Main Chemical Feed

Anthony Fauci found in contempt of Congress with case sent to Department of Justice

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:09:00 +0000

Senate panel vote could see key scientific figure in the US efforts to combat Covid-19 sent to prison

Covalent drugs just got a new ‘spring-loaded’ warhead

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Sulfur(IV) reagent allows late-stage installation of bicyclobutanes to drug molecules, expanding a limited tool box

Oral cholesterol-lowering peptide approved after a decade in development

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Merck & Co’s Lipfendra (enlicitide) employs 13 enzymes in biocatalytic synthesis

Thermo Fisher data manipulation & the shrinking chemical recycling industry

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000

We discuss fabricated images in Thermo Fisher’s online catalogue. And, what barriers are preventing chemical plastic recycling from taking off?

House of Lords committee calls for ban on over-the-counter flea and tick treatments

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:59:00 +0000

Overuse of these treatments is potentially causing widespread damage to the environment

How to translate your research into a commercial idea

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0000

University spin-outs, technology licensing and venture creation are opening up a new generation of career paths for researchers. Here is how to find your route into the commercial world.

Trump threatens generic drug tariffs

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:39:00 +0000

Plan aims to encourage domestic US supplies, but will it work?

Maiden voyage for India’s first hydrogen train signals the country’s ambitions in this area

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:26:00 +0000

Strategy targets domestic production of 5 million tonnes of hydrogen by 2030 but concerns remain over technological bottlenecks

“Postdoc-to-PI” workshop, Penn State University, August 31 - September 1

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:00:00 +0000

From the inbox:

The Department of Chemistry at Penn State University is holding a “Postdoc-to-PI” symposium/workshop designed to help postdocs applying for tenure-track positions in chemistry prepare for on-site interviews.

Participants will deliver a public research seminar, a short proposal talk, and meet with faculty and students over two days, 8/31 & 9/1, leading into the fall hiring cycle. Our faculty will also provide constructive, written feedback.

All expenses are paid by our department. Interested postdocs should complete a short application by 8/14 at bit.ly/postdoc-to-pi, which also contains further information. We aim to select 6-7 applicants from a range of fields who are currently based in the US or Canada, irrespective of national origin or immigration status.

Best wishes to those interested.

EU relaxes methane and carbon emission rules

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:51:00 +0000

Methane regulation fines delayed carbon trading restrictions eased amid concerns over energy supply and security

Chiral phenomenon previously thought impossible discovered in metal sulfide crystal

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 10:13:00 +0000

First instance of piezochiral effect where strain induces a changes in chirality

The 2027 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 51 research/teaching positions and 2 teaching positions

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The 2027 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List has 51 research/teaching positions and two teaching positions.

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

On August 5, 2025, the 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 64 research/teaching positions and five teaching positions. On August 6, 2024, the 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 84 research/teaching positions and 5 teaching positions.

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? Here is the first open thread.

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread.

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet.

Re-engineered psychedelic drug retains therapeutic activity in mice, while limiting negative side effects

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:14:00 +0000

Rationally designed molecular structure targets a specific subset of serotonin receptors, and potentially offers a route towards safer psychedelic treatments

The genius narrative isn’t inspiring – science biographies for children may send a demotivating message

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:45:00 +0000

Analysis of over 400 children’s books finds ideas around early interest in science and innate ability could turn young readers away from science

Japan finalises joining the EU’s flagship research programme Horizon Europe

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:11:00 +0000

Twenty-three countries outside the EU have now affiliated to the research funding scheme with Japan being the most populous

61% of Germany’s chemistry PhD students consider quitting their degrees

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 08:53:00 +0000

Unhealthy supervisor–student relationships driving poor mental health outcomes among chemistry researchers

J&J proposes $5.5 billion settlement deal for talc cancer lawsuits

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:10:00 +0000

Deal would resolve 76,000 cases of women claiming talc caused ovarian cancer

Top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci could be held in contempt of Congress

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Central figure in country’s fight against Covid-19 refuses to answer Senate panel’s question, accusing chairman of ‘unhinged obsession’

India’s generic GLP-1 drugs are (mostly) booming

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:01:00 +0000

Manufacturing problems for some manufacturers have led to production pauses and recalled batches of diabetes and weight loss drugs

The art of the pivot, or how to fail yourself to happiness

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 09:56:00 +0000

As Mike Tyson once said, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face

Why are buildings cracking-up in Ireland?

