chemistry preprint servers, ChemRxiv and ChemRN, ...

What makes the deadly pufferfish so delectable

Some people consider pufferfish, also known as fugu, a delicacy because of its unique and exquisite flavor, which is perhaps seasoned by knowledge that consumption of the fish could be deadly. Now, researchers have identified ...

Video: The limonene myth

Limonene, a compound found in citrus fruits, has two enantiomers: mirror-image molecules that cannot be superimposed, like a left and right hand.

Video: How compostable plastic works

Due to the demands of eco-conscious consumers, manufacturers are making more and more disposable plastic products from compostable polylactic acid.

Lab safety, 10 years later

On December 29, 2008, staff scientist Sheri Sangji was working on a chemical synthesis in a lab at the University of California, Los Angeles, when one of the reagents ignited. Sangji's clothes caught fire, causing injuries ...