Opinion
Faraday’s laboratory manual and the isolation of benzene
Instruction on how to be as much at home in the lab as was the man himself
Feature
The young female astronomer who worked out what the sun is made of
100 years ago, Cecilia Payne deduced that the sun is mainly made of hydrogen – but was encouraged to downplay her findings by her PhD supervisor. Mike Sutton takes up the story
Careers
Choosing the right mentor
Taking part in a mentoring programme can provide you with the support you need for career success
News
Collection of Alan Turing’s papers sells for a record £465,400
Items included a personal letter from his mother and an original copy of his only chemistry paper
Opinion
What the smell of benzene tells us about the world
A philosophical discussion about how much we can trust our senses
Research
Portable device detects poisonous pigment in books
St Andrews librarians and physicists partner to create sensor that can detect the spectrum of toxic green colourant
Opinion
Benzene’s 200-year legacy of transformation
As we celebrate the anniversary of benzene’s isolation, we must remember that scientific centenaries carry additional agendas
Opinion
Why I returned the Faraday prize to the Royal Society
Andrea Sella explains how inaction over Elon Musk’s membership motivated him to act
Highlights
The young female astronomer who worked out what the sun is made of
100 years ago, Cecilia Payne deduced that the sun is mainly made of hydrogen – but was encouraged to downplay her findings by her PhD supervisor. Mike Sutton takes up the story
Fixing medicine’s gender gap
For centuries, the default subject in medicine research and training has been the male. Julia Robinson talks to the scientists and clinicians trying to improve things for the other 51% of humanity
Managing the menopause
The end of ovulation will affect almost all women, but current treatments could be improved. Rachel Brazil reports on the efforts to find a better solution
Melanie Sanford’s route from college gymnast to groundbreaking researcher
One-time gymnast Melanie Sanford has made a name for herself in catalysis and organometallic chemistry. Rebecca Trager charts her path to success, from her mentors to her mentoring
20 years. 20 chemists. 20 stories. Part 2
How has chemistry changed in the last two decades?
First-generation graduate chemists face challenges throughout their entire academic lifetime
Study highlights need for mentorship and more inclusive networks
Opinion
Nurturing socioeconomic inclusion for a brighter tomorrow
Understanding why individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are underrepresented in the chemical sciences
Feature
Fixing medicine’s gender gap
For centuries, the default subject in medicine research and training has been the male. Julia Robinson talks to the scientists and clinicians trying to improve things for the other 51% of humanity
Opinion
The women-led health projects doing things differently
Innovative approaches to awareness and participation
Feature
Managing the menopause
The end of ovulation will affect almost all women, but current treatments could be improved. Rachel Brazil reports on the efforts to find a better solution
Careers
The All-Ireland Network for Gender Equality in Chemistry is going for gold
Sharing best practices across chemistry departments to create better working environments and get Athena Swan accreditation
News
Under legal pressure American Chemical Society ends diversity programme
The society is replacing its 30-year-old Scholars Program for minorities with a larger one that does not consider race
Mary Sherman Morgan: The best kept secret in the space race
Anna Demming reveals the scientist who invented the fuel that powered the first US satellite into orbit, yet died with barely a trace on record of her achievements
Martin Gouterman: the gay man behind the four-orbital model
Abhik Ghosh tells the story of a porphyrin chemist who was a leading figure in Seattle’s gay rights movement of the 1960s
William Knox, the only Black supervisor in the Manhattan Project
The story of the Knox family is one of education overcoming adversity, finds Kit Chapman
Robyn Norton: ‘We needed to make sure that women were included’
The pioneering global health researcher on the importance of including women in medical research, face-to-face networking and kindness
Willie May: ‘We need to find and support the “missing millions”’
The analytical chemist on growing up Black in Alabama in the 1950s and 1960s and his journey through NIST, academia and the AAAS presidency
Paul Alivisatos: ‘Physical chemistry brought me back into the fold’
The nanomaterials pioneer talks about coming from a family of immigrants, wandering as an undergraduate and finding his compass
The art of failing forward
Negative results still mean positive progress
Making myself at home in the lab
How experiments in a garden shed grew from a hobby to a profession
I use storytelling to write great lab reports
A formal writeup of an experiment has much in common with a thrilling story
Cryptic chemistry crossword #091
From Danish physicists to sweet anagrams and sneaky naturalists, this cryptic chemistry crossword is a mind-twisting mix of science, wordplay, and wit.
