Chemistry

  1. Chemistry

    Self-cleaning clothes

    A few hours of sunshine cleans specially treated cotton fabrics.

    By Stephen Ornes
  2. Chemistry

    DEET confuses mosquitoes

    Scientists suspect the repellant messes with a mosquito’s sense of smell.

    By Stephen Ornes
  3. Tech

    A greener way to keep flames away

    Scientists use safer materials to create a new flame retardant.

    By Stephen Ornes
  4. Chemistry

    Plant-powered plastics

    Scientists are using green materials to create more Earth-friendly plastics.

    By Sharon Oosthoek
  5. Chemistry

    Superslim silicene

    Lab-made sheets of silicon are only one atom thick.

    By Stephen Ornes
  6. Oceans

    Sea changes

    Carbon dioxide is making the oceans more acidic.

    By Stephen Ornes
  7. Chemistry

    Like poison for phosphorus

    Scientists report finding bacterium that can live off arsenic.

    By Stephen Ornes
  8. Physics

    Explainer: What is a laser?

    Lasers are the brightest source of light on Earth and produce the purest form of color possible.

    By Amanda Leigh Mascarelli
  9. Chemistry

    Prizes award big ideas about small things

    Carbon and IVF win big in this year’s Nobel prizes.

    By Stephen Ornes
  10. Chemistry

    These gems make their own way

    Gemstones made in the lab could improve your cell phone or catch nasty bacteria in your water.

    By Roberta Kwok
  11. Chemistry

    Bandages that could bite back

    A new material would make bacteria's attack the path to their demise.

    By Stephen Ornes
  12. Chemistry

    The memory of a material

    A popular polymer can remember what shape it was in.

    By Stephen Ornes