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Business
Australia sues 3M over firefighting foam PFAS contamination
Government claims 3M withheld and misrepresented information about environmental risks
Feature
Wool’s complex chemistry unlocks sustainable applications beyond textiles
Once the cornerstone of industrial wealth, wool has struggled against synthetic fibres for decades. Now, its versatile protein structure, featuring keratin helices and sulfur-rich crosslinks, is inspiring innovative applications beyond traditional textiles.
Feature
How depolymerisation could enable infinite reuse of plastics
Nina Notman discovers how a type of chemical recycling – depolymerisation – could increase recycling rates, reduce plastic waste and enable a more circular economy
Research
Vanadium’s promise in medicine and the researchers who refuse to give up
It mimics phosphate, kills cancer cells in the lab and almost changed how we treat diabetes. So why has a vanadium compound never made it to the clinic?
Careers
How chemists are making laboratories more sustainable
A collection of articles sharing tips from researchers who reduced their environmental impact with support from the RSC’s Sustainable Laboratories grants
Small experimental choices undermine flow battery comparisons
Multi‑lab study highlights the need for standardisation in redox flow cell tests
25 years ago click chemistry changed science. What happened next?
Barry Sharpless and his team first introduced the concept of ‘clicking’ molecules together 25 years ago
Climate change driving extreme acidification of North American streams that threatens life in them
London’s tap water contains PFAS, but at surprisingly low levels
Three-in-one sensor detects multiple chemical warfare agents
Lab glove deposits drive false microplastic signatures in atmospheric pollution samples
Study points to ammonia contamination in water microdroplets saga
Structure-led search tool set to refine how scientists explore metabolomics data
Elusive electronic effect could explain the origins of chirality for all life on Earth
Australia sues 3M over firefighting foam PFAS contamination
Government claims 3M withheld and misrepresented information about environmental risks
AkzoNobel rejected attempts to cut in on Axalta merger
€13 billion counter-offer by Nippon Paints and Sherwin-Williams ‘undervalues’ the company
11 presumed dead in US paper mill implosion
UK government promises £350 million support for the chemicals sector
US officially moves to dismantle drinking water PFAS regulations
Detecting airborne pathogens by DNA sequencing
Africa should treat entrepreneurial science as a lifeline, not a luxury
British Steel’s nationalisation plan contrasts against chemical industry decline
US FDA commissioner Makary resigns amid chaos and questions
Lessons from a community effort to fix flow battery testing
First-hand account of an international collaboration to make flow battery testing more reliable and reproducible
Ben Zhong Tang: ‘If you have to do something, try to do it well’
The polymer chemist on finding love for a subject, working with others and staying optimistic
Click chemistry, 25 years on
A quarter of a century since first introducing the concpet of ‘click’, one of its originators explains how it became a transformational tool for scientists
Africa should treat entrepreneurial science as a lifeline, not a luxury
Synchronised action from universities, policymakers and scientists is needed to bridge the gap from ideas to impact
British Steel’s nationalisation plan contrasts against chemical industry decline
UK steel production has been declining for decades thanks to high costs and cheap imports
A museum mould mystery
Even best practices aren’t always enough to protect heritage sites
The current academic system doesn’t incentivise risk-taking
But playing it safe can have negative consequences for a field
Implementing ideas in industry
An initial thought can take on a life of its own as different stakeholders contribute their expertise
Pushing the limits of capacity: the future of battery performance and design
Learn about the most promising up-and-coming technologies in battery design
Discovering the elements: no simple stories
Join us on 10 June to discover the true nature of scientific discovery
How and why soap works: the science behind the suds
Discover the chemistry behind our favourite household cleaner – join us on 25 June
Driving the future of compliance: digital reference materials transforming regulated analytical testing
Explore how digital tools and frameworks are transforming regulated analytical testing, compliance and industry-wide adoption
Quantum computing & a mysterious microplastic contaminant
How close are we to using quantum computers in our own labs? Plus, an unexpected source of contamination affecting microplastics research results.
Battery week 2026: The EV cathode race & battery-recycling photocatalysts
Who will win the EV cathode race, manganese cobalt or iron phosphate? Plus, how a new photocatalyst could change the way we recycle batteries.
Vanadium-based medicines & sustainable labs
Vanadium-based medicines? We discuss the 23rd element’s little-known potential in pharmaceuticals. Plus, how labs across the UK are making achievable changes to increase their sustainability.
Inert materials & the Mary Celeste
In this episode, we discuss how to ensure experimental instruments are truly inert, chemistry’s answer to the fate of the Mary Celeste, and hear the latest headlines.
Opinion
Ben Zhong Tang: ‘If you have to do something, try to do it well’
The polymer chemist on finding love for a subject, working with others and staying optimistic
Careers
A career journey where nothing is lost and everything is transformed
What Lavoisier can teach you about career development
Business
Detecting airborne pathogens by DNA sequencing
UK spin-out Agnos Biosciences turned a ‘wacky idea’ into a sensor with applications from agriculture to hospitals
Opinion
Africa should treat entrepreneurial science as a lifeline, not a luxury
Synchronised action from universities, policymakers and scientists is needed to bridge the gap from ideas to impact
Sponsored
The scientists who will power our future
Calling in the next generation of scientists from all backgrounds to address the energy crisis and build the next generation of batteries.
Advantages of monodisperse PEG in drug development
Precision matters: why monodisperse PEG is transforming drug development.
Karl Fischer titration for moisture analysis: applications in batteries, fuels and food
Accurate moisture analysis has consequences that extend well beyond the laboratory. Karl Fischer titration is what keeps them in check. The question is whether the reagent is up to the task.
Why data visualisation is so important in the age of AI
Machines don’t need to draw charts and plots to work with data, but humans will still need datavis skills to work with machines.
Pittcon 2026 heads to San Antonio for analytical chemistry showcase
The world’s largest laboratory science conference returns to San Antonio in March 2026, featuring Nobel laureate Frances Arnold as keynote speaker and showcasing cutting-edge analytical instrumentation across five days of technical sessions and networking events.
Biphenyl: 20 years of Restek innovation
How Restek’s Biphenyl column changed chromatography
Explainer: the Welch Award in Chemistry
Many people have never heard about one of the biggest awards in chemistry. Chemistry World sets the record straight.
Optimising method transfer in regulated environments
Learn how to minimise risk and promote data quality with data-driven approaches and digital tools
Ben Zhong Tang: ‘If you have to do something, try to do it well’
The polymer chemist on finding love for a subject, working with others and staying optimistic
Supporting pregnant chemists
Risk assessments and flexible working policies all provide valuable support – but how proactively this is offered varies greatly
University of Sheffield planning to cut jobs in chemistry and materials science
Around 20% of the chemistry and materials science faculty could lose their jobs as university address financial challenges
A career journey where nothing is lost and everything is transformed
What Lavoisier can teach you about career development
Nottingham’s chemistry department faces loss of 30% of faculty amid university-wide staff cuts
Africa should treat entrepreneurial science as a lifeline, not a luxury
The current academic system doesn’t incentivise risk-taking
Implementing ideas in industry
Supervisors can make or break wellbeing of early-career researchers, survey finds
Vanadium-based medicines & sustainable labs