Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Unlocking the mysteries of ice
The unusual properties of ice under compression are due to Coulomb repulsion between bonding and non-bonding electron pairs
Mass spectrometry imaging: the new tool in counterfeit security
Scanning a nanoparticle signature by mass spectrometry imaging may have potential applications in anti-counterfeiting
Stationary phases move ahead
What’s in those columns? Jon Evans looks at the sophisticated materials in chromatography
Chemistry behind the ‘blue man’ unlocked
Biochemical model suggests that silver ions, not nanoparticles, cause a rare skin complaint
World’s first all-carbon solar cell
Device made from fullerenes, nanotubes and graphene could deliver 'high performance at a low cost'
Coral animal chemical structures solved
Elusive structures of two breitfussins cracked using atomic force microscopy
On the road to more energetic biofuels
A combination of fermentation and catalytic processes has been used to turn biomass into larger, more energy dense fuels
Terminator-style self-healing robot skin moves closer to reality
The polymer matrix 'e-skin' can spot changes in pressure and repair itself
Chemistry goes into the field to battle metal theft
New DNA and metal nanoparticle technologies are helping to catch thieves that target railways, telecommunications and churches
'Molecular trapdoor' opens only for CO2
Zeolite's cation bouncers on the doors can keep out undesirables like methane while letting in carbon dioxide - handy for carbon capture
Spotting silicon in graphene, it's dope
Better understanding of impurities is a prelude to putting atom-thin material into computer chips
Make or break: the laws of motion
Molecular machinery involves a delicate interplay of forces, but biology has found the balance, says Philip Ball
Messenger spots Mercury performing organic chemistry
Probe finds evidence of a thick layer of organic chemicals sitting atop ice sheets at the poles
Closing the loop
Why would you want to burn fuel to produce pure carbon dioxide? James Mitchell Crow has the answer
Push for renewables may have unforeseen consequences
Countries need to synchronise policies to ensure that their energy supply is sustainable
Chemical reactions in hot water
Growing body of research reveals that to hurry reactions along in water and replace reagents all that's needed is some heat
Allow me to demonstrate
As Peter Wothers gets ready to deliver this year’s Royal Institution Christmas lectures, Sarah Houlton finds out he’s had a lifetime of preparation
Chemists crack fluoroform challenge
An industrial waste product from the production of Teflon and refrigerants can now be turned into agrichemicals and drugs
Stopping endocrine disruptors in their tracks
A testing protocol has been created to help design new chemicals that won’t interfere with hormone regulation
Striped nanoparticle controversy blows up
Arguments centre over whether nano-structures are a result of self-assembly or simply an experimental artefact
Platinum plating at the flick of a switch
A quick and simple way to create catalytic atom thick layers of platinum has been developed by US scientists
Pfizer's lost gold
A stash of gold dust bought for $700,000 last year has gone missing from a Pfizer lab in St Louis, Missouri, US
US urged to rethink chemistry graduate education
American Chemical Society report highlights systemic problems like a possible glut of chemistry PhDs and a need to bolster academic lab safety
Pico-gold clusters break catalysis record
Clusters of just three to 10 gold atoms offer exceptional catalytic turnover rates of up to 10 million
Boron vapour trail leads to heterofullerenes
A simple way to produce fullerenes with other atoms in their structure could result in materials with exciting properties for solar cells and molecular electronics
Early Alzheimer’s diagnosis compound
A tracer that binds to Alzheimer’s plaques and shows up on medical imaging techniques
Cutting edge chemistry in 2012
What discoveries caused the biggest buzz in chemistry labs in 2012? Chemistry World reviews the ground breaking research and important trends in this year’s crop of chemical science papers
Shine on you crazy Diamond
The Diamond Light Source based at Harwell, UK, is celebrating its 10th anniversary and five years of operation