Mordecai Rubin, one of the founding fathers of the Faculty of Chemistry of the Technion, Israel, has passed away

Mordecai Rubin (1926 – 2012)

A Fragrance That Breaks the Rules
Synthetic analogue of the vetiver oil odorant, used in perfumes like Ralph Lauren's ‘Polo’ and Chanel N°5, has proven the vetiver rule wrong

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

Javier García-Martínez on the Commercialization of Research
How do you form a spin-off company from your research? J. García-Martínez talks about his experiences and how he finds time for his many roles

Wonderlab Comic – Application Season
With stiff competition for Ph.D. positions, mediocre student Jin-Jo is advised by his Wonderlab colleagues to get his application in early

H. Feldmann on the Oldest Domesticated Organism: Yeast
Horst Feldmann, Germany, discusses the past and future of yeast research to explain why this mircoorganism is so important

Guess the Chemist (12)
Can you guess the famous scientist from the description?

Predicted Global Population Growth and Consequences (2)
With the world's popluation predicted to grow to 8.2 billion by 2030, what are the consequences for the economy and chemical industry?

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

A Chemical Examination of the Isenheim Altar: Role Played in History by Horned Rye (2)
What is an ergot-infested grain kernel? Part 2 looks at the life-cycle of the fungus, how it contributed to the Salem witch trials, and a self test