Stanford scientists create gold nanoparticles in water
The discovery that water microdroplets can replace potentially toxic agents in the creation of gold nanoparticles and nanowires could help usher in a new...
How to bend and stretch a diamond
The brittle material can turn flexible when made into ultrafine needles, researchers find
Diamond is well-known as the strongest of all natural materials, and with...
Household cleaners are almost as dirty as cars
Chemical products that contain compounds refined from petroleum, like household cleaners, pesticides, paints and perfumes, now rival motor vehicle emissions as the top source...
Meteorite diamonds tell of a lost planet
EPFL scientists have examined a slice from a meteorite that contains large diamonds formed at high pressure.
The study shows that the parent body...
What is flame jetting
We know fuels like gasoline and alcohol can burn.
But sometimes, when the conditions are just right, a hand-held container of fuel being poured near...
How to make space molecules
Complex carbon-based molecules found in meteorites have long been a conundrum for Earth-bound chemists.
How could these molecules – a rich zoo of chemical compounds...
Is it time to abandon the Nobel Prize?
In a commentary piece published in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, researchers Clare Fiala and Eleftherios P. Diamandis spawned a debate now further nourished...
The perfect shot of espresso every time with chemistry
The average American drinks more than three cups of coffee a day, contributing to a $40 billion industry in the U.S. alone, according to...
How do we know the age of the Earth?
The Earth is 4.565 billion years old, give or take a few million years. How do scientists know that?
Since there’s no “established in” plaque...
The chemistry of redheads
St. Patrick's Day evokes thoughts of all things often associated with the Irish -- including red hair.
Chemically speaking, what sets redheads apart from the...