Chemistry World Blog

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1 March 2010: Have something to say about an article you’ve read on Chemistry World this week? Leave your comments below…

This week’s stories:

Solvated electron mystery solved
Researchers directly measure binding energy of electrons in aqueous solution, finding that those in bulk solution behave differently to those on the surface

The Commercial Chemist
Chemistry World gets down to business with our weekly round-up of money and molecule

EC approves first GM crop in a decade
European Commission authorises cultivation of genetically modified potato Amflora, the first new GM crop approved in 12 years

Polarised light sends fibres in a new direction
Japanese scientists have developed a photochromic molecular fibre that can be bent in different directions using polarised light

Twin-action nanosensor
A polymer nanosensor developed by Chinese scientists responds to both metal ions and temperature

Accumulation of acid in atmosphere explained
Better particle detectors have helped explain why sulfuric acid is so prevalent in the Earth’s atmosphere

Silver sputtered nano chips mimic brain synapse
New approach to embedding silver in silicon-based memristors set to help researchers imitate animal brains

Interview: Monitoring the environment
Omowunmi Sadik talks to Keith Farrington about chemical sensors and nanotechnology in the environment

Hydrocarbon turns superconductor
Picene doped with an alkali-metal exhibits superconducting behaviour at 18 Kelvin

UK must avoid ‘neglected decline’ in research
Report from top science council calls for science spending to be prioritised for UK research base to remain globally competitive

New high tech nuclear lab for EU
Europe gets new lab to significantly boost region’s ability to identify and characterise minute traces of nuclear material

News in brief
Short items, March 2010

Clever cages for anti-cancer enzymes
Semi-porous hollow nanospheres could revolutionise the delivery of anti-leukaemia drugs in the body claim scientists in China

Microwells for detecting smells
A microfluidic-based platform that screens odorant responses in thousands of cells at once has been developed by US scientists

US launches new regulatory science programme
Agencies partner to create new programme to ensure better integration between cutting edge science and regulatory processes

Bacterial mix sweetens biodrug synthesis
Putting modified bacterial genes into E. coli enables uniform glycoprotein production