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Survival in the freezer

2 May 2013 Feature

How do animals survive in the extreme cold? James Mitchell Crow investigates

Lean green microbe machines

30 April 2013 Feature

For its proponents, algae hold the promise of a clean source of fuel, food or drugs. Anthony King wades in

What does DNA do?

24 April 2013 Feature

The more we learn about DNA, the less we seem to know, as Philip Ball discovers

A fixation with nitrogen

18 April 2013 Feature

Despite decades of work to develop alternative ways to make ammonia, the Haber–Bosch process is here to stay, Mark Peplow discovers

From molecules to medicines

9 April 2013 Feature

Turning an active drug molecule into a finished product requires a lot of chemistry, as Phillip Broadwith discovers

Changing the rules of extraction

26 March 2013 Feature

As the price of oil goes up, reserves previously uneconomical to exploit become attractive. Nuala Moran explores the chemical technology being used

Tiny insights

20 March 2013 Feature

Scientists are adopting a range of 3D imaging techniques to reveal structural secrets. Andy Extance looks inside their work

Deadly mushroom chemistry

13 March 2013 Feature

Emma Shiells looks at the difference between tasty paddy straw mushrooms and fatal death caps

Green houses

5 March 2013 Feature

Fiona Case discovers how chemistry can help reduce the energy consumption of our houses

Alfred Werner: the well-coordinated chemist

26 February 2013 Feature

Werner’s careful experiments led to the discovery of what came to be known as coordination bonds

A biomass bonanza

21 February 2013 Feature

Companies have put biofuels on the back burner to aim for higher margin chemicals, as Emma Davies finds out

Phenome Centre goes for gold

15 February 2013 Feature

Andy Extance finds out how British researchers are turning Olympic anti-doping facilities into a world-leading facility

Science's spiritual side?

6 February 2013 Feature

Some view science and religion as mutually exclusive, but this has not always been the case, as Katharine Sanderson discovers

Measuring up

5 February 2013 Feature

In 2013, the Research Excellence Framework begins rating every chemistry department in the UK. Leila Sattary weighs up the evidence

People power

30 January 2013 Feature

Harnessing the wisdom - and money - of the public has grown in popularity, Clare Sansom finds

Chemical climate proxies

23 January 2013 Feature

How do scientists reconstruct what the weather was like in the past? Jon Evans looks at the detective chemistry

Life at the top

10 January 2013 Feature

Nina Notman asks whether an academic chemistry career can help or hinder when you move up the ladder

Making pain history

2 January 2013 Feature

Mike Sutton traces the remarkable history of aspirin from folk remedy to wonder drug

Building better chemistry

20 December 2012 Feature

Do lab buildings affect the work of the scientists inside them? James Mitchell Crow surveys some grand designs

Overcoming small obstacles

19 December 2012 Feature

Andy Extance looks at nanofabrication methods combining printing and lithography

Magical mass spec

4 December 2012 Feature

Emma Davies reveals how mass spectrometry is heading out of the lab and into some amazing places

Closing the loop

29 November 2012 Feature

Why would you want to burn fuel to produce pure carbon dioxide? James Mitchell Crow has the answer

Up in the air

23 November 2012 Feature

Philip Ball looks at the recent progress in lithium–air battery research - has it stalled?

BPA: friend or foe?

20 November 2012 Feature

Nina Notman takes an in-depth look at the ongoing controversy over bisphenol A

Stationary phases move ahead

31 October 2012 Feature

What’s in those columns? Jon Evans looks at the sophisticated materials in chromatography

Polymer, heal thyself

24 October 2012 Feature

Materials that can mend themselves sound like science fiction, but they are part of an active area of polymer chemistry.

A signal honour

18 October 2012 Feature

Phillip Broadwith looks at the 2012 Nobel prize in chemistry, awarded to Robert Lefkowitz and Brian Kobilka.

