Herbicides caught in the matrix

31 October 2006

A solid matrix could be used for controlled release of herbicides, say a team of workers from the UK.

Do I know you, sugar?

31 October 2006

A molecule that can recognise carbohydrates could further the fight against infections.

Economist's review marks turning point

30 October 2006

Scientists have welcomed an economist's review into the costs of climate change.

From methane to methanol

30 October 2006

Ionic liquids could be the key to a commercial process for converting natural gas to methanol.

European PFOS restrictions

27 October 2006

EU ministers are collaborating with the European Parliament to secure early restrictions on perfluorooctane sulfonates

Synthetic origami folds like natural enzymes

27 October 2006

Large organic molecule mimics biological protein folding

Sulfate solution to acrylamide problem

27 October 2006

Simple changes in farming methods could reduce levels of acrylamide in wheat-based foods

Optical sculpture

27 October 2006

UK scientists have re-shaped micrometre-sized emulsion droplets using light.

Plutonium hitchhikers take the fast stream

26 October 2006

Plutonium travels through groundwater by hitching a ride on tiny colloid particles.

Volcanoes reveal the secret of the origin of life

26 October 2006

The chemical reaction that was life's starting point over four billion years ago

Honeybee genome unveiled

26 October 2006

So what can chemists learn from the industrious pollinator?

Antibacterial wallpaper

26 October 2006

Zinc oxide nanoparticles have been coated onto paper, giving it an antibacterial surface suitable for use as wallpaper in hospitals.

The smell of filthy lucre

25 October 2006

The characteristic metallic smell of coins is actually a type of human body odour

Oldest pigments found in ancient fossils

25 October 2006

Colourful organic molecules have been found in the remains of 350-million-year-old sea creatures

Battle of the bulge

25 October 2006

Helical molecules that bind to bulges in RNA could lead to anti-HIV drugs.

Let bacteria do the work

25 October 2006

Micro-organisms could be employed to make drugs that are too complicated to synthesise chemically, say UK chemists.

Submariners can breathe easy

24 October 2006

Calling all Beatles fans! You could spend a week on a yellow submarine breathing the same air without suffering any ill effects.

British scholarship scheme to attract the world's best brains

24 October 2006

Alistair Darling announces plans for a Rhodes-style scholarship scheme designed to give Britain a competitive edge.

A chequerboard of water

24 October 2006

From extreme water-attraction to extreme water-repulsion at the flick of a switch

UK dragging heels on nanotechnology

23 October 2006

Exasperation at lack of government action on nano safety

UK researchers unveil country's most powerful microscope

20 October 2006

Teams at Imperial College London prepare to focus on Alzheimers' disease and nanoscience of osteoporosis.

Welcome news for beer-lovers

20 October 2006

European researchers have unravelled the missing step in understanding how light causes the flavour of beer to go off.

Great leap forward for MRI imaging

19 October 2006

Magnetic resonance imaging could be used to track individual molecules in the body.

Invisibility cloak is latest amazing 'metamaterial'

19 October 2006

Chemists beware - the metamaterialists are making startling progress.

Controlling the flow

19 October 2006

A new way of directing the flow of water could revolutionise microfluidics, say researchers from Linköping University in Sweden.

Brazil nuts' selenium storing secrets revealed?

19 October 2006

Brazil nuts are a rich source of selenium, an essential trace element, and now scientists have identified 15 selenium-containing peptides in the tasty treats.

Nobel lobbying skews prizes, chemist claims

18 October 2006

Top German chemist complains that US domination in recent years is linked to lobbying efforts

Death sentences for microbes

18 October 2006

Researchers have used linguistic analysis to create new antimicrobial agents.

Standard solution for bakers' asthma

18 October 2006

A reproducible method for analysing flour dust should enable accurate measurement of the allergens that give rise to bakers' asthma.

The future of proteomics

18 October 2006

Microfluidic techniques will lead to high-throughput protein profiling within a decade, suggest scientists.

Heaviest element awaits confirmation

17 October 2006

Russian and American scientists claim to have discovered element 118, the newest and heaviest addition to the periodic table.

Chemistry takes back seat among German elite

17 October 2006

Over a billion Euros announced for science funding scheme to create German 'ivy league'.

Uric acid detection

17 October 2006

Luminescent lanthanide complexes can be used to rapidly detect uric acid levels in urine and blood, say UK scientists.

Antimatter persuaded to react with matter

16 October 2006

Researchers have unintentionally induced a chemical reaction between matter and antimatter.

Brief encounter

16 October 2006

NMR spectroscopists have developed a method to observe the initial encounter between two proteins before they form a stable complex

Making the most of apricot and cashew nut leftovers

16 October 2006

Apricot and cashew nut by-products can be used as renewable feedstocks to make nanomaterials, say researchers in the US.

Life blood: substituting cells

13 October 2006

Blood substitutes can save the lives of people unable to receive transfusions for medical or ethical reasons.

Current issue: March 2007

Latest edition now live

Fastest synthesis in the west

13 October 2006

Promising antibiotic with a novel mechanism of action has been synthesized for the first time.

Lasers on the energy ski slope

12 October 2006

Lasers, like catalysts, shift energy landscapes during a chemical reaction.

Reducing the number of genes needed for life

12 October 2006

Two of the smallest bacterial genomes ever sequenced.

Methamphetamine crooks down on the farm

12 October 2006

Adding a chemical to agricultural fertiliser could curb illegal drug production.

Molecular clamps keep reagents under control

12 October 2006

Molecular clamps can give precise control over the formation of thymine dimers.

Building a bioaerosol barometer

12 October 2006

Air handling units could be used to study airborne microorganisms such as anthrax, according to engineers in the US.

Keep cool over vegetable health scare

11 October 2006

Cases of botulism in the US and Canada have been linked to carrot juice.

Controversy continues as REACH nears completion

11 October 2006

MEPs push for further amendments to the EU system of registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals.

Pour-on nanotechnology stops bleeding in seconds

10 October 2006

Peptide-based liquid creates a protective barrier to stop bleeding from open wounds within fifteen seconds.

Miniature microbicides

09 October 2006

Combining the features of two types of antimicrobial in a minimalist design has generated an efficient low-budget antibiotic.

Cheesey awards

06 October 2006

This year's Ig Nobel awards highlight the importance, or otherwise, of cheese-related research.

Polymer chemists tap the body's organs

05 October 2006

Canadian scientists have found an unusual, sustainable source of polymers: the gall bladder.

Boron shows its negative side

05 October 2006

Unique, nucleophilic boryl anion isolated.

Good year for RNA

04 October 2006

Transcription discovery scoops Nobel prize for chemistry

Ten year setback for obesity control

03 October 2006

Failure of obesity drug to perform in clinical trials points to overlooked human factor.

Imaging for the masses

03 October 2006

Researchers have adapted mass spectrometry to image the distribution of molecules in tissues or membranes.

RNAi pioneers win Nobel prize for medicine

02 October 2006

Andrew Fire and Craig Mello have won the Nobel prize in physiology or medicine for their discovery of RNA interference.