Chemistry wordoku #099
Can’t sleep? Perhaps this puzzle will help…
Quick chemistry crossword #091
From pulsars to pectin and anaesthetics to amino acids, can you solve this quick chemistry crossword?
Cryptic chemistry crossword #090
Tin, toxins, and tricky turns of phrase all show up in this cryptic chemistry crossword. Can you solve it?
Opinion
What the smell of benzene tells us about the world
A philosophical discussion about how much we can trust our senses
Opinion
How feminist bioethics can improve women’s health
From correcting research imbalances to placing value on lived experiences
Opinion
In search of truth and rules
To codify and predict ever more complex phenomena is one of science’s great drivers
Opinion
Classifications, racial discrimination and Covid-19
Lessons with philosophical significance for how we group people and objects
Opinion
The moral theories behind climate deadlock
Why is it so controversial to do the right thing for the environment?
Opinion
Did AI just win the Nobel prizes in physics and chemistry?
The importance of the expert eye in scientific progress
Opinion
How much science should there be in philosophy?
A debate about metaphysics that’s crucial to how we understand the world
News
Campaign launched to get Lego periodic table playset out there
Spanish scientist wants people to vote for his spiral table to get Lego to bring it to life
News
Food chemist takes top prize of annual Dance your PhD contest
Interpretive dance explains thesis on why chillis burn and menthol cools
Careers
From professional ballet dancer to quantum chemist
Creativity has been central to James Shee’s career across both art and science
Opinion
Faraday’s laboratory manual and the isolation of benzene
Instruction on how to be as much at home in the lab as was the man himself
Feature
The young female astronomer who worked out what the sun is made of
100 years ago, Cecilia Payne deduced that the sun is mainly made of hydrogen – but was encouraged to downplay her findings by her PhD supervisor. Mike Sutton takes up the story
News
Collection of Alan Turing’s papers sells for a record £465,400
Items included a personal letter from his mother and an original copy of his only chemistry paper
Opinion
The women-led health projects doing things differently
Innovative approaches to awareness and participation
Feature
Managing the menopause
The end of ovulation will affect almost all women, but current treatments could be improved. Rachel Brazil reports on the efforts to find a better solution
Research
First-generation graduate chemists face challenges throughout their entire academic lifetime
Study highlights need for mentorship and more inclusive networks
Opinion
Normalising huge substrate scopes worsens wellbeing
And holds up the pace of scientific progress
Opinion
Can scientific curiosity and pressure to work long hours be balanced with well-being?
Younger researchers must beware the trap that sees their scientific fervour take over their lives
News
A year on from the announcement of the dichloromethane ban, US research labs brace for change
Trump administration appears to be backing the Biden rule so universities are moving to comply
Careers
Time off for menstruation is a good idea. Period.
Menstrual leave can improve working conditions for all employees
Opinion
Why I returned the Faraday prize to the Royal Society
Andrea Sella explains how inaction over Elon Musk’s membership motivated him to act
News
Food chemist takes top prize of annual Dance your PhD contest
Interpretive dance explains thesis on why chillis burn and menthol cools
Opinion
Making myself at home in the lab
How experiments in a garden shed grew from a hobby to a profession
Opinion
I use storytelling to write great lab reports
A formal writeup of an experiment has much in common with a thrilling story
Careers
Does gamification have a place in chemistry education?
Escape rooms, murder mysteries and virtual reality are being used to try to make the subject more attractive to students
Careers
How Lisa Alford inspires students and celebrates technicians
She was awarded the Royal Society’s 2024 Hauksbee award in recognition of her extraordinary achievements ‘behind the scenes’