Sustained oscillations in the rate and selectivity of the industrially important Fischer–Tropsch reaction have been observed and measured for the first time. The US team used these observations to propose a plausible reaction mechanism that could help tailor the design of future catalysts for specific chemical products. The Fischer–Tropsch reaction, first reported in 1913, combines […]

The Irish government has announced a €3000 (£2600) increase in stipends for PhDs funded by two government research bodies, rather than the hoped for €6000 or more. PhD researchers have expressed disappointment as the stipend boost falls below the recommendation of an independent review to increase them to €25,000 per year. The increase applies only […]

It’s rare in this job that you find yourself personally caught up in the issues that Chemistry World covers. But in February last year, we learned that per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) had been found at above the recommended levels in the drinking water of villages just next door to where my family and I […]

Pinkie Ntola is on a mission to elevate South Africa’s scientific reputation. With multiple roles in teaching and administration previously dominating her career, this scientist from the Durban University of Technology is now determined for her research to gain attention on a global stage. ‘I like to say that I am an emerging-materials scientist, because […]

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is calling on the UK government to reduce the current cap on individual per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water from 100ng/l to 10ng/l, warning that levels above this pose a significant risk to public health. The RSC’s call follows new analysis revealing that more than a third […]

Chemical analysis of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the Last Supper revealed the presence of plumbonacrite and shannonite, rare lead compounds only stable in an alkaline environment. The base layers of the paintings uncovered high lead content in several forms, with shannonite being detected for the first time in a historical painting. Show Fullscreen […]

One of the first comprehensive databases of human health research on a wide range of plastic-associated chemicals has been unveiled by scientists at Australia’s philanthropic Minderoo Foundation. The tool focuses on plastic chemicals that consumers are commonly exposed to, including polymers, plasticisers, flame retardants, bisphenols and per- or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS). It maps more than […]

One of the most persistent myths, that keeps recurring in the history of science, is that there is some sort of fundament conflict or even a mutual incompatibility between science and religion. In the last couple of decades, the debate over these claims has not just reached boiling point but has violently boiled over enveloping […]

A pesticide banned for outdoor use by the EU could be less harmful to bees than had been thought. This is the conclusion of a study that exposed bumblebee colonies to sulfoxaflor, an insecticide approved in the EU in 2015 but banned for outdoor use in April 2022. The new study, carried out at the […]

One worker was killed in an explosion and fire at a chemical plant on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia, on 12 October, according to ABC News reports. The fire was brought under control by Fire Rescue Victoria and the building’s sprinkler system. A second employee was treated for minor injuries at the scene. The plant […]