Chemistry
Physicists Created Bubbles That Can Last for Over a Year
If you've ever blown bubbles, you know how quickly they burst. Now French researchers have concocted a type that stays intact for hundreds of days.
An Injection of Chaos Solves a Decades-Old Fluid Mystery
In the 1960s, drillers noticed that certain fluids would firm up if they flowed too fast. Researchers have finally explained why.
At the Dawn of Life, Heat May Have Driven Cell Division
A mathematical model shows how a thermodynamic mechanism could have made protocells split in two.
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To See Proteins Change in Quadrillionths of a Second, Use AI
Researchers have long wanted to capture how protein structures contort in response to light. But getting a clear image was impossible—until now.
All That Glitters Isn't Litter
A new plant-based material sparkles without plastics. That could be better for the environment—but it's also harder to make in industrial quantities.
An AI Finds Superbug-Killing Potential in Human Proteins
A team scoured the human proteome for antimicrobial molecules and found thousands, plus a surprise about how animals evolved to fight infections.
Sodium Batteries May Power Your New Electric Car
As EV sales increase, supplies of lithium may get tight. So some companies are incorporating cells with sodium, which provides almost as big a charge.
‘Impossible’ Particle Adds a Piece to the Strong Force Puzzle
The unexpected discovery of the double-charm tetraquark gives physicists fresh insight into the strongest of nature’s fundamental forces.
West Point Chemists Re-Create Medieval Gunpowder Recipes
Following an antique manuscript, researchers mixed up (and then blew up) some early formulations to learn how explosive-making has evolved.
Titan’s Strange Chemical World Gets Simulated in Tiny Tubes
A research chemist mixed nitrogen, methane, and other molecules to re-create the conditions that might harbor life on one of Saturn’s moons.
Can This Sun-Reflecting Fabric Help Fight Climate Change?
An experimental textile called metafabric is designed to cool down the wearer and reduce the need for air-conditioning.
If You Want to Tackle Climate Change, Start With Methane
The landmark assessment was dire. But it shows that by slashing methane emissions, humanity can make rapid progress in fighting climate change.
The Weird, Sustainable Booze of the Future Tastes … Good?
Small distilleries like Empirical Spirits are working on uncategorizable drinks made of stuff like plum pits, for the resilient quaff of tomorrow.
The Secret Workings of Smell Receptors, Revealed At Last
Researchers have finally seen how some of them bind to odor molecules—yielding new insights into one of the most mysterious and versatile senses.
A New Way to Shape Metal Nanoparticles—With a Magnetic Field
Making the tiny nanoparticles used in everything from electronics to paint isn't easy. But a new experiment creates order out of chaos.
The Sneaky, Lying Flower That Pretends to Be a Rotting Beetle
Aristolochia microstoma finds love by smelling like death. Coffin flies can’t resist.
Awesome, Hypnotic Photos of Swirling, Crystal Chemistry
A new book goes micro to show the wonderful world of close-up chemical reactions.
Cells Form Into Living ‘Xenobots’ on Their Own
Embryonic cells can self-assemble into new forms that don’t resemble the bodies they usually generate, challenging old ideas of what defines an organism.
Can Alien Smog Lead Us to Extraterrestrial Civilizations?
A new study modeled whether we could find intelligent life on another planet—by looking for its pollution.
A Newfound Source of Cellular Order in the Chemistry of Life
Inside cells, droplets called condensates merge, divide, and dissolve. Their dance may regulate vital processes.
Scientists Discover the First Room-Temperature Superconductor
Physicists finally achieved the long-sought goal, but there’s a catch: Their compound requires crushing pressures to keep from falling apart.
A New Tool Detects Counterfeit Whiskey—Without Wasting a Drop
Bogus booze has been infiltrating the market, so physicists found a way to test for authenticity while keeping the precious bottles sealed.
This Cobalt-Free Battery Is Good for the Planet—and It Works
Reducing the cobalt content in lithium-ion batteries is good for the environment, human rights, and maybe even the performance of the battery itself.
This Lab ‘Cooks’ With AI to Make New Materials
A Toronto lab recycles carbon dioxide into more useful chemicals, using materials it discovered with artificial intelligence and supercomputers.