December 2005
Vol 2, no.12
News and analysis

IBM and Manchester launch partnership
08 November 2005
The University of Manchester and IBM have struck a deal to promote joint research between the two organisations.
Fire destroys optoelectronics research centre
31 October 2005
Fire has destroyed Europe's major optoelectronics interdisciplinary research centre at Southampton University, UK.
EU to advance strategy on climate change
04 November 2005
The European Union is aiming for a 25 per cent reduction in EU emissions of three greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto protocol.

Research spotlight falls on neglected disease
26 October 2005
The University of Dundee, UK is to tackle the issue of neglected tropical diseases with a £13 million five-year project.
Lisbon vision in jeopardy
14 October 2005
Europe has a 'daunting mountain' to climb if it is to deliver the Lisbon agenda, says UK trade and industry minister, Alun Michael.

Buckyball creator dies
31 October 2005
Richard Smalley, who shared the 1996 Nobel prize for the discovery of buckminsterfullerene, or buckyballs, has died aged 62 after a long battle with cancer.

Sustainability leads to profitability, industry told
01 November 2005
The UK chemical industry has received a barrage of warnings about sustainability from leading members of its community.
Disagreement over support for open access publishing
09 November 2005
Open access publisher BioMed Central has rejected suggestions by UK science minister Lord Sainsbury that open access is losing support.
Business roundup
Industry news
News briefs
Short items
Funding briefs
Short items
Chemical Science

Nanopipette paints DNA picture
25 October 2005
DNA ink has been used to paint molecular pictures, thanks to a nanopipette developed by researchers in the UK.
Axing artefacts for accurate atomic force microscopy
24 October 2005
Carbon nanotubes could soon replace silicon as the material of choice for the probe tips used in atomic force microscopy.
Drugs on tap as the nights draw in
14 October 2005
The concentrations of pharmaceuticals turning up in sewage plants and drinking water increase as the weather gets colder, report researchers in Finland.
-67_tcm18-40636.jpg)
Protein popsicle holds clues to insect antifreeze
21 October 2005
Researchers in Canada have discovered a surprising antifreeze protein used by insects living at sub-zero temperatures.

Electrochemical information storage
02 November 2005
An electrochemically activated write-read-erase system, gated by magnetic nanoparticles, adds a new dimension to information storage.
Magnetic particles for hard drives
04 November 2005
UK scientists have made nanosized particles of iron-platinum, which are ordered on the atomic scale. They hope these will find a use in computer hard drives.
Probing for water in protein cavities
25 October 2005
Scientists in Japan and Canada have calculated the likely position of water molecules in a protein, claiming this could lead to better models of drug-protein interactions

Viagra cancels painkiller side effects, but might have side effects of its own
28 October 2005
The impotence drug Viagra could be used to block gastric inflammation caused by drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
Nanoparticles unite
10 November 2005
The self-assembly of metal nanoparticles at fluid interfaces has been successfully demonstrated by German researchers.
New fluorophilic phosphines for use in catalysis
07 November 2005
Advances in the synthesis of ligands for use in rhodium-based catalysts could lead to industrially viable applications.

Did life get a kick out of interstellar nitrogen?
19 October 2005
Organic compounds consisting of hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen are probably widespread throughout interstellar space, according to a team of Nasa scientists.

Applications stretch out for insect elastic
13 October 2005
Scientists in Australia have synthesised a polymer based on the elastic protein resilin used to keep flies flying, fleas jumping and cicadas singing.
Albumin complex engineered for artificial blood
02 November 2005
A modified version of human serum albumin that binds oxygen has been created marking a first step towards a new form of artificial blood.

Nanotubes mimic protein channels
03 November 2005
Water passes through nanotube nicotine patches faster than predicted and offers new drug delivery prospects, say US scientists.

Ionic liquids toxic to fish
31 October 2005
Acute toxicity testing of ionic liquids with zebrafish suggests that some of these compounds pose a risk to the aquatic environment.

Molecular gearbox
04 November 2005
A remarkable molecular gearbox with potential applications in nanoscience and smart materials has been developed.

Wax paintings analysed
07 November 2005
The care and restoration of wax-based paintings could be easier following the arrival of a new gas chromatography method.
Golden promise for green catalyst
20 October 2005
Gold nanoparticles can catalyse specific oxidation reactions using air and no solvents

Biofuel in the kitchen cupboard
10 November 2005
Sugar and vegetable oil are all you need to make biodiesel, say researchers in Japan.
Quantum leap for silicon
27 October 2005
Silicon has been given a new lease of life with news of a silicon-based material that converts electronic data into optical data with unprecedented efficiency.

Studying the nutrients in foods
31 October 2005
Researchers in Thailand have developed a method for estimating the bioavailability of several essential elements at once from a continuous in vitro digestion system.

Electrochromic films advance display technology
07 November 2005
New electrochromic thin films that show promising potential for use in high performance displays have been developed by Chinese researchers.

Phase separation produces porous chips
09 November 2005
A new replication method has been developed for producing thin porous chips.
Designing helical structures
24 November 2005
Scientists from Hong Kong have demonstrated a strategy for tuning the pitch of metal-organic helical polymers by choice of metal ion or counter anion.

Helical polymer solutions
02 November 2005
A polymer that forms helices when dissolved in water could lead to new materials for bio and electronic applications.

Cyclodextrin vesicles receive molecular signals
11 November 2005
Answers to how living cells and bacteria receive molecular signals and deal with the initial steps of viral infection may soon be revealed.
Self-assembling dendrimers - reaching the core
03 November 2005
A new structure has been developed that promises to serve as the core for a novel self-assembling dendrimer.
Controlling electron movement in molecular-scale wires
01 November 2005
Modulating electron flow along a donor-connector-acceptor system by control of the central torsion angle of a bridging group could lead to improved communication systems.

Bridging a complex situation
15 November 2005
New complexes with multi-bridging, multi-coordination mode thione ligands have been discovered.
Features

Putting the nano into nanochemistry
The discovery of a new form of elemental carbon 20 years ago changed thinking in chemistry. Philip Ball investigates whether the buckyball has lived up to the hype and what legacy ...

2005: a year in perspective
As 2005 draws to a close, Bea Perks and Katharine Sanderson highlight the main issues that affected the chemical science community, as reported in Chemistry World

Uncorking wine's characteristics
Chemicals are responsible for the flavour and bouquet of wine. Could understanding the chemistry help you pick the ideal tipple for your Christmas dinner? Katie Gibb investigates

The Sanger success story
Double Nobel prize-winner Fred Sanger recalls his days in the lab, attributing his success to the time he spent at the bench. Emma Davies reports

Explosive science
New and improved explosives detectors are bringing hope to the war against terror and helping the search for unexploded landmines, as Gaetano Mancino reports
Regulars

Editorial: Replacing animal testing
Progress of the EU chemicals policy, Reach, highlights the need for alternative tests
Your views...
The term 'nanotechnology' has been hijacked by physics. Discuss.
The chemist's guide to.
Hangovers
Careers: Taking time out
Sarah Hinsley talks to Karen Harries-Rees about her experiences of teaching in Zambia with VSO
The last retort: No laughing matter
Three events which together constitute the good, the bad and the ugly sides of a medical breakthrough
Flashback
December - 5 years ago; 10 years ago; 80 years ago; 100 years ago; 105 years ago; 200 years ago
Crossword and Su Doku
Prize crossword and Su Doku, December 2005
Chemistry World Letters, December 2005
Chemistry World Reviews, December 2005
