Chemistry

  1. Chemistry

    Scientists Say: Silicon

    The chemical element silicon is used to make everything from bricks to cookware to electronics.

    By
  2. Materials Science

    This glitter gets its color from plants, not a synthetic plastic

    In the new material, tiny arrangements of cellulose reflect light in specific ways to create vibrant hues in an environmentally friendly glitter.

    By
  3. Environment

    A new way to make plastics could keep them from littering the seas

    Borrowing from genetics, scientists are creating plastics that will degrade. They can even choose how quickly these materials break down.

    By
  4. Life

    Scientists Say: Experiment

    An experiment is a set of procedures to learn about the world — and an important part of the scientific process.

    By
  5. Tech

    Scientists find a ‘greener’ way to make jeans blue

    When coated onto jeans, a plant-based polymer reduces water and cuts the amount of toxic chemicals needed.

    By
  6. Chemistry

    Chemistry solves a French royal mystery

    Ink analysis reveals the hidden words of Marie Antoinette's letters and who tried to hide them.

    By
  7. Environment

    Everyday plastics can pollute, leaching thousands of chemicals

    Plastic bags and containers leach potentially toxic chemicals into both food and water, but researchers yet don’t know how they might affect health.

    By
  8. Chemistry

    Scientists Say: Electron

    Electrons are negatively charged particles. They are attracted to the positively charged particles in the center, or nucleus, of an atom.

    By
  9. Chemistry

    Chemists win Nobel Prize for faster, cleaner way of making molecules

    Both scientists independently came up with new process — asymmetric organocatalysis. That name may be a mouthful, but it’s not that hard to understand.

    By
  10. Chemistry

    Explainer: In chemistry, what does it mean to be organic?

    These are molecules formed by combining carbon with other elements, especially hydrogen.

    By
  11. Physics

    Scientists Say: Plasma

    In physics, plasma refers to one of the four states of matter. In medicine, plasma describes the part of blood that ferries cells, nutrients and more throughout the body.

    By
  12. Materials Science

    Scientists Say: Aerosol

    Aerosols are tiny bits of solids or drops of liquids suspended in gas. Aerosols include mist, fog and soot, as well as pollution from fossil fuels.

    By