chemistry
More than a century ago, Halifax suffered an accidental blast one-fifth the size of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Origin of life studies have always focused on a set of strict environments that could give rise to life. Ante-life opens new possibilities.
There may be more energy in methane hydrates than in all the world’s oil, coal, and gas combined. It could be the perfect “bridge fuel” to a clean energy future.
At the turn of the millennium, a physicist fooled the global scientific community with the greatest discovery that never existed.
“Groupthink” gets a bad rap. In reality, we need groups to focus our thinking and to build on the ideas of others.
You are an energy field — but not the “chakras” or “auras” kind.
In the beginning, genes weren’t needed.
Beer’s flavor begins to change as soon as it is packaged. Are cans or bottles better at preserving flavor?
Civil engineer Martin Lebek has a brilliant plan to redress the world’s phosphorus imbalance.
Simple physics makes hauling vast ice chunks thousands of miles fiendishly difficult — but not impossible.
Far from practicing witchcraft, the experimentation of medieval alchemists helped bring about the Scientific Revolution.
These were the stories you clicked on the most.
Dead whales inspire a way to find extraterrestrial life on Mars.
Bend it. Stretch it. Use it to conduct electricity.
Caffeine does something, but it’s not clear exactly what.
We cannot afford to dream about living on other worlds while we continue to destroy ours.
Bathybius haeckelii was briefly thought to be the link between inorganic matter and organic life.
There are at least 15 different types of solid water (ice). Now, scientists believe that there might be a second type of liquid water.
Organic molecules can be produced by living or non-living systems. But the recent findings are very intriguing.
One of the winners. Dr. K. Barry Sharpless, is now the fifth person in history to win two Nobels.
Based on product labeling claims, scientists hypothesized that green cleaners were less toxic. They were wrong.
It could one day fuel nuclear fusion reactors.
Venus Life Finder could launch as early as 2023.
The new material may make marine uranium extraction economically feasible.
Oxygen isn’t strictly necessary for combustion, but it is ideal. Any advanced (alien) civilization probably uses oxygen to burn things.
The synthetic cartilage was made from cellulose fibers — the stuff found in wood — mixed with a goo called polyvinyl alcohol.
Scientists turn to nature to improve a ubiquitous building material.
When scientists tested this hydrogel on mice, they had cleaner teeth than most humans.
Rare and costly paints have shaped art history in unforeseen ways. Mummy brown caused one artist to bury his paint.