Chemistry

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology have been able to confirm experimentally for the first time that bacteria use electrons from hydrogen and can produce more chemical substances than previously known. They have published their research in the journal Green Chemistry. Microbial electrosynthesis is a technology that can bind

The pharmaceutical industry can take years to develop drugs that can treat or cure human diseases. The drug discovery process is carried out by human chemists who rely on their knowledge and experience to select and synthesize the right molecules required to create safe and effective medicines. Scientists often employ a technique called retrosynthesis, which

Proteins are essential biological molecules that perform almost all biochemical tasks in all forms of life. They are also responsible for ultra-fast movements, which are crucial for our understanding of proteins and can help in producing new medical agents. To investigate these dynamic processes more precisely than before, researchers have developed a new algorithm that

Water is an essential compound that covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface. Despite its ubiquitous presence, scientists have identified over seventy anomalous properties of water that are difficult to verify experimentally. One of the reasons is the inability to study water between 160 K and 232 K (-113 °C to -41 °C), a subzero

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have conducted a study that could lead to the development of more powerful and longer-lasting batteries and memory devices. The study has examined the ordering, or pattern formation, of positively charged ions, known as cations, in double perovskite oxides; a type of metal that is

Flinders University researchers have discovered a new low-cost material that can be made into lenses for thermal imaging. The high cost of materials required for thermal and infrared imaging has been a significant limiting factor for many industries, including defense, security and surveillance, medicine, electrical engineering, space exploration, and autonomous vehicle operation. Lower cost alternatives

A group of researchers from the University College London and the University of Hong Kong have developed a highly efficient and selective catalytic material that converts methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into formaldehyde, a valuable chemical. The tungsten trioxide (WO3 catalyst) derived material features a dual active site comprising copper and tungsten atomic species that

Researchers in Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, Bioengineering, and Chemistry at the University of Illinois have developed a sustainable way of forming carbon-carbon bonds, which is the foundation of all organic compounds. The researchers have demonstrated a novel metal-catalyst-free approach that could revolutionize organic chemistry. The process could lead to a new era in organic

Researchers at the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new strategy for visible-light-induced selective carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion. The researchers have used an artificial photosynthetic chromatophore nanomicelle system based on the structure of natural photosynthetic purple bacteria to create this system. The study is published in the

Scientists have used a high-speed “electron camera” and quantum simulations to capture the photochemical “transition state” of a molecule’s atoms during a ring-opening reaction in α-terpinene. This marks the first time scientists have precisely tracked molecular structure through a photochemical ring-opening reaction, which occurs when light energy is absorbed by a substance’s molecules. The findings,

Danish artists in the 19th century might have used leftover brewing byproducts to prepare their canvases, according to a new study. Researchers who examined paintings from the Danish Golden Age discovered traces of yeast and grains. The study, which was published in the journal Science Advances, suggests that artists used byproducts from local breweries to

Efficient energy conversion devices for powering electronic devices and heating homes necessitate a detailed understanding of how molecules move and vibrate when undergoing light-induced chemical reactions. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have successfully visualized the distortions of chemical bonds in a methane molecule after it absorbs light, loses

As the world moves towards renewable energy, there is a need for new technologies for storing and distributing energy to homes and electric vehicles. The current standard for energy storage has been the lithium-ion battery containing liquid electrolytes. However, this solution is far from ideal due to its low efficiency and the liquid electrolyte’s propensity

Chemistry researchers at Flinders University have discovered a new way to produce ‘green’ polymers using low-cost building blocks and a small amount of electricity. The reaction occurs quickly and at room temperature, without the need for hazardous chemical initiators. The research team has published an article in the Journal of the American Chemical Society detailing

Mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals on the planet, causing millions of deaths each year due to the diseases they transmit. We know that mosquitoes are attracted to human body odor, but how do they find us from such long distances? In a recent study published in the journal Current Biology, researchers used an