News December 2011
US crackdown on mercury pollution
23 December 2011
The US Environmental Protection Agency's new rules will limit power plants' emissions of mercury and other toxins
Artificial hips glide on graphite
22 December 2011
Artificial hips lubricate themselves by grinding up proteins, but are graphite fragments something we want in our bodies?
Pharma braces for patent cliff impact
22 December 2011
Lipitor patent expires while familiar problems persist
All clear for tiny capsules of goodness
22 December 2011
Scientists have created nanocapsules to enable insoluble micronutrients to be added to clear drinks to make them healthier
For clean carbon dioxide conversion just add water
21 December 2011
A photocatalytic system has been created that can turn carbon dioxide into basic chemical building blocks
EU probes Honeywell and DuPont over green refrigerants
21 December 2011
Complaints from companies looking to manufacture 1234yf have led to a formal investigation into anticompetitive behaviour
Cutting edge chemistry in 2011
20 December 2011
Chemistry World reviews the ground breaking research and important trends in this year's crop of chemical science papers
pH adjustable protein micro-lenses
20 December 2011
Chinese scientists create protein micro-lenses whose focus can be adjusted simply by altering the pH of the surrounding medium
US agencies collaborate to test 10,000 chemicals
19 December 2011
The NIH, EPA and FDA initiate automated screening system to help determine chemicals' effects on human health
Durban agreement welcomed by chemical industry
16 December 2011
Chemical industry predicts new business opportunities as last minute agreement hammered out at UN climate summit
Radical experiment assesses interstellar nitrogen
16 December 2011
Supercold radical reactions suggest that there may be less molecular nitrogen between the stars than previously thought
Scrunched up graphene to store hydrogen
15 December 2011
Computer simulations suggest that corrugated graphene layers could be a useful way of reversibly storing hydrogen
Eastern promise
15 December 2011
Yongyuth Yuthavong discusses the challenges that face scientists in Thailand with Kathleen Too
Artificial intelligence for quantum chemistry
14 December 2011
A database of quantum chemical results and some clever algorithms can be used to predict atomisation energies
Scientists unveil tiniest switch
13 December 2011
The movement of a single proton offers four different levels of conductance, researchers in Germany say
Silk delivers drugs without the pain
12 December 2011
Microneedle system made from silk protein can be formulated with drugs with no need to refrigerate them
Be creative, be inspired, be confident
12 December 2011
Gregory Korshin talks to Michael Smith about his passion for environmental science, literature and languages
Zwitterion approach to stabilising drug proteins
12 December 2011
Positively and negatively charged polymer can stabilise proteins without affecting how it binds to its target
Turning bacteria's shield into a weapon against it
09 December 2011
Meningitis-causing bacteria produce a sugar layer that could be used against them in a vaccine
Arctic biting back over mercury pollution
09 December 2011
Polar bear teeth show Arctic mercury concentrations have decreased over the last 50 years
Molecular suitcases created by corrosion
08 December 2011
Exploiting metallurgical phenomena has enabled the creation of an array of metallic, multi-walled hollow nanoparticles with exotic architectures
Academia grows its role in drug discovery
08 December 2011
Report claims patents filed by universities around the world are growing rapidly while pharma patents are stagnating
Capturing compounds in cages for chemical control
08 December 2011
Encapsulating a reagent inside a molecular capsule circumvents the need for lengthy protecting group chemistry
Devices to help miners breathe easier
08 December 2011
Portable devices to test silica levels in coal dust on-site could lead to reduced silica exposure in mines
Government launches UK life sciences strategy
08 December 2011
Life sciences industry receives a cash boost to bridge the gap between an idea and a product
Artificial enzyme outperforms nature
07 December 2011
An antioxidant wrapped in a soft protein shell could be a treatment for a nerve cell disease
Catalyst clears up corrosion
07 December 2011
Photocatalyst ink provides a cheap and easy way to clean metals in industry
Commission appoints first chief scientific adviser
06 December 2011
Aberdeen microbiologist Anne Glover will provide the European commission with advice on science and technology
Atmospheric carbon capture costs underestimated
06 December 2011
Capturing carbon dioxide from the air will be much more expensive than previously thought, researchers report
Europe plans large cash injection for research
05 December 2011
The successor to the FP7 programme will put 80 billion euros into research over the next seven years
European economy burdened by air pollution costs
02 December 2011
Air pollution from the 10,000 largest industrial facilities cost the region as much as 169 billion euros in 2009
Soot inspires a self-cleaning glass
01 December 2011
Using candle soot as a template leads to a transparent coating that is both water and oil repellent
India won't boycott Olympics over Dow sponsorship
01 December 2011
Bhopal campaigners have objected to Dow's sponsorship of the London 2012 games, but have been overruled
Chemical bonding between tectonic plates
01 December 2011
A better understanding of covalent interactions between rocks and plates might help with predicting earthquakes, a US group says
