Chemistry

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We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Chemistry

    Oil magnets

    Featured blog: Nanomagnets and wires point to a potentially better mousetrap — or crude trap — for dealing with oil spills.

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  2. Chemistry

    Quantum physics makes water different

    The length of bonds connecting water molecules could demonstrate quantum effects and help explain some of water’s weirdness.

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  3. Physics

    Seeing the smallest atom

    Electron microscopes can now image single atoms of hydrogen.

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  4. Chemistry

    The Goop in Our Air

    Emerging data indicate that tiny and toxic particles polluting urban air chemically morph from hour by hour, depending on what other pollutants these particles encounter during journeys that can run hundreds of miles.

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  5. Chemistry

    CO2: Only One Flavor

    Federal climate policymakers should have a grounding in basic chemistry.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    One Downside to Sushi

    Uncooked fish can host detectable concentrations of potentially toxic chemicals — pollutants that cooking can make disappear,

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  7. Materials Science

    Solar panels to dye for

    Scientists show that cheap chemical dyes may one day help with the efficient capture of the sun's energy

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  8. Chemistry

    It’s DNA Jim, but not as we know it

    Chemists synthesized a DNA-like molecule using unnatural versions of the “letters” that make up the genetic code.

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  9. Chemistry

    HIV knockout

    Cutting a gene in immune cells could offer a new way to treat HIV infections.

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  10. Chemistry

    Quantifying the “gene for” fallacy

    Looking at one gene at a time misses about a third of the genes that contribute to the way a cell functions, scientists say.

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  11. Life

    Viruses rewritten

    Scientists could create wimpy versions of real viruses to develop vaccines for emerging diseases.

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  12. Chemistry

    Catching your breath

    Scientists are investigating how to use the human breath to diagnose diseases and environmental ills.

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