News May 2006
Carbon joins the dots
31 May 2006
Carbon could soon replace cadmium as the material of choice for quantum dots, claim scientists in the US
Molecular structures: why knot?
31 May 2006
A German chemist has constructed a mathematical method to describe the geometric structure of knotted molecules.
A physiological role for healthy prions
30 May 2006
The healthy version of the scrapie pathogen helps regulate intracellular copper ion levels.
Palladium-ionic liquid catalysts
30 May 2006
Researchers in the US have developed a phosphine-free catalytic system, based on ionic liquids, for use in palladium-catalysed reactions.
Hydrogen leads to cleaner diesel
30 May 2006
Japanese chemists have discovered a more effective way of removing nitrogen oxides (NOx) from diesel engine exhausts.
Cash injection for zeolite crystal growth
29 May 2006
A fundamental study into crystal growth has grabbed the attention of global industrial oil companies.
The Invisible Man made real
26 May 2006
Cloaks that make objects invisible will be made within 18 months, say UK and US scientists.
Remarkable new iron complex
26 May 2006
Researchers in Germany have made a unique iron complex, based on ferrocene sandwiches, which could shed new light on transition-metal catalysts.
Electric shock for controlled release
25 May 2006
US researchers have improved the method for controlled release of biomolecules using gold electrodes.
Manipulating molecular motion
25 May 2006
Researchers in Germany say they have gained full control over the motion of polar ammonia molecules in a molecular beam.
Skill in spider's silk spinning
25 May 2006
Researchers in the UK and China are a step closer to understanding how spiders spin their silk.
Detecting brain damage before it happens
24 May 2006
New NMR technique could detect brain damage early enough to provide treatment for stroke victims.
Unexpected bonding in small spaces
24 May 2006
A copper-oxygen bond that appears to defy the law of repulsion between like charges has been discovered by chemists in the UK.
Screening polymers for cell adhesion
24 May 2006
Scientists have developed a microarray platform that allows polymers to be screened for their adhesion to cells.
Brazil and UK team up
23 May 2006
Brazil is 'ready and mature' to join the international science arena, according to the Brazilian science minister
Dynamic designer fragrances
23 May 2006
Designer fragrances might conjure up images of Calvin Klein and JLo, but chemists have added new meaning to the phrase by designing perfumes that provide a longer-lasting scent.
Budget shortfall threatens FP7
23 May 2006
EU research investment from 2007 to 2013 will fall €20 billion short of previous agreements.
Blood on a chip
23 May 2006
South Korean and American scientists have developed a low-cost biochip that can be used to identify a person's blood group by eye.
Back in time for CW reporter
22 May 2006
Familiar face returns Robert Hooke's long-lost notes to the Royal Society in London
Organogels offer control over nanofibre formation
22 May 2006
Scientists in Spain say they have tuned the shape and size of silica nanofibres by using pH-responsive gels as templates.
Wrapping adds stability to luminescent probes
19 May 2006
Chemical wrapping enhances the effectiveness of luminescent probes used in medical imaging, say chemists in Switzerland.
Inflammation monitoring for heart patients?
18 May 2006
A microfluidic device that separates plasma from blood could be used to monitor patients during cardiac surgery.
Drug companies need change of strategy
18 May 2006
UK pharmaceutical chemists reveal significant gaps in drug making processes worldwide.
Building sensors block by block
18 May 2006
Chemists from Poland and France have made hybrid polymers that not only have electrical properties, but also electrochromic and pH-dependent electrochemical properties.
Biochemists reveal hidden drug effects
17 May 2006
Canadian researchers have identified unexpected drug activities by probing biochemical pathways inside living cells.
Ordered molecular nanoarrays
17 May 2006
Researchers have made ordered nanoarrays of molecules on a surface, which they say could be useful for many emerging nanotechnologies.
Simulating cells on a surface
16 May 2006
Simulating the movement of model biological cells could help predict cell behaviour, say researchers in the US.
