News January 2009

Nanocrystals get in shape for catalysis
30 January 2009
Scientists are learning to control the shape and size of platinum nanoparticles for real world catalytic applications

PFCs linked to infertility
30 January 2009
Study could affect US policy on the perfluorinated chemicals used for non-stick surfaces

White LEDs to plummet in price
30 January 2009
Producing white LEDs on silicon wafers will make them ten times cheaper than current processes.

Toenails reveal arsenic exposure
30 January 2009
UK scientists are using toenail cuttings to detect human exposure to elevated environmental levels of arsenic.

Cracking cryptic clues to the plague
30 January 2009
Scientists seek alternative ways to target bubonic plague by modelling the genetic systems of the bacteria responsible

Graphene to graphane by chemical conversion
29 January 2009
Graphene can be reversibly converted into its electrically insulating alter ego, graphane

EPA's chemical evaluation process 'high-risk'
29 January 2009
Congressional watchdog says US environmental agency needs to overhaul toxic substance controls

Iron helps oceans capture more carbon
28 January 2009
Study muddies the waters over plans to add iron to oceans to combat climate change

Ultra-pure boron structure discovered
28 January 2009
Unusual elemental form helps map boron's uncharted phase changes

Water split with aluminium
28 January 2009
Aluminium cluster surface geometry controls release of hydrogen from water

Plucking proteins from single cells
28 January 2009
£5 million EPSRC initiative delivers a microfluidic tool to mine membrane proteins from cells

Tethered nanocubes seek out analytes
27 January 2009
Giving biosensors the ability to scout around may led to improved disease detection

Smoothing the cracks in epoxy resin
27 January 2009
Researchers in China have developed a self-healing epoxy resin which can be repaired by heating when cracks form

China pushes for higher quality patents
26 January 2009
Chinese researchers urged to apply for international patents

Silicate performs strongly at bone regeneration
26 January 2009
Biomaterials scientists in Taiwan have developed a quick-setting cement that could help broken bones to regenerate

Spray-on stem cells for synthetic tissue?
26 January 2009
Bio-electrospray technique places stem cells with pinpoint precision

Outwitting the doping cheats of the future
23 January 2009
German biochemists have developed a test to beat a potential new doping drug

Solar power kills bacteria in water
23 January 2009
Improved solar water decontamination techniques could reduce the spread of water borne diseases in developing countries

EU sidesteps Reach to ban paint stripping solvent
22 January 2009
Dichloromethane-based paint strippers banned by EU legislation

Electron-conducting polymer for printed electronics
21 January 2009
New polymer semiconductor promises to boost the processing power of printed circuits

Quantum shuttling boost for organic solar cells
21 January 2009
Coherent energy transport in polymers observed at room temperature

Interview: Shining a light on the proteome
20 January 2009
Ben Cravatt on his research into the function of the proteome and success in cloning the cDNA of a hotly pursued enzyme

Synthetic HDL could boost body's 'good cholesterol'
19 January 2009
Nanoparticle-based HDL mimic could complement statins in tackling cholesterol

Interview: Mixing it up
19 January 2009
Steven Soper talks to Freya Mearns about interdisciplinary science and a little bit of luck

Plants reprogrammed to produce potential drugs
18 January 2009
Genetically modified periwinkles could one day function as medicine-making factories

Aspirin-cobalt complex shows anti-tumour promise
16 January 2009
Study underlines potential of adding organometallic fragments to established drugs

Curvaceous crystals
15 January 2009
Elaborately curved crystalline structures can grow from simple solutions of metal carbonates

Synthetic cannabis mimic found in herbal incense
15 January 2009
Health officials rush to ban 'Spice' mixtures

Spotting the flu virus
15 January 2009
US chemists can 'see' if patients have been infected with the flu virus

MRI at the nanoscale
14 January 2009
Virus images show how high-resolution imaging could revolutionise structural biology

Micro-machines get a grip
13 January 2009
Crab-like microscopic grippers move cells in response to biochemical signals

When the dust settles
13 January 2009
UK scientists have devised a simple route to detecting illicit drugs and their metabolites in dusted fingerprints.

Chemists edge closer to recreating early life
09 January 2009
An evolving, self-replicating RNA system adds weight to 'RNA World' theory of life's emergence on earth

Searching for stem cells
09 January 2009
Scientists have linked different technologies to locate stem cell reservoirs in tissue

Nanotubes promise electronic inks
08 January 2009
Masking metallic nanotubes reveals the true potential of their semiconducting neighbours

Breast cancer drug target crystallised
08 January 2009
US team reveals structure of human aromatase enzyme

Bankruptcy loans approved for LyondellBasell
08 January 2009
Debt-stricken petrochemicals giant allowed to borrow over 2 billion dollars after US arm files for bankruptcy

Instant insight: Scratching at the surface of biosensors
08 January 2009
Justin Gooding, Till Böcking and Kris Kilian of the University of New South Wales discuss how surface chemistry lets porous silicon biosensors fulfil their promise

Interview: Chemistry, life and longevity
08 January 2009
Jyoti Chattopadhyaya talks to Marie Cote about chemistry's fundamental role in our lives and the secrets of a successful business

UK chemists force funding compromise
07 January 2009
EPSRC reinstates cap on first grants to spread funds more widely - but adds two year time limit

Signalling the end of bacterial infection?
07 January 2009
UK scientists aim to target harmful bacteria by interrupting their communication

Web chemistry progresses InChI by InChI
06 January 2009
Collaboration provides tools to help chemists tag their own compounds online

Polymers branch into data storage
06 January 2009
Harnessing the power of holography leads to improved information storage

How to strengthen the taste of umami
05 January 2009
Molecular synergy between flavour enhancers may hold lesson for drug designers

Instant insight: Chemical connections
05 January 2009
Building a protein can be likened to a jigsaw puzzle. Stephen Kent puts the pieces together