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:30:00 +0000

The chemistry behind an epidemic that is destroying concrete in houses, hospitals and schools

Is the US witnessing the start of a brain drain of chemists to China?

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:31:00 +0000

Nobel laureate Omar Yaghi is the latest prominent chemist to leave for China and his high-profile departure may signal growing unease

Chemical engineer Chris McDonald appointed as UK’s science minister

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:14:00 +0000

Former head of Materials Processing Institute given responsibility for science in hybrid role

Ferric chloride steers lithium away from dendrites to improve safety of lithium-metal batteries

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:14:00 +0000

Common chemical additive challenges the assumption that stiffer electrolytes are needed to suppress dendrites

Chemistry Nobel laureate wants humanity to focus on mining ‘invisible gold’ all around us

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Susumu Kitagawa says that his vision is that one day porous materials will allow us to tap air for raw materials

US National Science Foundation putting $380 million into building ‘self-driving’ labs

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:29:00 +0000

North Carolina State is one of the institutes receiving a $20 million grant aims to advance an autonomous chemistry lab

Where does chemical recycling of plastics go from here?

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:31:00 +0000

US and EU plant closures highlight economic difficulties of scaling technology alongside associated policy and infrastructure

Poland’s £62 million chemistry centre sparks debate over university finances

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Construction started on the facility last year but some university staff are worried by falling chemistry student numbers and budget shortfalls

2024 Bio-Lab fire and chemical plume caused by improper chemical storage

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:04:00 +0000

Investigation finds site was storing almost double its rated capacity of reactive pool chemicals

Polymer sponge could save stars of the silver screen from ‘vinegar syndrome’ destruction

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Material that mops up acetic acid could slow degradation of old movie reels

How AI is transforming the world of analytical chemistry

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 08:28:00 +0000

Analytical chemists have been using machine learning long before ChatGPT made headlines. Now, as generative AI enters the laboratory, the discipline faces both opportunities and risks

New four-year US student visa limit could force international research PhDs to leave country mid-programme

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Department of Homeland Security rule ends 45-year policy that allowed students to stay past their visa to finish their studies

Chemists reveal just how much angle – and proximity – matters for molecules to react when they collide

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:52:00 +0000

Discovery could one day allow chemists to create more efficient reactions that require less energy

DNA on the Shroud of Turin reveals plant, animal and human contaminants

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:38:00 +0000

Peanuts, chickens and a researcher are among those who have left their mark on the cloth

Chemical analysis of limpet shells reveals mechanism behind deep-sea migrations

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Concentrations of barium, manganese and oxygen isotopes in shell layers provide evidence of where limpets live at different life stages

Unexpected cyclisation provides easy access to elusive tetra-substituted THFs

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:30:00 +0000

A mix-and-match approach to substituted heterocycles

Chemical recycling plants closing in EU and US

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:57:00 +0000

Firms aiming to break down and re-make plastics are struggling with economic feasibility and environmental impact

How a university opened its doors to neurodivergent employees

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:30:00 +0000

From all-around support to tailored recruitment, a University of Nottingham initiative offers a blueprint for improving neuro-inclusion in the technical workforce

It’s time for consensus on science’s place in government

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000

The latest shake-up of UK science policy oversight brings uncertainty to a sector that needs stability to succeed

Can we have a world without PFAS?

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Chemistry World spoke to Rudy Dams, a former 3M scientist, about our uneasy relationship with PFAS, proposed bans and the search for alternatives

50 years after Seveso & changing the way we separate hydrocarbons

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000

What have we learned 50 years on from the Seveso accident? And we discuss three promising membrane strategies that could replace fractional distillation in crude oil refineries.

