Chemistry

One Step Closer to Turning Plastics Into Fuel

Researchers in California and China have discovered a new method for breaking polyethylene into liquid fuel and solid wax

A scientist looks at mirror segments for the NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. The mirrors underwent cryogenic testing—made possible by scarce helium gas—to see how they would respond to extreme temperatures. Now, scientists have found a huge cache of helium gas that could make the element more accessible to scientists.

Scientists Found a Huge Reservoir of Much-Needed Helium

Helium is used in everything from particle accelerators to MRI machines, and a dearth of the gas has long plagued researchers

Perhaps it's best that this comet is billions of miles away from Earth.

This Perfume Smells Like a Comet

Yum?

The longer a structure has been exposed to the water, the more weathered it appeared.

This "Lost Underwater City" Was Actually Made by Microbes

Though these formations may not be evidence of a lost city, they show off some intriguing chemistry

Fake Blood and All, the Next-Gen Veggie Burger Is Set to Debut at Whole Foods

With creations of pea proteins and beet pulp, Beyond Meat hopes to mimic beef as closely as possible

A glass of real bubbly.

Can Wine Made Without Grapes Match the Real Thing?

A San Francisco start-up is trying to create synthetic wine—just by mixing together the right ingredients

A 2.7-billion-year-old micrometeorite extracted from limestone found in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Ancient Spacedust Reveals Surprising Twist in Evolution of Earth’s Early Atmosphere

Mini fossil meteorites are providing new insights about how our ancient atmosphere evolved into its current state

New Polymer Successfully Smooths Wrinkles

This "second skin" tightens wrinkles and could be used to cover wounds as well as deliver medications

Pangolin

These Eerie Portraits Capture Endangered and Extinct Animals in a Film That Is Also Vanishing

Denis Defibaugh uses Polaroid 55 film to give animal specimens an afterlife

Mya Le Thai holds her invention.

Did Scientists Stumble on a Battery that Lasts Forever?

Researchers studying nanowires have found a battery material that can be recharged for years, even decades

A whiff of formaldehyde makes Damien Hirst's art even more controversial.

Damien Hirst's Artworks May Leak Formaldehyde Gas

Where does art end and hazard begin?

A recipe for an ingredient to make a Philosopher's Stone handwritten by Isaac Newton.

Isaac Newton Used This Recipe in His Hunt to Make a Philosopher’s Stone

The recently publicized document was kept in a private collection for many years

A spectrometer can determine the nutritional value and caloric content of single piece of fruit.

You May Soon Be Able to Scan a Piece of Fruit to Check Its Nutritional Value

That's one of the ideas Target is testing as it explores how much of a competitive edge it gets from being transparent about food

You can thank William Perkin for that garish dress your best friend will make you wear at her wedding.

How Malaria Gave Us Mauve

Tropical diseases and coal tar have a lot to do with brightly-colored clothing

Steamboat Willie, aka Mickey Mouse, one of the Disney animation cells protected from pollutants by a new artificial "nose"

A High-Tech "Nose" Will Protect Mickey Mouse and Simba During Their Visit to China

A new sensor detects tiny amounts of pollutants that can ruin artwork

William Heirens, aka The Lipstick Killer wrote this plea in lipstick on one of his victim's bedroom walls in 1946. It reads: For heavens sake catch me before I kill more/ I cannot control myself

CSI Sephora: New Technique Helps Identifiy Lipstick Brands From Crime Scenes

Researchers refine the way forensic technicians collect and analyze lipstick evidence

A bowl brimming with Burgundy truffles ready for analysis.

Good News, Foodies: Truffles Are Not Stuffed With Chernobyl Radiation

Unlike some mushrooms in Europe, truffles do not seem to be accumulating radiation leftover from the infamous nuclear disaster

How many more seats are left at the table?

When Will We Reach the End of the Periodic Table?

Even with new elements in hand, scientists are struggling to predict the future of the iconic chemical roadmap

Superheavy elements round out the seventh row of the periodic table. (Editor's Note, November 23, 2021: Image updated to reflect most accurate and up-to-date version of the periodic table.)

Four New Elements Are Added to the Periodic Table

Superheavy elements round out the seventh row of the periodic table

This New App Wants to Help You With Your Homework

With GotIt!, high school students take a photo of a tricky math or science problem and get live tutoring by text from the highest bidder

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