Latest
Research
From tipsy worms to pigeon missiles: the quirky triumphs of the 2024 Ig Nobel awards
Chemistry prize rewards work that used worms as analogues of large polymers
Feature
The undergraduate lab practical transformation
Nina Notman speaks to the educators leading the charge to revamp how university students learn in the laboratory
Opinion
Observing Cop28 with a gender lens
Avoid so-called climate solutions that disadvantage the most marginalised
News
Global ‘census’ of chemistry on YouTube finds thriving ecosystem of indie producers
Chemistry channels are primarily made up of independents with no affiliation with an institution or organisation but a passion to talk science
Opinion
The science education programme partnering with people in prison
Think Like a Scientist focuses on empowering students
Opinion
Henninger and Le Bel’s fractionator and the importance of lab culture
An undercurrent of collaboration
Careers
Will open science change chemistry?
While more researchers are adopting open access, open data, open peer review and open projects, some significant barriers are hindering progress
Highlights
The undergraduate lab practical transformation
Nina Notman speaks to the educators leading the charge to revamp how university students learn in the laboratory
20 years. 20 chemists. 20 stories.
How has chemistry changed in the last two decades?
Conserving Barbie from degradation
Although she is a cultural icon, conserving Barbie has its challenges: as with most plastic toys and dolls, she was not made to last. Rachel Brazil investigates how conservation scientists are approaching this sticky problem
The chemistry of love
There’s chemistry behind every step of a romantic relationship, from the initial spark to the pain of break up, as Zahra Khan discovers
The archaeologists saving Africa’s ironworking heritage
The fires of traditional African iron smelters burned out a century ago and now the researchers dedicated to uncovering their stories are disappearing from the continent too, writes Hayley Bennett
The science education programme partnering with people in prison
Think Like a Scientist focuses on empowering students
News
Indian scheme to provide 300 research grants for women
The announcement made by India’s science and technology minister aims to foster more cross-disciplinary research
News
Next president of the Royal Society of Chemistry will be Robert Mokaya
University of Nottingham chemist will begin his tenure in 2026
News
Gender equality report highlights progress and challenges for women in research
41% of the world’s researchers are female, but women are underrepresented as authors of papers and patents
Webinar
LGBTQ+ in Stem: Using data to foster inclusion – Part 2
Learn about factors affecting attrition and retention of LGBTQ+ scientists
Webinar
LGBTQ+ in Stem: Using data to foster inclusion – Part 1
Learn how UK and US institutions are working together to improve inclusivity in Stem
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
Carol Robinson: ‘I really wanted to wave the flag about technicians’
The mass spectrometry trailblazer on leaving school at 16 and waving the flag for technicians
Ijeoma Uchegbu: ‘My approach is always to be kind’
The innovative nanoscientist on the power of kindness and how she scrubbed eugenicists from campus buildings
Emmeline Edwards: ‘I connect the dots’
The Haitian-American neurochemist on her journey from Haiti to the US as a teenager, and her journey from chemistry to brain science
Observing Cop28 with a gender lens
Avoid so-called climate solutions that disadvantage the most marginalised
A holistic approach to success
Three activities that helped me to thrive in academia and beyond
Closing the generation gap
Science can’t advance unless we communicate with each other
Cryptic chemistry crossword #054
Are you ready to give this cryptic chemistry crossword your best shot?
Quick chemistry crossword #054
Show everyone what you can by taking on this cryptic chemistry crossword!
Chemistry wordoku #061
Problem solving skills, an eye for anagrams and a sprinkle of chemistry knowledge will be needed to solve this puzzle
Cryptic chemistry crossword #053
Are your puzzling skills up to the challenge of this cryptic chemistry crossword?
Opinion
How much science should there be in philosophy?
A debate about metaphysics that’s crucial to how we understand the world
Opinion
Proteins’ shape and function are two sides of the same coin
A new perspective on the relationship between chemistry and biology
Opinion
There’s more to alchemy than its mystical nature
It was crucial to the development of chemistry
Opinion
The nuances of chemical confirmation
Supporting a hypothesis is more difficult than it might seem
Opinion
The rise of techno-science
Appreciating technology’s role in understanding how the world works
Opinion
Do bond classifications help or hinder chemistry?
Ionic, covalent, metallic and more… but there’s debate about whether bonds are real at all
Research
Pioneering preservative removal from ancient Greek ship allows accurate dating
Extraction of polyethylene glycol from ship’s wood enables radiocarbon recalibration
Opinion
Using XRF to uncover the secrets of three Irish chalices
Investigating a medieval manufacturing mystery
News
What Humphry Davy’s notebooks reveal about his life and work
Excerpts show different sides of chemist’s character
Opinion
Henninger and Le Bel’s fractionator and the importance of lab culture
An undercurrent of collaboration
Opinion
Celebrating 200 editions of Classic Kit
Andrea Sella shares his favourite experiences from delving into the history of lab equipment
News
Gender equality report highlights progress and challenges for women in research
41% of the world’s researchers are female, but women are underrepresented as authors of papers and patents
Webinar
LGBTQ+ in Stem: Using data to foster inclusion – Part 2
Learn about factors affecting attrition and retention of LGBTQ+ scientists
Careers
The early-career engineer showcasing women in the chemical industry
Jordan Riddle explains how embracing change and extra curricular activities has benefited her work in chemical production
News
Venezuela’s contested presidential election brings both chaos and hope
The country’s scientific enterprise is at a crisis point, but many believe a González presidency would bring the dawn of a new era for Venezuelan research
Opinion
Working in the chemical industries, plural
Despite often being presented as a monolith, there’s a huge variety of activities, working practices and reaction scales across industrial research
Careers
Long hours are a short-term solution for skills shortages
Instead, we need to invest in making careers more attractive
Opinion
A holistic approach to success
Three activities that helped me to thrive in academia and beyond
News
Global ‘census’ of chemistry on YouTube finds thriving ecosystem of indie producers
Chemistry channels are primarily made up of independents with no affiliation with an institution or organisation but a passion to talk science
Opinion
The science education programme partnering with people in prison
Think Like a Scientist focuses on empowering students
News
Chemistry body to create multi-language chemistry dictionary to avoid confusion
Dictionary will cover terms such as ‘electrolyte’ and ‘non-metal’
Careers
The chroniclers of science
Communication officers dedicate their careers to telling impactful stories
Careers
How to get experience for science communication officer roles
Five tips to build your skills and see if it’s a career for you
Opinion
What science communication can learn from a summer of sport
Alice Motion suggests ways scientists can take inspiration from how events like the Olympics engage with viewers
News
Physical chemistry textbook now free to download as a ‘gift’ to the community
Peter Atkins gives away Concepts in Physical Chemistry in collaboration with the Royal Society of Chemistry