The golden helix

10 October 2012 Feature

Fifty years after the Nobel prize was awarded for the structure of DNA, Mike Sutton looks back at how it all came about

Here comes the science bit

2 October 2012 Feature

Laura Howes investigates the science behind the advertising claims for skincare products

A sensitive subject

27 September 2012 Feature

Emma Davies scratches the surface of some of the everyday chemicals that can cause people to suffer allergic reactions.

Leather looks to greener tanning

24 September 2012 Feature

James Mitchell Crow examines the latest environmentally friendly chemical advances in the leather tanning industry

Clothing gets smart

13 September 2012 Feature

Nina Notman reports on what you can expect from the 21st century t-shirt

Food with a function

7 September 2012 Feature

Elinor Hughes looks at the challenges facing nutraceuticals

Fast, flexible and flourishing

22 August 2012 Feature

Sarah Houlton profiles Paul Workman, the 2012 Chemistry World entrepreneur of the year

The latent threat of tuberculosis

15 August 2012 Feature

Although close to being eradicated in the developed world, TB is still a major problem

Big troubles over tiny bubbles

9 August 2012 Feature

Theory suggests that nanosized bubbles should barely exist at all - but they do

Plasmons with a purpose

2 August 2012 Feature

Plasmonic effects have rapidly gone from curiosity to treating cancer. Andy Extance trips the light fantastic

Sequencing in the fast lane

25 July 2012 Feature

Phillip Broadwith gets up to speed with the latest developments in DNA sequencing technology

Guided by the light of a neutron candle

19 July 2012 Feature

Philip Robinson celebrates 40 years of experiments from the world's most intense neutron source

Drawing on drugs to kick the habit

12 July 2012 Feature

Anthony King surveys the problems involved in creating drugs that help people quit smoking

Stepping toward ideality

6 July 2012 Feature

James Mitchell Crow wonders what would make the perfect organic synthesis

Chemistry and the Olympics

27 June 2012 Feature

Emma Davies looks into the vital role chemistry will play during the Olympic and Paralympic games

A chemical account of evolution

21 June 2012 Feature

Bob Williams and Ros Rickaby examine the co-evolving chemistry of the environment and life

Destroying war’s chemical legacy

19 June 2012 Feature

The final deadline for destroying stockpiles of chemical agents has passed

Feeding a growing world

6 June 2012 Feature

Pesticides play a vital role in food production. So do they really deserve their tarnished public image? Sarah Houlton investigates

Raising a glass to champagne

1 June 2012 Feature

Andy Extance uncorks the secrets of sparkling wines’ unique taste and aroma

Dyeing for a place in the sun

31 May 2012 Feature

Can dye-sensitised solar cells compete with silicon and emerging alternatives? Phillip Broadwith investigates

Turing patterns

31 May 2012 Feature

Code-cracker Alan Turing’s impact on chemistry is still being realised today, a century after his birth. Philip Ball investigates

A reluctant chemist

30 May 2012 Feature

Mike Sutton delves into the actions and reactions of Victor Grignard

Sniffing out explosives

1 May 2012 Feature

Can science compete with the sensitivity of a sniffer dog's nose? Emma Davies finds out

Chemists in the House

1 May 2012 Feature

Laura Howes talks to politicians who have made the move from the lab to the benches of power

Life, but not as we know it

30 April 2012 Feature

Biology has been pretty successful at creating life, but now chemistry wants a crack at it

Cutting power

29 April 2012 Feature

Looking at how the chemical industry is reducing its energy consumption

Opening the doors of knowledge

1 April 2012 Feature

Should all journal articles be free to access online?

Making light work

1 April 2012 Feature

Could light prove to be the ultimate weapon in the battle against deadly superbugs?

High hopes for shale

31 March 2012 Feature

Shale gas has given the US petrochemicals industry a much needed boost - will it do the same for the rest of the world?

