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.
TESTIMONIALS
“As an editor and reporter, Mark Peplow is fast, accurate, and versatile. He covers science policy and pure research with equal passion, and his writing combines a scientist’s precision with a journalist’s verve.” Tim Appenzeller
Former Chief Magazine Editor at Nature, now News Editor at Science
"Mark guided me through some of the most challenging stories I've written. These are pieces I might not have attempted were it not for his steady editorial hand." Linda Nordling
Freelance Journalist, South Africa
“Working with Mark is never anything other than a pleasure. He is the kind of editor that writers hope for: able to identify what needs fixing and what doesn’t, bringing to bear a wealth of knowledge, always clear, prompt and easy to talk with. Much of that comes from being a splendid writer himself.”
Philip Ball
Freelance Science Writer
Category Archives: Highlights
Beijing smog contains witches’ brew of microbes
Metagenomic survey reveals traces of pathogens and allergens in the city’s air.
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Virtually excellent
Assembling a dream team of international researchers could offer a useful snapshot of the UK’s strength in chemical engineering.
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Cheap battery stores energy for a rainy day
Quinone could make flow-battery technology competitive with current storage methods.
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The morning after the night before
Replacing alcohol with a more benign drug sounds like a great idea, but it faces insurmountable hurdles.
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HENRY SNAITH: Sun worshipper
An energetic physicist pushes a promising solar-cell material into the spotlight. (part of ‘Nature’s 10: The people who mattered this year’)
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Spare Parts
Can 3D printing solve the organ donor shortage?
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A century of isotopes
Once appalled by the military use of his discoveries, Frederick Soddy would pleased by his legacy today, says Mark Peplow.
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Graphene: The quest for supercarbon
Graphene’s dazzling properties promise a technological revolution, but Europe may have to spend a billion euros to overcome some fundamental problems.
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No firm proof Arafat was poisoned
Investigation claims evidence of polonium poisoning in death of Palestinian leader but draws no certain conclusions.
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The judgement of your peers
A bit of hindsight goes a long way in measuring scientific quality, says Mark Peplow.
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