Chemistry

  1. Chemistry

    Goopy tech leaves older 3-D printing in its wake

    A new way of 3-D printing combines light and oxygen to create solid objects from liquid resin. The method quickly creates detailed objects.

    By
  2. Genetics

    Silencing genes — to understand them

    Hijacking a cell process called RNA interference can let scientists turn off a selected gene. Its silencing can point to what genes do when they’re on — and may lead to new treatments for disease.

    By
  3. Chemistry

    Scientists Say: Fulgurite

    When lightning strikes in the right place, it can fuse minerals together in a glassy structure.

    By
  4. Tech

    Sunglasses on demand

    Plastics that conduct electricity let new color-changing sunglasses go from dark to light and back again at the tap of a switch. The shades could come in a range of colors too.

    By
  5. Chemistry

    Why metals have a blast in water

    Alkali metals explode in water. Using high-speed cameras, scientists have finally figured out why.

    By
  6. Brain

    Blowing up the brain

    When added to brain tissue, a chemical like one found in baby diapers expands. And it expands that brain tissue too, giving scientists a better view of how its cells connect.

    By
  7. Environment

    Air pollution can mess with our DNA

    New research suggests a type of air pollution — diesel fumes — can affect your health. It inappropriately switches some genes on, while turning off others.

    By
  8. Tech

    Rewritable paper: Prints with light, not ink

    Rewritable paper could save money, preserve forests and cut down on waste — and all without using any ink.

    By
  9. Planets

    Asteroid impacts may have sparked life on Earth

    The energy produced by comets and asteroids that collide with Earth may have been strong enough to start life.

    By
  10. Environment

    Thirdhand smoke poses lingering danger

    The pollutants in cigarette smoke can linger indoors for hours. Indeed, they may pose risks long after any visible smoke is gone.

    By
  11. Chemistry

    Sunlight might have put oxygen in Earth’s early air

    High-energy bursts of ultraviolet light can break apart carbon dioxide, yielding oxygen gas. The experiment may mimic what happened on Earth billions of years ago.

    By
  12. Chemistry

    Space cloud may hold clue to life’s origins

    Scientists probing a cloud of dust and gas some 26,000 light-years away found a chemical with a structure resembling molecules critical for all life on Earth.

    By