Did life orginiate from a comet's impact? Latest MD simulations reveal an impact synthesis mechanism for important prebiotic heterocycles
An in-depth look at a selected research article and its significance.

Life on the Rocks

Replacing a DEAD, Middle-aged Reagent
Replacing DEAD with recyclable reagents in the Mitsunobu reaction may lead to it being used for larger-scale industrial processes

Let Those Without Syn Cast the First Post
If you are publishing the recipe for your synthesis, then you had better be precise. Why? Because the bloggers are watching!

Easing the Pressure on Gas Storage
Metal-organic framework that can hold almost as much methane as a pressurized gas cylinder holds promise for methane-powered vehicles

Twenty Years On, Still Just Saying NO
Nitrogen(II) oxide plays a key role in vasodilation, sexual arousal, and cardiac activity, but how much do we really know about NO concentrations?

Feel Your Molecule’s Reactions
Haptic quantum chemistry makes interaction and reaction of molecules touchable and could revolutionize quantum calculations

The Subtleties of Supping Red Wine
What is it about wine that gives a particular bottle its unique aroma or bouqet; analytical methods reveal new insights

Improved Performance for Solar Cells
Highly efficient p-type dye-sensitized solar cell with cobalt-based electrolyte

Slave to the Rhythm
A new model suggests how melanopsin, a non-visual pigment in the eye, responds to blue light and controls our body clock

Butterfly Effects in Nano Solutions
What almost sounds like a weird solution memory effect, homeopathy almost, is important for reproducibility of experiments and controlling parameters