https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. A team at the University of Basel, Switzerland, has developed a versatile nanorobot with propulsion and payload modules. The two reusable modules autonomously self-assemble and could be used in medicine or industry. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-modular-nanorobot-cancer-cells-viability.html Bio & Medicine Sun, 21 Jun 2026 14:00:03 EDT news700914551 In an effort to open the door to new and useful products, chemistry researchers are on the continual lookout for processes that unlock important molecules and the bonds that can put them together. Such is the case for UC Santa Barbara chemistry professor Yang Yang, who builds his research around discovering novel biocatalytic methods, processes that facilitate chemical reactions with biocatalysts from evolved natural proteins. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-chemists-uncover-metal-carbene-radical.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:50:01 EDT news700844582 Steel and metal production are among the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 10% of global CO2 emissions. At the same time, modern technology relies on tailored steels and metals for applications in fields such as mobility, energy, infrastructure, safety and medicine. Hydrogen-based metal production offers a promising CO2-free alternative and goes even further by integrating reduction, alloying and microstructure design into a single production step. However, hydrogen-based metal production still faces a number of challenges on its path to widespread adoption, one of which is the relatively slow reduction kinetics of metal ores at temperatures below 800°C (1,472°F). https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hydrogen-based-steelmaking-2x-boost.html Biochemistry Sun, 14 Jun 2026 16:00:01 EDT news700414341 Researchers have developed a solar-driven catalyst material that harnesses the energy of a single photon to reduce carbon dioxide and oxidize organic waste at the same time, producing valuable chemicals in both reactions. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-photon-reactions-catalyst-biowaste-simultaneously.html Biochemistry Fri, 12 Jun 2026 05:00:03 EDT news700385161 A research group has developed a new method for selectively synthesizing three-dimensional macrocycles,⁽¹⁾ in which four panels are arranged in a square, by connecting planar π-conjugated molecules⁽²⁾ at right angles. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-strategy-conjugated-panels-square-molecules.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:40:04 EDT news699875636 The building‐block chemicals behind everyday products—like shampoo bottles, food containers, and kitchen spatulas—are largely derived from oil. Researchers are now working to replace those fossil‐fuel‐based inputs with materials sourced from renewable biological systems, a shift with implications for health, economic resilience, and national security. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-gold-palladium-catalysis-mechanism-advance.html Biochemistry Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:00:05 EDT news699717002 Researchers have discovered that atoms can be mixed, separated, and recombined within the same experiment, providing a pathway to a record-breaking catalyst for green hydrogen production. In their study, the team created nanoscale particles containing only a few dozen platinum and nickel atoms and observed unusual dynamic behavior in direct space and in real time. As the two metals separate from one another while maintaining an interface, they become highly active for electrochemical water splitting, leading to efficient hydrogen evolution. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-atomic-reshuffle-catalysts-hydrogen-production.html Nanomaterials Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:10:01 EDT news699630241 Carboranes are molecules composed of carbon, boron and hydrogen atoms that are proving to have applications of great interest in chemistry, materials science and biomedicine. They are being used, for example, in the fight against cancer through boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), an experimental form of radiotherapy against malignant tumors that is highly selective at the cellular level. These compounds, which are highly stable at high temperatures and under radiation, possess unique electronic properties and can interact with various biochemical molecules. However, chemically modifying them to expand their potential properties and applications remains a challenge. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-metal-free-method-carborane-cancer.html Biochemistry Tue, 26 May 2026 12:20:07 EDT news699012058 Scientists may soon stop hunting for new materials—and start designing them to order. For the first time, Northwestern University scientists have demonstrated that megalibraries—tools that dramatically accelerate materials discovery—can do more than uncover promising new materials. They can also help scientists intentionally engineer those new materials with specific properties. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-megalibraries-reshape-ai-driven-materials.