Early lessons from the Garden Grove chemical incident

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 08:34:00 +0000

A runaway polymerisation raises questions about safety measures and their backups

Photoredox catalyst introduces two nucleophiles across a carbon–carbon bond at once

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Reaction also challenges the idea that C–X bonds can only undergo one-site transformations

Science department abolished as UK’s new prime minister Andy Burnham appoints first cabinet

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:59:00 +0000

New business secretary Jonathan Reynolds given responsibility for science and innovation portfolio

Chemistry Nobel laureate Rudy Marcus passes away just before turning 103

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:29:00 +0000

Theoretical chemist who came up with one of his most important ideas in a just month also mentored more than 100 young researchers

Trust is easily broken and hard to rebuild

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:25:00 +0000

Thermo Fisher needs to be open and honest about data manipulation to reassure researchers

The 2027 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 26 research/teaching positions and 1 teaching position

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The 2027 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List has 26 research/teaching positions and one teaching position.

Want to help out? Here's a Google Form to enter positions.

On July 22, 2025, the 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 42 research/teaching positions and five teaching positions. On July 23, 2024, the 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 45 research/teaching positions and 4 teaching positions.

Want to talk anonymously? Have an update on the status of a job search? Here is the first open thread.

Don't forget to click on "load more" below the comment box for the full thread.

Are you having problems accessing the Google Sheet because of a Google Documents error? Email me at chemjobber@gmail.com and I will send you an Excel download of the latest sheet.

German research funder issues warning over threats to academic freedom

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:30:00 +0000

External influences – such as politics, funding and the media – are increasingly putting the autonomy of research under pressure

AI’s solution to 87-year-old riddle takes mathematicians by surprise

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:26:43 +0000

Mathematicians have been trying to prove the Jacobian conjecture for nearly a century, but now the Claude Fable 5 AI has apparently found a counterexample that disproves it

How to maximise the mental health benefits of your vacation

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:00:37 +0000

PÂTÉ

Like many people, I spend much of my time at home fantasising about my next holiday. During the trip itself, most of my stresses seem to melt away, and I return feeling optimistic and energised.

Each time, I am determined to integrate those feelings into my day-to-day life, but I am almost invariably disappointed. Within a couple of weeks – sometimes less, depending on how much time I have to spend on the London Underground – I become the same irritable and frustrated person that I always was. And so, I start dreaming about my next escape.

As I planned a recent trip to Madrid, I wondered whether I was foolish to hope that my travels would offer anything more than temporary relief.

Read more

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Delving into the psychological literature, though, I was relieved to see that the answer is a resounding no. Growing evidence explains the specific ways that our holidays can increase our wellbeing and, crucially, the types of activities that will offer the greatest restoration, based on the ancient Greek principle of eudaimonia: “human flourishing”.

“Instead of thinking only about where you are going to travel, you can think about what psychological experience you want the vacation to provide, and try to create that experience,” says Nanxi Yan, a psychologist at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

A serious consideration of holiday psychology has been a long time coming: until recently, psychologists studying wellbeing had mostly focused on the benefits of relaxation and leisure activities more generally. There have been plenty of studies on reading, for instance, while the research on vacations was patchy. As a result, they failed to capture the distinct opportunities for a mental reset that holidays can afford away from the daily grind. “From a psychological perspective, that separation is quite important,” says Yan.

An emphasis on social connections can prolong the mood-boosting benefits of your vacation

Stephen Frink Collection/Alamy

Consider a recent review of the literature, published last year. Analysing the results of 32 different studies, Ryan Grant at the University of Georgia has shown that the average mood boost begins before we have even left home, as the anticipation of a trip builds. Those good feelings remain highly elevated for at least 21 days after we have returned home and may not return to the baseline for a further three weeks.

If you, like me, struggle to feel those longer-lasting benefits, it may be because you have been focusing on the “wrong” kind of happiness. Behavioural scientist Graeme McLean at the University of St Andrews Business School in the UK argues that we should distinguish between hedonic wellbeing, which concerns enjoyment and pleasure, and eudaimonic wellbeing, which concerns “personal growth, sense of purpose and meaning”.

“On holiday, hedonic wellbeing might come from lounging on a beach, enjoying nice food or staying in a lovely hotel,” he says. “Eudaimonic wellbeing might come from the sense of achievement in completing a challenging hike, learning about a new culture or forming connections with fellow travellers.”