Going with the flow

31 March 2012 Feature

When it comes to scaling up organic synthesis, it pays to think small

Rising from the ashes

24 February 2012 Feature

Neil Sinclair reports on some exciting new ventures emerging from redundant chemical and pharmaceutical plants

The Educated Chemist: The future of medicine

24 February 2012 Feature

Emma Davies takes a look at a medicinal chemistry course that's giving students a real taste of pharma - failure, frustration and all

Speciation measures

24 February 2012 Feature

The boom in analytical methods for determining the distribution of an element between its different chemical forms is charted by Andy Extance

To plutonium and beyond

24 February 2012 Feature

Mike Sutton reports on Glenn Seaborg's adventures among the actinides

Another brick in the whorl

23 February 2012 Feature

The scientists on the inside of advanced fingerprinting research are cross-examined by Simon Hadlington

Silver soils

27 January 2012 Feature

Nanosilver is filtering into the environment in ever-increasing quantities. But is it the nano or the silver component we should be worrying about, asks Hayley Birch

Damage limitation

27 January 2012 Feature

Emma Davies investigates attempts to stem the flow of potentially harmful fluorinated chemicals into both our environment and our bloodstreams

Keeping the tap on

27 January 2012 Feature

James Mitchell Crow investigates routes to quenching our thirst without costing the Earth

The future of cool

27 January 2012 Feature

Magnetocaloric materials reveal their magnetic charm to Andrew Turley

Chasing the wave

22 December 2011 Feature

With the authorities, medics and analytical chemists struggling to break the flow of new legal highs, the bad guys appear to be getting the upper hand. Sarah Houlton reports

Climbing the data mountain

22 December 2011 Feature

Clare Sansom takes a 'peak' at the databases that stop researchers being buried under an avalanche of chemical information

Bright sparks

22 December 2011 Feature

From the Olympics to New Year's Eve events, fireworks are synonymous with celebration. James Mitchell Crow looks into some pyrotechnic research worth celebrating in itself

DNA motors on

22 December 2011 Feature

With the relentless rise of DNA nanotechnology's popularity, Emma Davies explores the role chemistry has played in its success

Getting stuck in

29 November 2011 Feature

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

A shade of green

29 November 2011 Feature

Major retailers are starting to consider the environmental impact of the fabric dyeing and finishing processes used by their manufacturers. Fiona Case reports

A nutritional revolution

29 November 2011 Feature

Mike Sutton bites into the life of Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins, the biochemist credited with discovering vitamins

Re-record, not fade away

28 November 2011 Feature

Emma Davies unreels the blockbuster tale of film preservation

Reaching out

4 November 2011 Feature

The explosion is the doyenne of chemical demonstrations, but is the web taking over as a tool for researchers to enthuse the public about chemistry? Phillip Broadwith investigates

Quasicrystals Scoop Prize

28 October 2011 Feature

This year's Nobel laureate in chemistry fought hard to win acceptance of his discovery: quasicrystals. Laura Howes tells how perseverance led to the ultimate recognition

Curiosity to take off

28 October 2011 Feature

When Nasa's latest Mars rover is launched into space later this year, it'll carry the most advanced analytical instruments ever sent to the planet. David Pittman reports

Waving goodbye to the paper lab book

28 October 2011 Feature

With electronic lab notebooks finally making waves in academia, Anthony King asks whether the time has come to part company with the much loved paper lab book

Changing planes

29 September 2011 Feature

A new breed of aircraft built from lightweight carbon composites is taking flight. But are these materials all they're cracked up to be, asks Hayley Birch

Engines of innovation

29 September 2011 Feature

Our desire for economical but environmentally friendly transport has driven progress in fuel and oil additives. But as Andy Extance discovers, further development is needed

Fuelling the future

29 September 2011 Feature

Fuel cell vehicles have taken a back seat to battery and hybrid power in recent years. But hydrogen still holds promise in the long term, as Laura Howes finds out

Hold your breath

29 September 2011 Feature

Particulates from vehicles cause significant issues in urban environments. Emma Davies uncovers the chemistry that is causing and potentially solving the problems

Where the rubber meets the road

29 September 2011 Feature

A tyre's composition affects grip, fuel economy and its lifetime. Fiona Case investigates how new materials are improving tyre performance and reducing environmental impact

