https://phys.org/chemistry-news/chemistry-other/ en-us The latest science news on composition, structure, and properties of matter One of the main reasons wine traditionally comes in bottles is to protect its quality. Glass is nonreactive, and the cork or screw cap provides an airtight seal that prevents oxygen from spoiling the liquid. In recent years, a new rival has appeared on the scene—aluminum cans. But there are concerns that the metal may interact with the wine, altering its unique flavor. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-aluminum-cans-viable-alternative-bottles.html Other Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:18:43 EST news686225905 Christmas means different things to different people. For me, it's an opportunity to eat celebratory foods that aren't available all year round. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-flaming-dessert-scientist-chemistry-christmas.html Other Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:58:16 EST news685789081 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 might likewise need an update. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-mold-real-chemist.html Other Thu, 11 Dec 2025 17:00:02 EST news684680194 Arsenic is a natural component of Earth's crust and highly toxic in its inorganic form. The element is a cause of a global public health crisis, as it is present in groundwater and the drinking water consumed daily by millions of people in countries such as Bangladesh, China, India, Mexico and Pakistan. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-chemical-treatment-deadly-arsenic-contaminant.html Materials Science Mon, 20 Oct 2025 10:01:52 EDT news680173294 Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for their development of new molecular structures that can trap vast quantities of gas inside, laying the groundwork to potentially suck greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere or harvest moisture from desert environments. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-scientists-nobel-prize-chemistry-metal.html Materials Science Wed, 08 Oct 2025 05:55:01 EDT news679121691 The development of new compounds and novel ways of storing energy are some of the research fields commentators say could be contenders for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry announced Wednesday. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-energy-storage-materials-eyed-chemistry.html Other Wed, 08 Oct 2025 05:39:07 EDT news679120740 Cats, dust mites, mold, trees; for people with allergies, even a brief whiff of the airborne allergens these organisms produce can lead to swollen eyes, itchy skin and impaired breathing. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-uv-disable-airborne-allergens-minutes.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 22 Sep 2025 06:06:05 EDT news677739961 A new trick for modeling molecules with quantum accuracy takes a step toward revealing the equation at the center of a popular simulation approach, which is used in fundamental chemistry and materials science studies. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-approach-accuracy-quantum-chemistry-simulations.html Materials Science Sat, 20 Sep 2025 02:30:38 EDT news677554223 Kenneth Merz, Ph.D., of Cleveland Clinic's Center for Computational Life Sciences and a team are exploring how quantum computers can work with supercomputers to better simulate molecule behavior. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-approach-combines-quantum-supercomputers-molecule.html Other Mon, 14 Jul 2025 12:44:02 EDT news671715837 New research offers key insights into how blood stains cotton fabrics, allowing investigators to gather additional information from forensic evidence. The paper, "Dynamics of blood falling on three types of cotton fabrics and resulting bloodstains," is published in the journal Forensic Science International. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-forensics-clues-bloodstains.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 14 Jul 2025 11:36:36 EDT news671711790 Green art conservation methods developed by EU researchers are setting new standards and proving useful far beyond museums, from cosmetics to agriculture. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-masterpieces-makeup-eco-friendly-art.html Materials Science Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:45:05 EDT news670776302 Researchers are merging multidisciplinary expertise with AI tools to document, reconstruct and preserve Europe's historical scents. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-reviving-europe-historical-scents-hell.html Analytical Chemistry Sat, 28 Jun 2025 12:00:01 EDT news670244189 Peering through a microscope, food scientist Raquel Gomez studies microorganisms that add nutrients and preserve tortillas for several weeks without refrigerators—a luxury in impoverished Mexican communities. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-scientists-mexico-tortilla-people-fridge.html Other Tue, 13 May 2025 04:30:56 EDT news666329448 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 installed chimney perched on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-conclave-chemistry-black-white.html Other Wed, 07 May 2025 13:20:01 EDT news665841264 We've all been there—trying to peel a boiled egg, but mangling it beyond all recognition as the hard shell stubbornly sticks to the egg white. Worse, the egg ends up covered in chewy bits of adhesive membrane in the end. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-egg-food-scientist.html Other Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:00:04 EDT news665066543 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 of botany and forensic chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-corpse-rare-bloom-aids-forensic.html Other Mon, 03 Feb 2025 10:46:27 EST news657801982 Last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued at least nine recall notices on products that didn't comply with the mandatory standard for nightwear for children. All of these items posed a fire hazard, but didn't have the required labeling. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-fuzzy-flannel-pajamas-incredibly-flammable.html Other Thu, 23 Jan 2025 12:16:29 EST news656856984 Environmental health experts at Flinders University have found most surfaces in a car retain traces of methamphetamine after it's been smoked in the vehicle, putting subsequent users of the car at risk of third-hand exposure to the drug. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-cars-drug-contamination-methamphetamine.html Other Wed, 15 Jan 2025 10:05:37 EST news656157931 Each year, 160 U.S. homes experience Christmas tree fires. They are hot, fast, dangerous—and preventable. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-video-christmas-tree-science.html Other Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:52 EST news654175006 Mexican Coke tastes different than American Coke; after all, it's sweetened using cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-video-strange-chemistry-mexican-coke.html Other Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:14:27 EST news653570063 When shopping for a laundry detergent, the array of choices is baffling. All of the products will likely get your laundry somewhat cleaner. But what gets the best outcome for your clothes and your budget? https://phys.org/news/2024-11-difference-liquid-powder-laundry-detergent.html Other Mon, 11 Nov 2024 11:50:01 EST news650547602 Art and science are sometimes poles apart, but that isn't the case in a research project described in ACS Omega. For this work, an interdisciplinary team merged scientific research, technological advancements and artistic exploration to experiment with the production, properties and application of a new kind of ceramic. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-boundaries-traditional-ceramic-techniques-merging.html Materials Science Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:00:01 EDT news649083124 Videos about the chemistry of color typically only scratch the surface of how electromagnetic radiation creates the beautiful rainbows of the world around us. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-video.html Other Tue, 15 Oct 2024 09:14:44 EDT news648202472 Heat can do amazing things to change your hairstyle. Whether you're using a curling wand to get ringlets, a flat iron to straighten or a hair dryer to style, it's primarily the heat from these tools that delivers results. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-hair-chemistry-expert.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 14 Oct 2024 12:02:05 EDT news648126122 Whether it's battling tumors or breaking down plastic, American scientist David Baker, co-recipient of this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry, has an answer: engineering proteins that don't naturally exist—a concept once dismissed as "crazy." https://phys.org/news/2024-10-nobel-chemistry-winner-proteins-tough.html Other Thu, 10 Oct 2024 04:32:53 EDT news647753568 The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded on Wednesday to three scientists who have help unravel some of the enduring secrets of proteins, the building blocks of life. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-proteins-nobel-chemistry.html Other Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:50:01 EDT news647699835 The winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work revealing the secrets of proteins through artificial intelligence said Wednesday they hoped their research would "open the door to many incredible scientific breakthroughs". https://phys.org/news/2024-10-nobel-winners-protein-spur-incredible.html Other Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:36:30 EDT news647699785 Long before Demis Hassabis pioneered artificial intelligence techniques to earn a Nobel prize, he was a master of board games. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-demis-hassabis-chess-prodigy-nobel.html Other Wed, 09 Oct 2024 12:18:22 EDT news647695096 Three scientists who discovered powerful techniques to decode and even design novel proteins—the building blocks of life—were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday. Their work used advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, and holds the potential to transform how new drugs and other materials are made. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-nobel-prize-chemistry-awarded-proteins.html Other Wed, 09 Oct 2024 06:11:33 EDT news647673082 The development of new compounds and science aided by artificial intelligence are some of the research fields commentators say could be contenders for the Nobel Chemistry Prize announced Wednesday. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-ai-aided-materials-eyed-nobel.html Other Wed, 09 Oct 2024 04:25:51 EDT news647666746