Switching off polymerisation in the dark
16 May 2006
With summer on the way, polymer science is about to get a boost following news that sunlight can kick-start polymerisation.
CDs offer promise for virus detection
16 May 2006
Chemists in Spain have used compact discs to detect different plant viruses using microarrays of DNA.
Buckyballs worth their weight in gold
16 May 2006
Move over carbon, a team of US chemists and physicists has uncovered evidence for the existence of hollow buckyball-like cages made of gold.
DNA beacons
16 May 2006
Researchers in the US have prepared a molecular beacon that allows the quantitative detection of DNA.
Sussex reprieve raises intervention issue
15 May 2006
Plans to close Sussex chemistry department scrapped, new department created.
Selective DNA crystals
15 May 2006
A US molecular biologist has developed a molecular sieve using a DNA crystal with nanoscale channels.
Enzyme's natural substrate identified?
15 May 2006
Branched-chain fatty acids are excellent substrates for a bacterial enzyme, suggesting that they might be part of a biologically significant process.
Biomolecular traffic control
12 May 2006
Dutch researchers have developed a biomotor that steers microtubules to a specific location on a chip.
Liquid crystals under stress
12 May 2006
Researchers in Germany say they can explain the apparently contradictory results seen when liquid crystals are mechanically stretched.
Contrast agents to prevent heart attacks and strokes
12 May 2006
US researchers have prepared compounds that detect the presence of an enzyme linked to heart attacks and strokes.
Sea water assumes the xenon mantle
11 May 2006
British geochemists have uncovered evidence that sea water incorporates noble gases into the Earth's mantle.
Towards programmable lab-on-a-chip devices
11 May 2006
Chemists in the US have developed microfluidic valve structures for lab-on-a-chip devices that reduce the number of controllers required off the chip.
Leading lab suppliers merge
10 May 2006
Analytical instrument firm Thermo Electron and chemical manufacturer Fisher Scientific have agreed a merger deal.
Making fun of Beagle 2 (again)
10 May 2006
Colin Pillinger, who ran the failed Beagle 2 mission to Mars, has launched an exhibition of cartoons charting man's obsession with reaching the red planet.
Selective binding of modified nucleic acids
10 May 2006
Scientists in India have made a series of modified nucleic acids that show potential as gene-targeted drugs.
Acrylamide chains form self-assembled sheets
10 May 2006
Chemists in India reveal crystal-clear evidence that acrylamide chains form sheet-like structures similar to protein ?-sheets.
Smart materials could transform medicine
09 May 2006
Intelligent biomaterials show promise in regenerative medicine, diagnostics and drug delivery, says UK scientist.
Smart materials could transform medicine
09 May 2006
Intelligent biomaterials show promise in regenerative medicine, diagnostics and drug delivery, says UK scientist.
Combating the influenza virus
08 May 2006
Understanding the function of key proteins found in influenza viruses could lead to more effective flu drugs.
Combating the influenza virus
08 May 2006
Understanding the function of key proteins found in influenza viruses could lead to more effective flu drugs.
Secret of tasty tomatoes revealed
05 May 2006
Vine-ripened tomatoes are officially tastier than gas-ripened supermarket equivalents, thanks to their umami.
Coating protects organic materials from photodegradation
05 May 2006
Materials scientists in Spain have used sol-gel technology to develop a UV protective coating, which they say can protect organic materials from light damage.
Gong for 'amazingly accessible' magazine
04 May 2006
Chemistry World has been named Monthly business and professional magazine of the year by the PPA
NO means no to biofouling
04 May 2006
Nitric oxide-releasing membranes could coat the next generation of medical sensors, claim scientists in the US.
US firms accuse Reach of raising trade barriers
03 May 2006
American industry warns EU chemicals directive will cause 'unnecessary barriers to trade'.
Analysis of complex samples made easier
03 May 2006
A direct method for analysing complex samples, such as urine or milk, has been developed by researchers in the US.
Ruthenium's role in cancer therapy
02 May 2006
Ruthenium compounds are emerging as potential drugs for treating secondary tumours.
