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Counterintuitive thinking

27 November 2012 Review

Paradox: the nine greatest enigmas in science

Running rings around molecular wires

25 June 2012 Research

Polyynes stabilised with chemical loops could be turned into wires for molecular electronics

Molecular chaperones caught on film

23 March 2012 News Archive

Thousands of snapshots of chaperone proteins at work have given researchers a unique insight into how they function

Getting stuck in

29 November 2011  Premium contentFeature

Nature produces a wide variety of glues that outperform all synthetic adhesives. Michael Gross looks into this sticky subject

Anarchy in the proteome

29 July 2011  Premium contentFeature

15 years ago, the idea that proteins might be functional without a well-ordered 3D structure was heretical. But Michael Gross discovers, a little flexibility can go a long way

New hope for malaria drugs as sickle cell protection unravelled

3 May 2011 News Archive

Understanding how the sickle cell anaemia gene protects its carriers from malaria may lead to new therapies

Origin of life experiments revisited

21 March 2011 News Archive

Forgotten samples of Stanley Miller's add clues to the origin of life

The spiders' apprentices

30 November 2010  Premium contentFeature

For years scientists have tried and failed to artificially reproduce the properties of spider silk. Michael Gross untangles the latest strands of research

Kiss of death for cancer cells

31 October 2010 News Archive

Scientists have deciphered the surprising structure of the perforin pore, which delivers lethal enzymes that kill cancer cells in the body

Spinning around

28 April 2010  Premium contentFeature

Electron spin resonance is emerging as a valuable analytical tool with a wide range of uses. Michael Gross reports

What's bugging the bees?

28 January 2010  Premium contentFeature

Insecticides, pathogens, stress? Michael Gross reports on possible explanations for the mysterious vanishing of honeybee colonies

DNA to direct and switch off chemo

28 July 2009 News Archive

Researchers in the US have used DNA strands to target chemotherapy and switch it off if unwanted side effects appear

Bubble-wrapped frogs

29 May 2009 Feature

Tropical frogs create remarkable foams to protect their spawn. Exploration of the underlying chemistry has only just begun, as Michael Gross discovers

Quick-switching carbon nanotube displays

19 May 2009 News Archive

Chinese researchers have shown that thin carbon nanotube films can serve as incandescent displays that switch on and off faster than LCDs

Efficient solar cells could work in tandem

1 May 2009 News Archive

An efficient new dye-based solar energy system could built into a doubly-active solar cell

Light-guided hydrogels direct cell growth

2 April 2009 News Archive

Physical and chemical microenvironment of cells can be manipulated using light-responsive hydrogels

Is DNA nanotechnology coming of age?

30 March 2009  Premium contentFeature

DNA nanotechnology has moved a long way since its first public appearance in 1991 - and its first applications are already on the horizon, says Michael Gross

Capsules with flexi-pores open wide

19 March 2009 News Archive

Researchers have shown that a molecular capsule with flexible pores can admit over-size guest molecules.

Cracking wood gently

30 September 2008 News Archive

Ionic liquids and solid catalysts combine to hydrolyse cellulose without aggressive acids

Hot chillis evolved to kill fungi

11 August 2008 News Archive

Study confirms spicy capsaicinoids defend fruit from microbes

Light drives plastic motor

12 June 2008 News Archive

A plastic that stretches in response to light can drive an engine

Improving photodynamic cancer therapy

30 May 2008 News Archive

Chemists have developed new compounds that can help to focus the activity of light-activated drugs with pinpoint accuracy

Aluminium's vaccine boost explained

1 April 2008 News Archive

Researchers have shown how 'alum' adjuvants make vaccines more effective

Chemical wheel could boost computers

11 March 2008 News Archive

Researchers in Japan have created a molecular assembly that could allow 16 bit parallel processing

Sea cucumbers inspire switchable material

6 March 2008 News Archive

Composite can flip between rigid and flexible states - just like the skin of the sea-bed scavenger