Studying 462 holiday-makers, McLean and his colleague Mohammed Aldossary at King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia found that the boost in hedonic wellbeing faded pretty quickly, whereas the eudaimonic feelings lingered for at least eight weeks. For this reason, he recommends planning holidays that combine both elements – pure relaxation alongside the kinds of activities that feel more purposeful.

Yan agrees. “Travel can also expose people to novelty, different cultures, new activities and different versions of themselves,” she says – and it is here that the biggest benefits lie. “These experiences may help people not only feel rested, but also feel more alive, connected and reflective.”

So, what can we do to achieve it? Based on the available research on both hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing, Yan and her colleagues distilled the key elements to think about (see below).

The elements of the perfect break

Relatedness: Embrace social connection with your loved ones, local communities or nature
Autonomy: Do something for your own desires, rather than others’
Mastery: Overcome a fear or discover new skills
Novelty: Seek new experiences
Positive self: Learn about your core values and capabilities
Emotion change: Look for positive feelings like comfort, pleasure or awe
Escapism: Detach from your daily routine
Meaning: Emphasise that one’s existence is significant, purposeful and coherent

You don’t have to include every single element, but you may benefit from reflecting on the list and deciding which are most significant to you. “For example, if relatedness is very important, you might want to prioritise meaningful time with family, friends or a partner, rather than trying to do too many activities,” says Yan. To maximise autonomy, “it helps to build in freedom and flexibility”, she says. “A vacation that is too tightly scheduled can become another source of pressure.”

Mastery, meanwhile, might involve attending an art class or learning to scuba dive, and the need for novelty might encourage you to try to experience a whole new culture, rather than returning to a familiar destination.

That may take more serious attention than you currently pay to your travel plans. “Do not treat vacations only as time off. Think about what kind of psychological needs the vacation can satisfy,” says Yan. The hard work may pay off immediately. “Our research showed that merely anticipating an upcoming vacation can boost wellbeing, so the planning and looking-forward phase has value in itself,” says McLean. “It’s better to book early!”

If you are worried about protecting your purse strings, rest assured that you can glean many of these benefits from shorter trips – in fact, the greatest relief may come from just five or six days away. Nor do the activities have to be exceptionally luxurious: in Grant’s meta-analysis, physical exercise proved to be one of the best predictors of enhanced wellbeing, and that can be achieved through long walks or visits to outdoor gyms.

Discovering new skills is one way to maximise the psychological benefits of vacationing

Ian Southerin/Alamy

You may not even have to leave your home city, provided that you take those psychological needs seriously enough and don’t simply spend the time catching up on other responsibilities. When planned correctly, taking some time off at home can still be beneficial, says Yan. “For example, people can create boundaries around work, avoid routine chores during the holiday period, try new local activities, spend quality time with others, visit nearby nature or create small rituals that make the time feel different from ordinary life.”

Whether you are travelling abroad or staying at home, you should try to find ways to immerse yourself in the memories of the experiences after your break has ended. Along these lines, McLean also found that using virtual-reality headsets to return to the location of their holidays significantly prolonged the wellbeing benefits experienced by his study participants.

We can’t all afford this technology, of course, but he suggests some lo-fi alternatives. “Deeply engaging with holiday memories – perhaps through journaling about the experience in vivid detail, creating a rich photo or video montage that you actively revisit, or even planning a return trip to the same destination – might tap into similar psychological pathways, though this would need further research to be confirmed.”

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“The underlying factor is about re-engaging psychologically with the vacation experience in a rich, immersive way,” says McLean. You are unlikely to get this from passively scrolling through your photos; it needs your full attention.

Attempting to put all this into practice on my trip to Madrid, I made a greater effort to chat to locals in Spanish, maximising my sense of autonomy and mastery; attended a concert by one of my favourite singers, an experience that was imbued with meaning; and visited the city’s botanical gardens, which helped me connect to nature.

It has now been six weeks since I returned, and the warm glow remains. My sunnier mood may be slowly fading, but it hasn’t yet been extinguished. Now, I’m dreaming of my next trip.