Chemistry
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Chemistry
Keeping wine fine for a longer time
Trace metals in wine can be oxidized, producing browning and a nasty smell. A new study shows how we might be able to keep wine fine using chelators. The catch? You may not be able to drink it.
- Life
To cook up life, just add citrate
The theory that RNA spawned the first organisms gets a boost from a common compound.
By Sam Lemonick - Materials Science
Material inspired by dragonfly wings bursts bacteria
Silicon studded with nanostructures could act as antimicrobial coating on medical devices.
By Beth Mole - Chemistry
How butterflies stay dry
Slightly bumpy surfaces reduce water drops’ contact time.
By Meghan Rosen - Chemistry
Why death smells so deadly
Pinning down animals' odor detectors gives researchers a way to study aversion or attraction to certain objects. And understanding how these behavioral responses work will help researchers clarify why humans feel disgust.
- Materials Science
Qingsongite
This newly christened mineral has an atomic structure that’s similar to diamond and nearly as hard.
- Chemistry
Floating beads of water act as tiny test tubes
Chemists exploit pH and ion charge in superheated water drops to create nanoparticles.
By Beth Mole - Chemistry
Oxygen shapes growth of graphene
The number of atoms on a copper surface changes the size and rate of the material's crystal development.
- Chemistry
Water squishes into stable shapes, no container required
Nanoparticles lock together to hold water in place for more than a month.
By Beth Mole - Planetary Science
Carbonation may have grounded Mars’ atmosphere
The chemical interaction could have forced Red Planet’s atmospheric carbon dioxide into the dirt.
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