Orphans come in from the cold

30 August 2011 Feature

Rare diseases are less rare than you might think, reports Bea Perks, and finding drugs for them can mean big business

Stemming the tide

30 August 2011 Feature

Are drug-immune cancer stem cells the root of recurring tumours? And if they are, can we treat them? Sarah Houlton joins in the hunt

Diamonds are for everything

30 August 2011 Feature

No longer valued simply for its glamour and durability, diamond is turning its hand to applications in solar power, laser design and bionic eyes. James Mitchell Crow reports

Graphene by the kilo

30 August 2011 Feature

Durham Graphene Science founder Karl Coleman is forging ahead in production of single-layer carbon. Sarah Houlton talks to the 2011 Chemistry World entrepreneur of the year

Where the ocean meets the sky

30 August 2011 Feature

Ocean fertilisation is controversial, but politicians are starting to take it seriously. So will it ever be worth the hassle, asks Hayley Birch

A sticky end?

29 July 2011 Feature

Rather than evolving to increase complexity, could protein-protein interactions be part of a self-protection strategy gone too far? Philip Ball investigates

Anarchy in the proteome

29 July 2011 Feature

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

Innovation ticks the boxes

29 July 2011 Feature

The UK's Technology and Innovation Centres will provide research services to bridge the gap between industry and academia. Elisabeth Jeffries reports

Clever comestibles

28 July 2011 Feature

Controlling the microscopic structure of foods could make diet products that help you feel fuller for longer. Emma Davies gets her teeth into some edible colloids

Beyond the frontiers

30 June 2011 Feature

In space and Antarctica, planning and running research projects transcends national borders. Laura Howes finds out how this affects the way researchers operate

Turning the tables on Alzheimer's

30 June 2011 Feature

As our understanding of Alzheimer's disease develops, Clare Sansom takes a look at emerging strategies for treating this enigmatic illness

Redesigning nature's catalysts

30 June 2011 Feature

Harnessing the power of enzymes to perform reactions outside their normal abilities is adding powerful tools to the synthetic chemist's armoury. James Mitchell Crow investigates

Blazing a trail

30 June 2011 Feature

Robert Bunsen's explosive career left an indelible impact - both in advancement of knowledge and the ubiquitous gas burner. Mike Sutton follows in his footsteps

Extreme potential

31 May 2011 Feature

The world's least hospitable environments are treasure troves for synthetic organic chemists and drug developers, reports Bea Perks

No laughing matter

31 May 2011 Feature

Had it not been for nitrous oxide's subversion as a recreational folly, its utility as an anaesthetic could have been uncovered much earlier, as John Mann discovers

Cast from the same mould?

31 May 2011 Feature

Development of generic biological drugs is gathering momentum. But as Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay finds out, the welcome they are receiving looks very different in the EU and the US

Breaking through the barrier

31 May 2011 Feature

Getting drug molecules into the brain means crossing the defensive blood-brain barrier. Anthony King investigates how chemists are infiltrating the brain's fortress

When is a catalyst not a catalyst?

28 April 2011 Feature

This riddle has come to vex certain corners of the catalysis community. But once solved, it could potentially point to new kinds of chemistry, as James Mitchell Crow discovers

Wealth of opportunity

28 April 2011 Feature

Chemists in developing countries face unique challenges. But as Mike Brown discovers, for those willing to take them on, the benefits can be enormous

Liquid assets

28 April 2011 Feature

Nazi Germany and apartheid South Africa helped found the Fischer-Tropsch synthetic fuel industry. Andy Extance discovers how it is now adapting to polish its reputation

Chemistry in every cup

28 April 2011 Feature

Coffee has a conflicting reputation - is it a guilty pleasure or a life saving elixir? Emma Davies gulps down an espresso and investigates

Of mice and men

30 March 2011 Feature

2009 marked the first year that more genetically modified animals were used in UK scientific procedures than animals deemed 'genetically normal'. Katrina Megget investigates

