Award-winning chemists

The UK Royal Society announced the recipients of its annual awards and medals on 10 July. Among them were renowned chemists Fraser Stoddart, awarded the Davy Medal for his contributions to molecular technology, and Anthony Cheetham, awarded the Leverhulme Medal for the discovery and characterisation of materials with potential for catalysis and storage. Chemist Andrew de Mello is to give the Clifford Paterson prize lecture. 

Sampling London's soil 

The British Geological Survey (BGS) will carry out a baseline geochemical survey across London this summer. The  London Earth  study will provide information for use in planning and development, urban regeneration and contaminated land legislation. 

High-risk chemistry labs 

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has labelled over 200 chemical facilities, including some university laboratories, at highest risk of terrorist attack. Around 7000 facilities that use and store hazardous chemicals have been under review by the agency, and have now been notified of their preliminary designation under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) regulation.  

Say What? 

For more than a generation, Opec has held the world over a barrel

From an open letter to Chakib Khelil, president of Opec (Organization of the petroleum exporting countries), written by the European Bioethanol Fuel Association; the US Renewable Fuels Association; the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association; and Unica, the Brazilian sugar-cane producers association.