‘Eco-friendly’ plant-based plastics linked to organ damage
Researchers at Zhejiang University discover liver damage and gut imbalances in mice from biodegradable starch plastics exposure.
Printed skin to replace animal testing
TU Graz and Vellore Institute researchers develop 3D-printed skin with living cells, enabling animal-free cosmetic nanoparticle tests.
A safe nuclear battery that could last a lifetime
Researchers at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology are developing nuclear batteries using radiocarbon, offering decades-long power without recharging.
Artificial DNA-nanoparticle motor breaks speed record
Scientists at National Institutes of Natural Sciences in Japan have built a DNA-based motor surpassing 30 nm/s, comparable to natural motor proteins’ speed.
Yale chemists synthesize unique anticancer molecules using novel approach
A team of Yale chemists has successfully synthesised a unique class of anticancer molecules from bryozoans, marking a significant breakthrough in synthetic chemistry and potentially opening new avenues for medication development.
Artificial ‘power plants’ harness energy from wind and rain
From American Chemical Society 20/01/24 Fake plants are moving into the 21st century! Researchers developed literal “power plants” — tiny, leaf-shaped generators that create electricity from a blowing breeze or falling raindrops — and described them in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. The team tested the energy harvesters by incorporating them into artificial plants. Electrical […]
Discovery of structural regularity hidden in silica glass
From Tohoku University 30/11/23 Glass is a fundamental material used in insulation and in the screens of computers and smartphones. Despite its long history, the disordered atomic structure of glass is still not fully understood by scientists. This lack of understanding makes it difficult to control glass’s structural properties and design efficient materials. A research […]
Density matters for better battery material performance, researchers find
From Tsinghua University Press 28/11/23 Zinc — cheap, abundant, environmentally friendly — may be the answer to better batteries, but there’s a major problem: Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) cannot match lithium-ion batteries in terms of power output. To test what electrode material composition might be able to bring AZIBs up to par, a research […]
Device ‘smells’ seawater to discover, detect novel molecules
From American Chemical Society 21/11/23 Under the ocean’s surface, marine organisms are constantly releasing invisible molecules. Some of the chemical clues reveal which creatures are nearby, while others could be used someday as medications. Now, researchers in ACS Central Science report a proof-of-concept device that “sniffs” seawater, trapping dissolved compounds for analyses. The team showed […]
Revolutionizing chemistry: innovators develop electric ‘switch’ to accelerate chemical reactions
From Université de Genève 07/11/23 New pharmaceuticals, cleaner fuels, biodegradable plastics: in order to meet society’s needs, chemists have to develop new synthesis methods to obtain new products that do not exist in their natural state. A research group at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with Cardiff University, has discovered how to use […]