Physics
Physics explains why gold stays pristine
Metals like copper oxidize — reacting with oxygen in the air — but gold doesn’t, thanks to a quick switch in atom arrangement on its surface.
Chemistry
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
More Stories in Chemistry
- Space
One possible recipe for life on Titan is a bust
An experiment mimicking conditions on the Saturn moon suggests that cell-like bubbles don’t form in methane lakes, puncturing hopes for alien life.
- Chemistry
This molecule puts a new twist on the Möbius strip
A molecule made of carbon and chlorine is half as twisty as the paper loops common in math classes.
- Chemistry
Machine learning streamlines the complexities of making better proteins
The framework predicts how proteins will function with several interacting mutations and finds combinations that work well together.
- Health & Medicine
What the new nutrition guidelines get wrong about fat
New U.S. dietary guidelines promote eating full-fat foods and meats. But experts say nuts and seed oils are better sources of the two crucial fats we need.
- Animals
These sick baby ants sacrifice themselves to protect their colony
When infected by a fungal disease, ant pupae actively emit a chemical cue that prompts workers to get rid of them for the good of the colony.
- Health & Medicine
How a bacterial toxin linked to colon cancer messes with DNA
A closeup look at colibactin’s structure reveals chemical motifs that guide its mutation-wreaking “warheads” to specific stretches of DNA.
- Physics
Here’s how Rudolph’s light-up nose might be possible
Simple chemistry could give the reindeer his famously bright snout. But physics would make it look different colors from the ground.
- Chemistry
A new AI technique may aid violent crime forensics
An AI tool trained on chemical signatures from corpse-eating insects may help determine time and place of death for victims of violent crimes.
- Artificial Intelligence
The AI model OpenFold3 takes a crucial step in making protein predictions
The open-source AI model improves transparency in predicting how proteins interact with other molecules, which could speed up drug discovery.
