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C&EN: Lanthanide orbitals spring a reaction surprise

Posted on April 23, 2025 by Mark Peplow

Not known for their outgoing nature, 4f orbitals have been caught steering a reaction for the first time.

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  • Highlights

    • Nature: AI is dreaming up millions of new materials. Are they any good?

      03 October 2025

      Critics slammed attempts by Google, Microsoft and Meta to speed up materials discovery. But behind the hype, there is progress.

    • Nature: How should ‘mirror life’ research be restricted? Debate heats up

      16 September 2025

      Some researchers are calling for strict limits, while others speak out against prematurely halting basic science.

    • C&EN: Metal complexes rip open benzene

      17 July 2025

      Scandium and chromium compounds team up to convert iconic molecule into linear product at room temperature.

    • C&EN: Crystals defy their symmetry to discern chiral light

      24 June 2025

      Centrosymmetric crystals have always absorbed equal amounts of left- and right-handed circularly polarized light—until now.

    • C&EN: Magnetic stirrers linked to issues with reproducing chemistry results

      17 June 2025

      From the lab that found impurities on your stir bar—your flask’s placement on a stirrer plate can mess with your reaction too.

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