Main Chemical Feed

Can home batteries help save the climate and save you money?

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 17:01:56 +0000

Growing numbers of homeowners are installing batteries that store electricity when it is cheap, which helps balance the grid and cuts emissions, and cheaper plug-in batteries will soon let more people do the same

We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:00:21 +0000

We have identified the gene that, when activated, initiates the developmental programme that results in cells forming a human body

The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:59:05 +0000

The loss of Antarctica’s doomsday glacier would transform our planet. Now scientists are revealing the secrets of this remotest of places, and asking the question: is its demise inevitable?

Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:51:05 +0000

This August a total solar eclipse is set to be visible across parts of Europe, while a partial eclipse will sweep across about a quarter of the planet – here’s how to catch it

Making lab equipment more accessible for chemists with physical disabilities

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:31:00 +0000

‘Chemical laboratories are often designed around a very narrow idea of standard talent,’ says one academic striving to make such spaces more inclusive

If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:29:55 +0000

The extreme heat currently being felt in Europe isn’t the new normal – much worse is to come, and we are doing far too little to adapt, says Michael Le Page

Record-breaking IBM chip uses trick to cram in 100 billion transistors

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 11:00:54 +0000

IBM's latest chip packs in twice as many transistors as the current state-of-the-art chip by adding a second layer of silicon circuitry

Phages could enable us to hijack vaccine immunity to kill cancer cells

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:21:51 +0000

Phages, viruses that infect bacteria, could be genetically manipulated to destroy cancerous cells using the immunity we have acquired from vaccines

Lost books by ancient philosophers recovered from 'unreadable' scrolls

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:30:43 +0000

Scrolls from the Roman library of Herculaneum that were carbonised by a volcanic eruption have been read in their entirety for the first time, thanks to scans and AI software

What kinds of reactions do you do most?

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:31:00 +0000

Variety may be the spice of life, but there’s space for the boring but effective

Desert horned lizards that drink captured water from their skin inspire water-harvesting system

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Careful observation of these lizards solves mystery of how they squeeze water into their mouths and could help extract water from soil in arid regions

Possible signs of ancient life on Mars are rich in complex carbon

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:00:49 +0000

An instrument on the Perseverance rover has identified large, complex carbon compounds alongside unusual patterns on the surface of rocks that resemble traces of microbial activity

Screwworm could be the first species targeted by an 'extinction drive'

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 18:19:04 +0000

We have developed genetic technologies that could wipe out entire species of pests that are harmful to us. Columnist Michael Le Page says the flesh-eating screwworm is the most likely first target

Hold the onions – and see if they make you cry

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Feedback isn't sure what to make of a ground-breaking piece of research into the understudied topic of "subjective individual variability in onion tearing and its relationship to chemosensory sensitivity"

The 17 best popular science books of 2026 so far

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 18:00:00 +0000

The first six months of the year have brought us popular science reads on everything from consciousness to cosmology. Liz Else rounds up her favourites

All known Homo naledi skeletons seem to be female

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:00:33 +0000

An analysis of tooth proteins suggests all 23 Homo naledi individuals found in the Rising Star cave in South Africa were female, which strengthens the case that they were placed there deliberately

The lunar botanist with a plan to farm vegetables on the moon

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:00:32 +0000

Jessica Atkin knows more than anyone else about what it would take to supply food for a moon base. She reveals how to build a lunar farm and what astronauts can expect to dine on

Some of the last Neanderthals were surprisingly genetically diverse

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:00:03 +0000

Genetic analysis of Neanderthals in north-western Europe reveals that this population was surprisingly genetically diverse, hinting that inbreeding didn’t lead to the species' demise

Fluctuating oestrogen levels may alter how drugs enter women's brains

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:59 +0000

Oestrogen levels fluctuate throughout a woman's menstrual cycle, which may impact how efficiently a drug that targets the brain can reach its destination

Meet the researchers finding fulfilment in leadership and administration

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:41:00 +0000

When a research responsibilities expand into something with a wider impact

A warning for US science & wool’s chemical versatility

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000

We discuss highlights from Marcia McNutt’s final address. Plus, what’s the chemistry behind the woolly sweaters keeping you warm?

Retraction questions claim that cancer therapy works better in morning

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:20:00 +0000

Investigation finds problems in a key clinical trial that critics said was too good to be true

Hidden black hole could explain mystery at the heart of our galaxy

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:00:33 +0000

The area surrounding our galaxy’s central supermassive black hole contains three strangely different populations of stars – but one hidden black hole could explain all of them

Why were mysterious ancient humans found in an African cave all female?