Forensic flow

30 March 2011 Feature

Microfluidic technology is finally ready for forensic DNA profiling labs, as Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay reports

Doubts and paradoxes

30 March 2011 Feature

Robert Boyle's The sceptical chymist still holds lessons for the modern chemist - 350 years after its publication, as Mike Sutton discovers

Waste not, want not

29 March 2011 Feature

Modern devices waste a lot of energy as heat, noise and vibration. James Mitchell Crow investigates a new breed of energy scavenging materials that could recapture some of it

On the origin of proteins

24 February 2011 Feature

A series of mistakes over 3.7 billion years has left us with a spectacular array of protein structures and functions, which are responsible for life itself, writes Bea Perks

SizingItUp

24 February 2011 Feature

Andrew Turley takes a tour of the latest tools for particle sizing, and finds that the answer depends very much on the way you ask the question

60 years of innovation

24 February 2011 Feature

To celebrate the international year of chemistry, James Mitchell Crow looks back at some of the discoveries and developments made by chemists over the past six decades

Nanotech decade

24 February 2011 Feature

Ten years of investment has turned nanotechnology into a booming research and industrial landscape. Fiona Case investigates whether it has lived up to the hype

Idle cures

4 February 2011 Feature

Taking a coffee break could help find cures for cancer or Aids. Katrina Megget looks at the future of research that harnesses the computing power of the World Community Grid

Rehabilitating captured CO2

31 January 2011 Feature

Rather than burying it underground, companies are developing processes that use carbon dioxide emissions as chemical starting materials. Andy Extance investigates

Fighting the flu

31 January 2011 Feature

The threat of pandemic influenza is constantly on the horizon. Clare Sansom explores the latest attempts to tackle an ever-changing foe

Mummy mania

31 January 2011 Feature

Mummified remains from Egypt and beyond hold chemical information about the daily lives of ancient civilisations. Emma Davies reports

Picture perfect pentacene

5 January 2011 Feature

Advances in microscopy are letting us see not just atoms but the chemical bonds in between them. James Mitchell Crow takes a closer look

Faking it

5 January 2011 Feature

Counterfeit medicines can kill - so shouldn't we lock up the people producing them? Bea Perks finds out it's not quite that simple

Elements of inspiration

5 January 2011 Feature

Unerring in her enquiry and not afraid of hard work, Marie Curie set a shining example for generations of scientists. Bill Griffith explores the life of a chemical heroine

Critical thinking

5 January 2011 Feature

As our supply of some essential elements dries up, it's time to start urban mining. Emma Davies reports

The spiders' apprentices

30 November 2010 Feature

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

With a little help from our friends

30 November 2010 Feature

Pursuing a scientific career with a disability presents a unique set of challenges. But as Mike Brown discovers, anything is possible with a little support

Securing the supply chian

30 November 2010 Feature

Terrorism, piracy and theft are becoming increasingly serious problems for chemistry companies. Phil Taylor finds out how they're protecting themselves

Shaken, not stirred

29 November 2010 Feature

Can't we just enjoy cocktails at Christmas without worrying about the science behind them? Not if the molecular mixologists get their way. Hayley Birch ventures to the bar

Carbon couplers take the prize

28 October 2010 Feature

Three giants of organic chemistry, who pioneered palladium-catalysed cross coupling reactions, have shared this year's Nobel prize. Simon Hadlington catches up with them

The bones of it

28 October 2010 Feature

Isotope and DNA analysis of archaeological remains offer new insights into the diets and origins of ancient populations. Emma Davies digs up more information

What's in store for European biotech?

