News Feature Channel: Chemistry

Scientists Use the Great Oxidation Event and How Organisms Adapted to It to Map Bacterial Evolution

University of Bristol — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:00:00 EST

Microbial organisms - particularly Bacteria - dominate life on Earth, yet tracing their early history and how they have developed over time has long eluded scientists because they rarely fossilize.

Study Tracks Chromium Chemistry in Irradiated Molten Salts

Brookhaven National Laboratory — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 10:20:21 EST

Chemists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory report that radiation-induced chemical reactions may help mitigate the corrosion of metals in a new type of nuclear reactor cooled by molten salts.

Researchers Demonstrate Quantum Computing's Abilities in Chemistry

Cleveland Clinic — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 21:30:40 EST

Kenneth Merz, PhD, of Cleveland Clinic's Center for Computational Life Sciences, and a research team are testing quantum computing's abilities in chemistry through integrating machine learning and quantum circuits. Chemistry is one of the areas where quantum computing shows the most potential because of the technology's ability to predict an unlimited number of possible outcomes. To determine quantum computing's ability to perform complex chemical calculations, Dr. Merz and Hongni Jin, PhD, decided to test its ability to simulate proton affinity, a fundamental chemical process that is critical to life. Dr. Merz and Dr. Jin focused on using machine learning applications on quantum hardware. This is a critical advantage over other quantum research which relies on simulators to mimic a quantum computer's abilities. In this study, published in the Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation, the team was able to demonstrate the capabilities of quantum machine learning by creating a

AAAS Elects Five ORNL Scientists as Fellows

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:15:52 EST

Five scientists from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory -- Ho Nyung Lee, David Graham, Andrew Sutton, Roger Rousseau and Troy Carter -- have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS.

King Charles III Coronation Medal awarded to UdeM members

Universite de Montreal — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:35:54 EST

Recognizing their outstanding contribution to Canada or on the international stage, the medal commemorates the crowning of the former Prince of Wales in 2022.

PNNL Scientist Elected AAAS Fellow

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 20:00:43 EST

Chemist Zheming Wang is the newest AAAS Fellow, joining the ranks of astronaut Mae Jemison, and Steven Chu, 1997 Nobel laureate in physics who served as the 12th U.S. Secretary of Energy.

In an Advance for Promethium Production, Researchers Get a New View of the Element's Properties

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 19:25:08 EST

Promethium's short half-life and lack of stable isotopes makes it difficult to study. In addition, promethium is difficult to separate from other lanthanide elements because of these elements' similarity. In this study, scientists created a pure sample of the isotope promethium-147 and used X-ray absorption spectroscopy to examine the way it chemically bonds.

Brain Channels 'Stopped in Time' Reveal Chemical Flow That Enables Learning and Thinking

Johns Hopkins Medicine — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 18:45:38 EST

A study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers could advance the development of new drugs that block or open such signaling channels to treat conditions as varied as epilepsy and some intellectual disorders.

ESF Working to Transform Waste Biomass into Eco-Friendly, Economically Viable Plastics

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 09:50:14 EST

Two professors at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) are leading an international initiative to develop sustainable bioproducts from waste biomass. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is supporting these efforts with a $5 million grant to the Global Center for Sustainable Bioproducts (GCSB), an international research hub dedicated to developing sustainable bio-based solutions for environmental and economic challenges.

SUNY ESF Research Explores Environmental Impact of Tellurium

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 09:35:43 EST

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry's Dr. Jennifer Goff has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation Directorate for Geosciences to support research into the environmental impact of tellurium, a metalloid increasingly used in manufacturing.

New Approach Makes One Type of Clean Fuel Production 66% More Efficient

Ohio State University — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 09:20:01 EST

Researchers have uncovered a more efficient way to turn carbon dioxide into methanol, a type of alcohol that can serve as a cleaner alternative fuel.

Two Argonne scientists elected American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows

Argonne National Laboratory — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 17:55:29 EST

Two Argonne scientists, Karen Mulfort and Di-Jia Liu, have been elected as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for achievements in their field.

Synthetic Fuels and More Thanks to Machine Learning

Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 05:20:56 EST

Turning carbon dioxide into valuable substances: That is the goal of Empa researcher Carlota Bozal-Ginesta. In her research project, she wants to combine machine learning and high-throughput experiments to develop better electrodes for CO2 electrolysis. For this, she has now been awarded the two-year Empa Young Scientist Fellowship.

New Green Chemistry Extracts Valuable Compounds From Plant Waste

University of Adelaide — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 21:35:12 EST

Around 98 per cent of lignin created as a forestry by-product from plants is discarded, but a new enzyme could be the key to extracting high-value molecules from this waste using a green chemistry approach.

Chula Ranked #1 in Thailand Across 34 Subjects in QS University Rankings by Subject 2025

Chulalongkorn University — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:55:46 EST

Chulalongkorn University has been recognized as the leading university in Thailand across 34 subjects in the QS University Rankings by Subject 2025, announced on March 12, 2025.

New method for bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane ketones synthesis

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 06:15:25 EST

We present a one-step, visible light-induced synthesis of bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane-ketone, a bioisostere for benzoyl groups that enhances drug properties. This method operates under mild conditions, tolerates oxidation-sensitive substituents, and achieves moderate to high yields. Mechanistic studies indicate the necessity of stoichiometric tBuOOH despite the reaction's redox-neutral nature. This approach offers a streamlined strategy for incorporating bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane-ketone into pharmaceuticals, potentially improving their efficacy and compatibility.

Making Sturdy, Semi-Transparent Wood with Cheap, Natural Materials

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 05:00:00 EST

Can you imagine a smartphone with a wooden touchscreen, or a house with wooden windows? Transparent wood could make it possible. Researchers have created this plastic alternative using almost entirely natural materials. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2025.

El pigmento azul mejora el tono de las bases de maquillaje para pieles oscuras

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 05:00:00 EST

Las bases de maquillaje mas oscuras suelen fallar de plano, ya que dan un aspecto grisaceo al aplicarlas sobre la piel. Pero ahora, los investigadores informan de un aditivo de color azul para cosmeticos que proporciona a las bases mas oscuras la calidez e intensidad de las que carecen las formulas actuales. Presentaran sus resultados en el encuentro de primavera de 2025 de la ACS.

Una bateria nuclear segura que podria durar toda la vida

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 05:00:00 EST

Los investigadores estan considerando el radiocarbono como fuente para baterias nucleares seguras, pequenas y asequibles que podrian durar decadas, o incluso mas, sin necesidad de recarga. Presentaran sus resultados en el encuentro de primavera de 2025 de la ACS.

A Safe Nuclear Battery That Could Last a Lifetime

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 05:00:00 EST

Researchers are considering radiocarbon as a source for safe, small and affordable nuclear batteries that could last decades or longer without charging. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2025.