Highlights
C&EN: Silicon insertion methods join skeletal-editing toolbox
06 May 2026Two teams take different approaches to squeeze silicon atoms into molecular scaffolds.
ACS Central Science: Pharm to Table Podcast Duo Bridges the Academia–Industry Divide
29 April 2026The Merck colleagues and cohosts advocate closer collaboration between academic and industry chemists.
New Scientist: We need more radioactive drugs. Can we make them from nuclear waste?
22 April 2026The rise of a new generation of radiotherapies means we will soon need much greater quantities of radioactive atoms. That’s why companies are scrambling to refine them from all manner of radioactive waste.
Science: Whistleblower alleges Finnish startup’s vaunted solid-state battery isn’t what it claims
22 April 2026Donut Lab’s assertions of lightning-fast charging and high energy storage have led to a criminal complaint.
Nature: Fresh claim of making elusive ‘hexagonal’ diamond is the strongest yet
04 March 2026After decades of debate, researchers say that they have found the clearest evidence yet for this rare form of carbon.
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Category Archives: Highlights
Nature: UK graphene inquiry reveals commercial struggles
Concerns about the University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute reflect a broader decline in industrial research and development.
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Chemistry World: Shadow of Chernobyl
Taking the long view on the cost of nuclear power.
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The BMJ: The 100 000 Genomes Project
Part research project, part commercial stimulus, this enormous sequencing programme could usher genomic medicine into mainstream use.
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Chemistry World: Family friendly science
The perception that young scientists need to sacrifice family life for a career in research must change.
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Chemical & Engineering News: Stale beer? There’s an app for that
Brewers could use a smartphone to read a simple colorimetric test for beer freshness.
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Spectrum: My Subterranean Tour of London’s Crossrail
It’s a damp, freezing cold day in January, and I’m at the bottom of a massive hole in the ground …
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Spectrum: The Digital Underground
London’s Crossrail Is a $21 Billion Test of Virtual Modeling.
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Nature: Liquid metal ‘balloons’ offer room-temperature soldering
Invention could help the microelectronics industry to connect circuit-board components without risking heat damage.
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Chemical & Engineering News: Tiny enzyme tweak expands substrate palette
Changing just two amino acids transforms a picky aldolase into a cosmopolitan catalyst.
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Nature: Synthetic malaria drug meets market resistance
First commercial deployment of synthetic biology for medicine has modest impact.
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