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 25 May 2026 12:00:05 EDT news698927162 Technology that converts carbon dioxide (CO₂) into fuels and plastic feedstocks using electricity is gaining attention as a core technology in the era of carbon neutrality. In particular, ethylene and ethanol are high-value materials widely used in the production of plastics, fuels, and chemical products, but until now, the only metal that has effectively produced them has essentially been copper (Cu). Through this study, Korean researchers have revealed the limitations of existing catalyst theories that have explained this principle. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fuel-catalysts-falling-short-copper.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 17:30:02 EDT news698600281 Researchers have uncovered a new principle that could accelerate the development of cheaper and more efficient fuel cells by revealing how dual-atom catalysts behave during a key energy conversion reaction. The study, led by researchers at Tohoku University, shows that these catalysts follow a previously unknown "dual-Sabatier optima" pattern, overturning long-standing assumptions in catalyst science. Details of the findings were published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dual-atom-fuel-cell-catalysts.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 15:20:06 EDT news698591607 Gold has been prized for thousands of years for its enduring shine, but Tulane University researchers have discovered that gold's resistance to tarnishing depends on more than its chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-gold-glitter-uncover-resists-tarnish.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 10:40:01 EDT news698576306 Since their discovery in the 1950s, metallocenes—chemical compounds where a metal atom sits "sandwiched" between two carbon rings—have been at the heart of organometallic chemistry research, finding applications in catalysis, materials design, energy, sensing, drug delivery and more. Yet knowledge of their formation has been limited, due to the transient nature of their unstable intermediates. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-capturing-elusive-molecular-sandwich.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:03 EDT news698512321 The production of many products used in everyday life and in industry, such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, and coatings, requires chemical catalysts, often expensive noble metals with limited availability. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are now presenting the first air-stable iron compound, which enables the direct use of iron(I) for catalysis and, unlike previous methods, does not require strong reducing agents. A first test yielded active iron catalysts. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-sustainable-chemistry-iron-substitutes-noble.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 15 May 2026 16:20:01 EDT news698071973 When you hear the word "epoxide," what do you think? If anything, likely "glue." But epoxides are quite common in our everyday lives. You might be sitting on a foam seat cushion made from epoxides. There is a good chance the synthetic textiles in your clothing involve epoxides in their production. The same is true of the paint on your car and the printed circuit boards in your electronic devices. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-electrified-route-epoxides-pollution-common.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 13 May 2026 11:37:32 EDT news697890970 A nanocrystal is an extraordinarily tiny piece of material—composed of anywhere from a few to a few thousand atoms—in which atoms are arranged in a precise, ordered structure. Think of it like taking a piece of gold and shrinking it down to the size of a few hundred atoms. It's still gold, still crystalline, just almost incomprehensibly small. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-combine-metals-nanocrystal.html Nanomaterials Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:11 EDT news697361581 Electroreduction offers a promising route for converting CO2 into value-added chemicals using renewable electricity. Among the possible products, formic acid is particularly attractive because it is an important chemical feedstock and a potential liquid hydrogen carrier. However, developing catalysts that convert CO2 into formic acid with both high efficiency and selectivity remains a major challenge. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dynamic-catalyst-interfaces-smarter-route.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 06 May 2026 18:00:01 EDT news697291981 About 75 years ago, scientists accidentally synthesized a compound called ferrocene in which the iron (Fe) atom is sandwiched between two C5H5 rings—(C5H5)Fe(C5H5). This compound opened up a new era in transition metal chemistry, and became an important reagent in catalysis, materials, biology, and medicine. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-carbon-free-ferrocene-alternative-possibilities.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 06 May 2026 15:30:01 EDT news697297681 La Trobe scientists have made a pivotal discovery in the fight against dangerous drug-resistant bacteria, as the University launches a major research initiative focused on new ways to target antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The findings have been published in Communications Biology. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bacterial-protein-path-drug-resistant.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 06 May 2026 13:40:06 EDT news697287722 A collaborative team of scientists has discovered that life on Earth over three billion years ago relied on the metal molybdenum, which was incredibly scarce in the environment at the time. The study, published in Nature Communications, is the first to show that molybdenum was used by ancient life this far back in our planet's history. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-billion-years-earth-life-rare.html Astrobiology Tue, 05 May 2026 16:50:01 EDT news697215543 Using bright X-rays from the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), researchers pioneered an innovative approach to designing proteins with targeted functions. Their method generated new insights that allowed the team to turn a single designed protein into two new proteins with completely different functions—one of which is the most active designed enzyme to date. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-synchrotron-rays-uncover-hidden-protein.html Biochemistry Mon, 04 May 2026 17:00:02 EDT news697125001 Scientists have adapted a centuries-old principle of chemistry to fine-tune a new type of glass made from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)—metal atoms connected by organic molecules—that efficiently trap gases like CO₂ and hydrogen and even capture water. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-scientists-generation-glass.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 04 May 2026 13:40:02 EDT news697117081 A new study by a team at Tohoku University, published in Chemical Engineering Journal, has shown that more isn't always better when it comes to nanoscale chemical reactions. One might think that giving reactants completely unrestricted access to a speed-boosting catalyst would be the fastest way to drive a chemical reaction. Instead, it was shown that hollow nanoreactors can work more efficiently when transport into the reaction space is slightly restricted. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-slower-access-faster-chemistry-nanoreactor.html Nanomaterials Fri, 01 May 2026 13:20:05 EDT news696854461 Researchers at Yale, Google, and the University of California-Santa Barbara have created a device that simulates the quantum "tunneling" behavior of protons that occurs in chemistry, a process so common it occurs in everything from photosynthesis to the formation of human DNA. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-superconducting-quantum-circuit-simulates-proton.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:10:01 EDT news696780482 The enzyme RNA polymerase (RNAP) carries out transcription, copying DNA into RNA. It's the first step in gene expression, and a process fundamental to all life. But the inner workings of this essential enzyme have long baffled scientists. Trying to work out how it performs its core chemical reaction, which stacks new RNA building blocks one nucleotide at a time, has proven especially difficult. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-captured-mid-reaction-rna-polymerase.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:00:17 EDT news696763261 Researchers have uncovered a previously hidden layer of complexity in how genes are activated, showing that water molecules play a direct and essential role in one of the most fundamental processes in biology: DNA transcription. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-molecules-gene-transcription.html Biotechnology Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:00:14 EDT news696671043 A new study sheds light on how hydrogen can be stored and released more effectively using magnesium hydride (MgH₂), offering fresh direction for clean energy technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-barrier-catalysts-hydrogen-magnesium-hydride.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:40:03 EDT news696068761 Composed of five or more elements in nearly equal amounts, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have emerged as promising catalysts due to their compositionally complex surfaces that can accelerate chemical reactions. Until now, scientists have not been able to precisely engineer these surface structures at the nanoscale, making it difficult to study how particle shape influences catalytic performance. Now, a study led by Northwestern University professors Chad A. Mirkin and Christopher M. Wolverton has solved that problem. The research is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-problem-high-entropy-alloy-nanoparticle.html Nanomaterials Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:30:04 EDT news695922301 Advances in artificial intelligence promise to help chemical engineers discover complex new materials. These materials could be used for reactions such as turning carbon dioxide into fuel, but technical barriers have limited catalysis adoption so far. Researchers at the University of Rochester are now harnessing the benefits of large language models (LLMs) similar to ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to empower more researchers to use AI to discover new materials and accelerate experiment workflows. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-plain-language-prompts-lab.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:20:05 EDT news695549103 The molecular structure of an enzyme from a marine bacterium with potential industrial uses has been determined by RIKEN researchers. The insights they have gained could help make a range of useful compounds through genetic modification. The research is published in the journal Chemical Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-marine-sponge-bacterium-enzyme-reveals.html Biochemistry Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:10:02 EDT news695490542