28 October 2010 Feature

The global economic crisis has made funding even harder to come by, but positive long-term trends provide some cause for optimism, as Maria Burke discovers

Paper-based diagnositcs

28 October 2010 Feature

Paper's ubiquity and cheapness make it uniquely suitable for creating low-cost medical and environmental diagnostic devices. Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay investigates

Airs and graces

28 September 2010 Feature

Henry Cavendish was instrumental in unveiling the components of the air that we breathe. Mike Sutton looks back at his life

Biology meets click chemistry

28 September 2010 Feature

A decades-old reaction that has become the poster boy for the field of 'click chemistry' is now expanding into biology, as Hayley Birch discovers

Dynamic degrees

28 September 2010 Feature

The University of Bristol's innovative teaching labs are marketing their electronic laboratory manuals around the world. Emma Davies reports on an education success story

Artificial blood

28 September 2010 Feature

Synthetic alternatives to donor blood have been stuck in development for decades. Nina Notman reports on recent promising progress

Gold fever

27 August 2010 Feature

The catalytic potential of gold nanoparticles was overlooked for years, but researchers are making up for lost time, writes Bea Perks

Picking the pockets of philanthropists

27 August 2010 Feature

With many funding sources being slashed, Justine Davies delves into the deep pockets of endowment charities to see what she can find for today's cash-strapped scientists

The birth of the pill

27 August 2010 Feature

Fifty years after its birth, John Mann reports on the conception and evolution of the contraceptive pill

Repulsive chemistry

27 August 2010 Feature

Simon Hadlington discovers why some people get bitten by more insects than others, and how new chemical deterrents are helping fight them off

Saudi science breaks the mould

30 July 2010 Feature

Sarah Houlton speaks to research pioneers at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology as it approaches its first anniversary

The lost Boys of quantum chemistry

30 July 2010 Feature

Dermot Martin profiles Frank Boys, an unsung hero of theoretical chemistry

Lets get physical

30 July 2010 Feature

Physical chemists are finding themselves more in demand than ever. Emma Davies finds out why

Receptive receptors

30 July 2010 Feature

One route to developing new drugs is to look at targeting the hundreds of G-protein-coupled receptors that are not currently exploited clinically. Clare Sansom investigates

I spy with my MRI

25 June 2010 Feature

Boundaries of magnetic resonance imaging are continuing to be pushed to reveal more about the human body and aid disease diagnosis

Cracking crystal codes

25 June 2010 Feature

Cholesterol, penicillin, vitamin B12...? Mike Sutton completes the list and explains the connection

Roadblock on memory lane

25 June 2010 Feature

The ability to wipe out traumatic memories is just around the corner. Katrina Megget looks into the science of forgetting

Medicine made to measure

25 June 2010 Feature

Healthcare tailored to suit the genetic makeup of the patient is finally coming to fruition, as Anna Lewcock reports

How to disappear completely

27 May 2010 Feature

Animals use all sorts of optical trickery to make themselves invisible to predators. Hayley Birch finds out how the natural world can help develop new camouflage materials

Sweets for my sweet

27 May 2010 Feature

Could new sweet enhancers and natural sweeteners finally make zero-calorie products taste more like the real thing? Emma Davies finds out

Solar storms

27 May 2010 Feature

Storm clouds looming over Solar Valley in Germany, the world's largest cluster of solar panel producers, as Ned Stafford reports

Cultivating the seeds of hope

27 May 2010 Feature

There are 250 million cases of malaria each year, and effective medication is expensive and in short supply. Justine Davies explores possible solutions

Spinning around

28 April 2010 Feature

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

A barrel load of compounds

28 April 2010 Feature

As the world's petroleum supply dries up, Phillip Broadwith goes hunting for oil armed with a mass spectrometer, a chromatography column and state-of-the-art data-mining software

Solvents reveal their ionic powers

28 April 2010 Feature

Katharine Sanderson unveils the proof that finally showed quite how special the green solvents ionic liquids really are

One extreme to another

28 April 2010 Feature

It takes a mix of ingenuity and engineering expertise to develop mass spectrometers for use in extreme environments. Emma Davies investigates

The iconic curly arrow

31 March 2010 Feature

Robert Robinson pioneered the use of curly arrows to show electron movement. David O'Hagan and Douglas Lloyd report on this eminent historical figure

