Chemistry

Chemistry

Squeeze power

Under pressure, plastics produce energy.

Animals

Eyes from ions

Scientists use charged molecules to grow eyes in tadpole guts.

Chemistry

Self-cleaning clothes

A few hours of sunshine cleans specially treated cotton fabrics.

Chemistry

DEET confuses mosquitoes

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

Tech

A greener way to keep flames away

Scientists use safer materials to create a new flame retardant.

Chemistry

Plant-powered plastics

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

Chemistry

Superslim silicene

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

Oceans

Sea changes

Carbon dioxide is making the oceans more acidic.

Chemistry

Like poison for phosphorus

Scientists report finding bacterium that can live off arsenic.

Physics

Explainer: What is a laser?

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

Chemistry

Prizes award big ideas about small things

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

Chemistry

These gems make their own way

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