Opioids like fentanyl, morphine and oxycodone are the drugs most linked to overdoses in the U.S. Typical screening methods for drug usage involve collection of blood, saliva or urine samples. Now, in ACS’ Analytical Chemistry, researchers demonstrate a pen-like tool that can quickly and non-invasively collect molecules from the skin’s surface to be screened for opioids with mass spectrometry.

If you’ve seen an owl fly, you probably didn’t hear a thing. That’s because their skin and feathers dampen sound by absorbing high- and low-frequency flight noise. Inspired by this natural soundproofing, researchers publishing in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces developed a two-layer aerogel that mimics the structures inside owl feathers and skin to mitigate sound pollution. This new material could be used in cars and manufacturing facilities to reduce traffic and industrial noise.

Drinking a smoothie is a popular way to consume fruits and vegetables, many of which are rich in micronutrients called polyphenols. If this beverage is purchased at a store, it’s likely been pasteurized with heat or pressure to prevent harmful bacteria growth and extend shelf-life. Now, a preliminary study in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reports that processing smoothies with high heat could also make polyphenols easier for the gut microbiome to absorb.