A catalytic collaboration

31 March 2010 Feature

In a new collaborative effort to develop better catalysts for energy applications, computational and experimental chemists are joining forces. Hayley Birch reports

LEDs to light up the world

31 March 2010 Feature

White light emitting diodes are set for a bright future in the household and commercial lighting markets. Ned Stafford investigates

Model molecules

31 March 2010 Feature

As computational chemistry's footprint expands, Clare Sansom considers the technical challenges that remain

The Perkin family legacy

26 February 2010 Feature

Today's colour lovers, organic chemists and university students have a lot to thank the late 19th century Perkin family for, as Mike Sutton explains

Houston, we've had a problem

26 February 2010 Feature

On the 40th anniversary of the explosion on board Apollo 13 , Richard Corfield reports on the cause and how teamwork returned the astronauts to Earth safely

Painting the town green

26 February 2010 Feature

As new environmental legislation alters the allowed constituents of paint and varnishes, Sarah Houlton reports on how paint manufacturers are tweaking the contents of their tins

Beyond terra firma

26 February 2010 Feature

Matt Wilkinson reports on InXitu's award winning portable x-ray diffraction/x-ray fluorescence system

Identifying the lost soldiers of Fromelles

29 January 2010 Feature

More than 90 years on, recently found bodies of 250 soldiers who died during the Battle of Fromelles in the first world war need identifying. Richard Corfield investigates

What's bugging the bees?

28 January 2010 Feature

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

The will to win

28 January 2010 Feature

While Canada may win medals when it hosts the 2010 Winter Olympics, when it comes to innovation the nation is still finding its feet. Helen Carmichael reports

Chemistry bites

28 January 2010 Feature

Simon Hadlington previews the novel materials coming soon to a dental surgery near you

Shining a light on vitamin D

6 January 2010 Feature

Vitamin D deficiency is on the up. With links to bone diseases and even cancer and MS, we need sun sense, says Justine Davies

Operation outsource

6 January 2010 Feature

Western companies are now outsourcing highly skilled science work to China. Can the industry's growing demands be met, asks Sarah Houlton

The art of Raman

6 January 2010 Feature

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is allowing art conservators to rewrite sections of art history, reports Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay

Welcome to the machine

6 January 2010 Feature

Molecular machines have promised so much but are they more whimsical than technical? Philip Ball investigates

Running on air

26 November 2009 Feature

The battery is enjoying a comeback as the star of a modern low carbon epic. Elisabeth Jeffries reports on the technologies being developed to store renewably generated electricity

Twinkle, twinkle little star

26 November 2009 Feature

Mike Sutton delves into the history of telescopes, spectroscopes and stellar chemistry

Reading between the lines

26 November 2009 Feature

We will surely never solve all the mysteries of the universe. But, as Jon Cartwright reports, spectroscopy holds the key to unravelling many planetary secrets

Proteins unravelled

26 November 2009 Feature

Philip Ball explores the phenomenon of protein unfolding, and considers new techniques for keeping the egg unscrambled

Biology's Nobel molecule factory

28 October 2009 Feature

Three scientists who revealed the structure and workings of the ribosome have shared the 2009 Nobel prize in chemistry. Phillip Broadwith unravels the story

40 years of crystal growth

28 October 2009 Feature

The development of the British Association of Crystal Growth maps changes in the industry over the past 40 years. Hayley Birch caught up with members at this year's conference

Design for life

28 October 2009 Feature

A new drug for treating prostate cancer, developed by rational design and currently making its way through clinical trials, could improve the prognosis, says John Mann

A redesign for life

28 October 2009 Feature

Work in the fashionable new field of synthetic biology is gathering pace. Hayley Birch looks into some of the latest developments in a rapidly evolving area

Molecules made to measure

28 October 2009 Feature

HIV protease inhibitors have been one of the big successes of rational drug design. Clare Sansom looks at the impact of structural biology on drug discovery

On the rise

1 October 2009 Feature

The ancient tradition of bread baking depends on a cascade of chemical reactions. Scientists have found myriad ways to modify the process, say Bryan Reuben and Tom Coultate

