Construction materials discovered by archaeologists in Pompeii indicate that the Romans utilized ‘hot mixing’ techniques to produce concrete, according to new chemical analyses. The materials and tools were found left behind in rooms that were in the process of being built when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD, obliterating the city. ‘I entered an excavation in […]

Title: Unveiling a New Homologous Series of Barium Compounds A remarkable breakthrough by Mercouri Kanatzidis and his team at Northwestern University reveals a novel homologous series of barium compounds that offers an endless array of interconnected structures with predictable unit cells. This progress has the potential to substantially improve the ability of machine learning models […]

Positrons, typically linked to their destructive annihilation when they meet electrons, have now been shown to possess the potential for forming chemical bonds that improve molecular stability, as per research conducted with quantum Monte Carlo simulations. This investigation, directed by Andrés Reyes at the National University of Colombia, questions the conventional understanding of chemical bonding. […]

Bacteria can be adapted genetically to produce the pigment that grants octopuses their ability to camouflage, achieving yields that are up to a thousand times greater than conventional techniques. There is optimism that this plug-and-play method might also be utilized to speed up the creation of various other beneficial chemicals and materials, facilitating a transition […]

An electron microscopy photograph showcasing the intricate silk of the Australian net-caster spider, Asianopis subrufa, has received the highest accolade in the esteemed Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition. The photograph, captured by arachnologist Martín Ramírez at the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Argentine Museum in Buenos Aires, offers a close-up view of the elaborate structure of […]

The US solicitor general, representing the federal government before the US Supreme Court, has expressed support for Bayer subsidiary Monsanto in its attempts to safeguard against a multitude of lawsuits alleging that its glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup leads to cancer. John Sauer, who has held the position of US solicitor general since April, submitted a brief […]

Crystal structure prediction is increasingly becoming significant in the field of organic materials, as emphasized by Gregory Beran from the University of California Riverside. Beran’s research merges hybrid density functional theory modeling with intramolecular energy correction to forecast intricate crystal structures, including the pharmaceutical compound axitinib. This method also differentiates between salt and co-crystals within […]

Salts composed of ortho-phosphite anions have been produced through the mechanochemical reduction of phosphate compounds. Scientists emphasize the synthetic adaptability of ortho-phosphite, rendering it a viable substitute for the hazardous and combustible white phosphorus, which is presently the primary precursor for numerous phosphorus compounds. Numerous phosphorus oxyanions are known, such as phosphate (PO₄³⁻) and phosphite […]

A Basic Mathematical Framework Enables Targeted Synthesis of Innovative Catenane Designs In a significant advancement for supramolecular chemistry, scientists have utilized a mathematical framework to purposefully synthesize a sophisticated interwoven catenane design, potentially laying the groundwork for developing more elaborate interlocked systems. Catenanes, characterized by their distinct interlocking ring formations, are receiving increasing attention for […]