Chemistry
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ChemistrySimple process destroys toxic and widespread ‘forever’ pollutants
Ultraviolet light, sulfite and iodide break down these PFAS molecules faster and more thoroughly than other methods.
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Materials ScienceLet’s learn about diamond
Diamond is born under extreme heat and pressure inside Earth and elsewhere in the universe.
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ChemistryReusable plastic bottles release hundreds of pollutants into water
Data show the plastic ends up tainting drinking water. For now, scientists don’t know what health risks downing these pollutants might pose.
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ChemistryLet’s learn about cellulose
The world’s most abundant natural polymer is finding all kinds of new uses, in everything from ice cream to construction.
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Health & MedicineLike bloodhounds, worms are sniffing out human cancers
Scents emitted by diseased cells may usher in a new era of safe, low-cost screening tests for cancer and other illnesses.
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ChemistryCellulose may keep ice cream from turning gritty in your freezer
Adding nanocrystals extracted from wood avoids the growth of ice crystals, keeping your treat smooth and creamy.
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EnvironmentPonds made to control floods can spew climate-warming gases, study finds
Younger stormwater ponds can release more carbon in gases than they absorb, a study finds. That could aggravate global warming.
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Materials ScienceNew cloth cools you when you’re hot, warms you when you’re cold
Scientists 3-D printed the new fabric, which has even more tricks up its sleeve — such as conducting electricity and resisting radio waves.
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AnimalsThe scent of queen ‘murder hornets’ can lure males into traps
Traps baited with compounds found in the mating pheromone of hornet queens attracted thousands of males.
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ChemistryScientists Say: Inorganic
Inorganic molecules include salts, minerals and other compounds that lack organics’ carbon-hydrogen bonds.
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EnvironmentWe all unknowingly eat plastic, which may host toxic pollutants
In the environment, plastics attract all types of toxic chemicals. If ingested, new data show, chemicals on those plastic bits may harm the gut.
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Materials ScienceA disinfectant made from sawdust knocks out deadly microbes
It’s made by pressure-cooking sawdust and water, is cheap and easy to make — and could lead to greener cleaning products than chemicals used today.