Synthetic production of the naturally occurring anti-cancer medicine paclitaxel may be one step closer with the discovery of the enzymes responsible for producing baccatin III, a complex precursor in the biosynthesis of the drug. Previous methods for synthesising paclitaxel in the lab take up to 30 steps, the use of hazardous reagents and sourcing of […]

This is one of my occasional autobiographical posts, so if you come here just for the #histsci, you can skip this one. I recently decided to be sensible and to relinquish my claim to a part of my inheritance, a drum. This is not just any drum, it is a very special drum and I’ve […]

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has revealed that its research councils are preparing to commit over £500 million to support doctoral studentships in 2024. In November 2023, the organisation announced that, as part of its new doctoral training investment framework, all UKRI-funded doctoral training would be delivered through two new focal and landscape awards, replacing […]

A light-activated metal–organic capsule enables the selective purification of progesterone from similar steroidal structures, even at five-fold excesses. The researchers who developed the capsule say that it could be modified for use with other compound classes and ultimately provide a greener alternative to conventional separation techniques. Over one million tonnes of progesterone and related hormonal […]

Red mud – a strongly alkaline, potentially toxic slurry generated in huge quantities by aluminium production – could be transformed into a safe, useful building material using a new hydrogen plasma-based reduction process. The method, developed by researchers in Germany, offers a green source of iron that could be used in steelmaking, and it could […]

The Republic of Ireland has failed to take measures to ensure that levels of trihalomethanes (THMs) in its drinking water fall within EU safety levels, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled. THMs are compounds that are formed by a reaction between chlorine-based disinfectants and the organic matter in the water, such as bacteria […]

Over the years, experience has taught me to be very wary of books about either the history or the philosophy of science written, not by historians or philosophers, but rather by practicing scientists. There are, of course, notable exceptions but such books are often at best questionable and unfortunately oft a total disaster. My caution, […]

Leveraging the ability of living systems to evolve and overcome complex problems, scientists in the US have created strains of Escherichia coli capable of anaerobically producing n-butanol, 1,3-butanediol and 4-hydroxy-2-butanone. The team identified two gene loci responsible for altering the flow of carbon from acetyl coenzyme A towards valuable C4 commodity chemicals instead of biomass. […]

An analysis of foetal liver tissue offers new insight into the metabolic effects of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The findings show that exposure to these ‘forever chemicals’ alters lipid metabolism in unborn children, and could increase the risk of metabolic disease later in life. While PFAS are associated with negative health impacts, the metabolic pathways linking […]

A metal–organic framework (MOF) nanoribbon could underpin a new source of clean energy by harvesting the latent heat of evaporation in seawater. A Chinese team has developed a small prototype device that separates sodium and chloride ions to generate a sustained potential difference powered by this natural phase change. Extracting energy from water evaporation could […]