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Analysis of fossil proteins deepens mystery of the enigmatic Homo naledi

Building global links and growing local chemistry talent in The Gambia

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 08:06:00 +0000

Members of the Chemical Society of The Gambia have experienced success since joining Commonwealth Chemistry

Inbreeding didn’t doom the Neanderthals, study suggests

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Analysis of more than two dozen new genomes suggests our closest cousins remained genetically healthy, just before they vanished

Halogen bonding makes its debut in a permanently porous framework

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 07:25:00 +0000

Self -complementary linkages stabilise low-density materials with accessible voids

The universe is unexpectedly stringy, which could unravel the theory of the cosmos

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:15:00 +0000

Controversial claim challenges principle of cosmological sameness on which prevailing theory rests

Migrating sea turtles only sort of know where they’re going

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 02:00:00 +0000

An “approximate” sense of Earth’s magnetic fields means the animals must occasionally reorient during long ocean voyages

Medical students are using a popular research tool to pump out misleading studies

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 01:30:00 +0000

Critics say TriNetX’s easy analyses of electronic medical records fuel quick-and-dirty publications from inexperienced authors

After menopause, ovaries may transform into organs with immune powers

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 01:20:00 +0000

Mouse and human data suggest ovaries develop a new function after reproductive duties end

Huge crater in Australia may be the oldest impact structure on Earth

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 23:00:24 +0000

A study claims that the North Pole Dome crater in Western Australia was caused by an asteroid strike 3 billion years ago, but other researchers dispute the proposed age

You should turn off fans when it's too hot – but how hot is too hot?

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:50:59 +0000

Fans can make you hotter rather than cooler, but the temperature at which you should turn them off depends on several factors, including your age and the humidity level

Elite Maya people had teeth placed in a cave far from their tombs

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:00:57 +0000

A cave in Belize contains teeth from dozens of important Maya people buried elsewhere, which may attest to a ritual intended to ensure their passage to the underworld

Parenting may permanently improve brain health for mums and dads

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:00:04 +0000

Raising children appears to keep the brain young, potentially acting as a buffer against cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s

SpaceX's secretive plans to deliver cargo to Earth from space

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:37:25 +0000

Not much is known about Starfall, SpaceX's new delivery system, but an assessment published in May revealed its intended purpose

How some people's brains make an extraordinary recovery from stroke

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:00:40 +0000

Around a third of people are able to almost fully rebuild their brains after a stroke and uncovering why is pointing the way to better treatments for everyone

Unapproved gene therapy for boosting longevity is set to go on sale

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 12:14:33 +0000

A gene therapy that instructs cells to produce more of an anti-ageing protein called klotho is about to be offered by a US company at overseas clinics to bypass FDA rules

How AI, $1 billion, and a transparent fish could transform neuroscience

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:50:00 +0000

The once-obscure Danionella fish takes center stage as a model research organism in a major new project funded by Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The 2027 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List: 10 research/teaching positions

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The 2027 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List has 10 research/teaching positions.

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

On June 24, 2025, the 2026 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 9 research/teaching positions. On June 25, 2024, the 2025 Chemistry Faculty Jobs List had 10 research/teaching positions and one teaching position.

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.

Microdroplet chemistry enables catalyst-free skeletal editing

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Hydroxyl radicals power transformation of aniline into pyridine

A dozen people will spend 8 months trapped in Arctic ice—for science

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 04:45:00 +0000

Battling darkness and cold, researchers on a drifting laboratory will probe the biology of the Arctic Ocean

Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:00:24 +0000

A woman with severe Alzheimer's disease who hadn't spoken more than monosyllables in years began initiating conversation after a single dose of psilocybin

New-to-science spider builds trap that flings ants into the air

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:00:38 +0000

A spider living in the rainforests of Queensland, Australia, builds a snare trap reminiscent of a Roman-era ballista weapon that it uses to catapult green tree ants into a web 30 centimetres above

How menopause radically changes the brain – and what happens after

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:00:05 +0000

The brain undergoes a full renovation during menopause. Although these changes are profound, we’re learning that the long-term impact needn’t be all bad

‘Fusogenic’ neurosurgery let paralysed pigs walk again – are we next?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:40:03 +0000

Researchers say a surgery that let pigs with completely severed spinal cords walk again may lead to human trials, and then perhaps even full head or brain transplants. Columnist Helen Thomson is intrigued but sceptical of whether the technique can be successful in humans

A promising natural technique to remove CO2 could backfire

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:24:23 +0000

Several start-ups have tried to grow seaweed to remove atmospheric CO2, but this could affect the levels of nutrients in the ocean and hamper other CO2-sucking processes

Evonik to cut a further 3200 jobs by 2029

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 14:04:00 +0000

Most cuts will be in Germany, adding to the firm’s 2800 jobs shed between 2023 and 2026

The surprising ways your brain changes from your 20s to your 40s

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 14:00:46 +0000

When does your brain reach adulthood? We're now understanding the many ways the organ continues to mature decades after society first deems you an adult

Molecular labels streamline high throughput mass spec analysis by rapidly ranking reactions

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Electrophilicity at heart of technique that overcomes key bottleneck to speed sample evaluation over 60 times