Chemistry

  1. an illustration of a band of carbon atoms that has only one side, like a Möbius strip
    Chemistry

    Scientists made a Möbius strip out of a tiny carbon nanobelt

    A twisted belt of carbon atoms joins carbon nanotubes and buckyballs in the list of carbon structures scientists can create.

    By Emily Conover
  2. a photo of several bottle of plant milks on a table
    Agriculture

    Oat and soy milks are planet friendly, but not as nutritious as cow milk

    Plant-based milks are better for the environment, but nutrition-wise they fall behind cow milk.

    By Nikk Ogasa
  3. image of a scoop of ice cream
    Chemistry

    Grainy ice cream is unpleasant. Plant-based nanocrystals might help

    The growth of large ice crystals in ice cream produces a coarse texture. A cellulose nanocrystal stabilizer could help keep the unwelcome iciness away.

    By Anna Gibbs
  4. photo of a police car in the foreground with cloud of smoke billowing above Yanderra township buildings
    Climate

    Smoke from Australia’s intense fires in 2019 and 2020 damaged the ozone layer

    Massive fires like those that raged in Australia in 2019–2020 can eat away at Earth’s protective ozone layer, researchers find.

    By Carolyn Gramling
  5. Marie Maynard Daly working in a lab with a test tube
    Chemistry

    Marie Maynard Daly was a trailblazing biochemist, but her full story may be lost

    Marie Maynard Daly was the first African American woman to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry, but her own perspective on her research is missing from the historical record.

    By Megan Scudellari
  6. scientist facing a rack of boxes of skeletal remains
    Chemistry

    One forensic scientist is scraping bones for clues to time of death

    The bones of more than 100 cadavers are shedding light on a more precise and reliable way to determine when someone died.

    By Carolyn Wilke
  7. sawdust
    Chemistry

    A disinfectant made from sawdust mows down deadly microbes

    Antimicrobial molecules found in wood waste could be used to make more sustainable, greener disinfectants.

    By Carolyn Wilke
  8. an illustration of the rocky exoplanet GJ 1132b
    Planetary Science

    Oxygen-rich exoplanets may be geologically active

    Experiments show that rocks exposed to higher concentrations of oxygen have a lower melting temperature than rocks exposed to lower amounts.

    By Shi En Kim
  9. image of wildfire haze over the Golden Gate bridge and the San Francisco skyline
    Climate

    Wildfire smoke may ramp up toxic ozone production in cities

    A new study reveals how wildfire smoke produces toxic ozone and how urban air pollution could exacerbate the problem.

    By Ariana Remmel
  10. image of a cannabis flower
    Chemistry

    Here’s the chemistry behind marijuana’s skunky scent

    Newly ID’d sulfur compounds in cannabis flowers give the plant its telltale odor. One, prenylthiol, is what also gives “skunked beer” its funky flavor.

    By Ariana Remmel
  11. glitter
    Chemistry

    This eco-friendly glitter gets its color from plants, not plastic

    Using cellulose extracted from wood pulp, researchers have created a greener alternative to traditional glitter.

    By Maria Temming
  12. A white Nissan electric car with a charger stuck into the front
    Materials Science

    Lithium-ion batteries made with recycled materials can outlast newer counterparts

    Batteries with recycled cathodes outperformed batteries with new cathodes, lasting for thousands more charging cycles before their capacity waned.

    By Carolyn Wilke