Nachrichten aus der Chemie, the membership magazine of the German Chemical Society (GDCh), annually publishes trend reports. For these review articles, the trend report authors from university and industry compile an overview of inspiring work and recent trends in the most important chemical disciplines, biochemistry, chemical education, food chemistry, inorganic chemistry, macromolecular chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and technical and theoretical chemistry.
The trend reports have a long tradition of providing information on the different fields of chemistry. All trend reports published since 2000 are now available for free in the digital collection: “Virtual Issue Trendberichte”. New trend reports will be added.
The authors cite more than 800 international articles per year. Although the reports are written in German, this large list of recent literature may also inspire international readers.
Burkhard König, Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Regensburg, Germany, and member of the Editorial Board of the Nachrichten aus der Chemie, believes that early adopters are important for a trend to emerge. Early adopters take up a subject before the community recognizes the trend, and use the technology before many do. After all, whoever solves a scientific problem first earns the laurels; the second solution comes too late unless it is much better.
He likes about the trend reports that experts summarize important developments from various sub-areas over the past year, independently and without any advertising intention. This is valuable for identifying the scientifically significant topics in the mass of published results.
For Burkhard König, however, the trend reports are also trend-facilitation reports. The germ of a development, the first important result, and the early applications must be recognized, communicated, and seen by others. Otherwise, no trend can emerge.
- “Virtual Issue Trendberichte” of der Nachrichten aus der Chemie (in German)
All trend reports published since 2000 available for free in the digital collection - Wie entsteht eigentlich ein Trend?,
Burkhard König
Nachr. Chem. 2019.
https://doi.org/10.1002/nadc.20194090149