The food detectives

1 October 2009 Feature

Every day, scientists at RSSL's food analysis labs in Reading, UK, investigate cases of food adulteration. Hayley Birch was let in on a few secrets of the trade

In a fix

1 October 2009 Feature

Billions of people owe their lives to our ability to grab nitrogen out of the air to fertilise our crops. But there can be too much of a good thing, reports Kira Weissman

The Spice of Life

1 October 2009 Feature

Many of the world's favourite ingredients have more to offer than just flavour, says Ned Stafford. Many also show health benefits

Boxing clever

1 October 2009 Feature

Food scientists are developing increasingly sophisticated packaging materials to extend shelf life of many foods. Nina Notman looks at the delicacies on offer

Company Profile: Quotient multiplied

25 August 2009 Feature

Less than three years after forming, Quotient Bioscience is one of the fastest growing pharmaceutical outsourcing companies in the UK. Matt Wilkinson went to meet them

Wealth from Greenland, honour from London

25 August 2009 Feature

19th century Danish chemist Julius Thomsen dedicated his professional life to a systematic search for a unifying theory of chemical reactivity. Mike Sutton finds out more

Drugs for a developing world

25 August 2009 Feature

Diseases affecting the developing world have long been neglected, but new partnerships between governments, charities and pharmaceutical firms could change that, says Sarah Houlton

Living the Nobel life

25 August 2009 Feature

Matthew Chalmers and Nina Notman get the lowdown on life as a Nobel laureate at the the 59th meeting of Nobel laureates

Pill-popping pets

28 July 2009 Feature

Over the past decade there has been a dramatic increase in the number of drugs prescribed to pets. What are the factors behind this trend, asks Elisabeth Jeffries

A radical old age

28 July 2009 Feature

As we expand our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of ageing, could we soon see a jump in 'healthspan'? Emma Davies talks to the scientists tackling age-related disease

A vital blow for chemistry

28 July 2009 Feature

Chemistry may have become an increasingly high tech discipline, but it still relies on glassware - and the age-old skill of glassblowing - says Simon Hadlington

One giant leap

28 July 2009 Feature

NASA's Apollo missions answered many questions about the Moon - and as NASA unveils plans to return, lunar chemistry will again play a prominent role, says Richard Corfield

Spin-outs: protecting your assets

26 June 2009 Feature

Patents are crucial for any spin-out to thrive, say patent attornies Bob Pidgeon and Jennifer Delaney

Spin-outs: business built on chemistry

26 June 2009 Feature

Graham Richards, former head of chemistry at the University of Oxford, shares some of the lessons learned from spinning out companies based on good novel chemistry

Armageddon in slow motion

26 June 2009 Feature

Nobel peace prize winner and doctor Eric Chivian believes environmental change poses a serious threat to human health. Maria Burke talks to him

Temozolomide - birth of a blockbuster

26 June 2009 Feature

The history of anticancer drug temozolomide can be traced back over 30 years - and it all started with some novel nitrogen chemistry, says Clare Sansom

Hoisting the solar sail

26 June 2009 Feature

Flying through space by catching sunlight on ultra-thin sails could revolutionise space travel - and the idea could soon take off, says Ned Stafford

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

Monsters from the deep preserved

29 May 2009 Feature

Finding and then raising historic ships wrecked centuries ago is challenging business - but it's just the first part of the rescue process, says Elisabeth Jeffries

Nanopores for thought

29 May 2009 Feature

Sarah Houlton talks to Hagan Bayley, the 2008 Chemistry World Entrepreneur of the year

At the crossroads

29 May 2009 Feature

Fifteen years after Nelson Mandela won South Africa's first democratic election, the 'rainbow nation' continues to face challenges as diverse as its people. Linda Nordling reports

The artificial leaf

28 April 2009 Feature

Using sunlight to split water molecules and form hydrogen fuel is one of the most promising tactics for kicking our carbon habit. Hayley Birch examines the options

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