Chemistry & Physics
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 24-Oct-2025 02:11 ET (24-Oct-2025 06:11 GMT/UTC)
Taming the “bad” oxygen
Institute of Science and Technology AustriaPeer-Reviewed Publication
Researchers from the Freunberger group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have unveiled pivotal insights into the redox chemistry of oxygen and reactive oxygen species (ROS). While some ROS play essential roles in cell signaling, the particularly harmful singlet oxygen damages cells and degrades batteries. For the first time, the team uncovers a way to tune it. The results, published in Nature, could have broad applications, including in energy storage processes.
- Journal
- Nature
- Funder
- Austrian Science Fund, Austrian Science Fund, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, European Commission
CATNIP for chemists: New data-driven tool broadens access to greener chemistry
University of MichiganPeer-Reviewed Publication
University of Michigan and Carnegie Mellon University researchers have developed a new tool that makes greener chemistry more accessible.
- Journal
- Nature
- Funder
- U.S. National Science Foundation
New organic molecule set to transform solar energy harvesting
University of CambridgePeer-Reviewed Publication
In a discovery that bridges a century of physics, scientists have observed a phenomenon, once thought to be the domain of inorganic metal oxides, thriving within a glowing organic semiconductor molecule. This breakthrough, led by the University of Cambridge, reveals a powerful new mechanism for harvesting light and turning it into electricity. This could redefine the future of solar energy and electronics, and lead to lighter, cheaper, and simpler solar panels made from a single material.
- Journal
- Nature Materials
- Funder
- European Research Council
New AI enhances the view inside fusion energy systems
Princeton UniversityPeer-Reviewed Publication
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Funder
- DOE/US Department of Energy, DOE/US Department of Energy, DOE/US Department of Energy, DOE/US Department of Energy, DOE/US Department of Energy, DOE/US Department of Energy, DOE/US Department of Energy, National Research Foundation of Korea, Princeton Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence
A step toward diagnosing the flu with your tongue
American Chemical SocietyPeer-Reviewed Publication
Flu season is fast approaching in the northern hemisphere. And a taste-based influenza test could someday have you swapping nasal swabs for chewing gum. A new molecular sensor has been designed to release a thyme flavor when it encounters the influenza virus. Researchers reporting in ACS Central Science say that they plan to incorporate this type of low-tech sensor into gum or lozenges to increase at-home screenings and potentially prevent pre-symptomatic transmission of the disease.
- Journal
- ACS Central Science
Pathogenic yeast strains found in urban air but not along the coast
American Chemical SocietyPeer-Reviewed Publication
As city dwellers may know, escaping to the beach can provide a much-needed change of scenery or a mental reset. Historically, some doctors even prescribed trips to the sea to treat diseases. And now, research published in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters provides another reason to visit the coast. A pilot study found that urban air contained pathogenic strains of Candida yeast that were absent in coastal air samples, revealing a potential transmission method.
- Journal
- Environmental Science & Technology Letters