American Chemical Society

Galileo didn’t invent thermometer that bears his name

Journal of Chemical Education The great Italian scientist Galileo may have been the first person to use a telescope to observe the heavens, helping spark the scientific revolution of the 16th century, but Galileo definitely did not invent the famous thermometer and captivating curiosity that bears his name. That’s the message of an article in ACS’ Journal of Chemical Education.

Powerful new explosive could replace today’s state-of-the-art military explosive

Crystal Growth & Design Borrowing a technology used to improve the effectiveness of drugs, scientists are reporting discovery of a new explosive more powerful than the current state-of-the-art explosive used by the military, and just as safe for personnel to handle. Their report appears in ACS’ journal Crystal Growth & Design.

A new approach for controlling the skyrocketing cost of health care

Chemical & Engineering News A potentially powerful new approach for limiting health care costs — which account for almost $1 out of every $5 spent in the U.S. each year — is the topic of the feature story in this week’s edition of Chemical & Enginering News (C&EN), the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society.

Green plants reduce pollution on city streets up to eight times more than previously believed

Environmental Science & Technology Trees, bushes and other greenery growing in the concrete-and-glass canyons of cities can reduce levels of two of the most worrisome air pollutants by eight times more than previously believed, a new study has found. A report on the research appears in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology.

New antibacterial coating for sutures could reduce infections after surgery

Langmuir Responding to an urgent need for better antibacterial coatings on surgical sutures, scientists are reporting the discovery of a new coating that is almost 1,000 times more effective than the most widely used commercial coating. Their report appears in ACS’ journal Langmuir.

Warning on deterioration of famous Swedish warship, Vasa

Biomacromolecules The famous warship, Vasa, displayed in a museum that gets 1.2 million visitors every year and ranks as one of Sweden's most popular tourist attractions, is deteriorating despite ongoing preservation efforts, scientists are reporting. Their study, citing a "significant" loss of strength in the ship's wood, appears in ACS' journal Biomacromolecules.

Many trendy “microgreens” are more nutritious than their mature counterparts

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry The first scientific analysis of nutrient levels in edible microgreens has found that many of those trendy seedlings of green vegetables and herbs have more vitamins and healthful nutrients than their fully grown counterparts. A report on the research appears in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Back-to-the-future process yields “miracle wood”

A back-to-the-future technology, first used more than 100 years ago, has put a new form of wood on the market – a veritable “miracle wood” that resists the moisture-induced bowing, swelling, cupping, shrinking and cracking that have been downsides of natural wood for thousands of years. The new “acetylated wood” is the topic of a story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN). C&EN is the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.

A step toward minute factories that produce medicine inside the body

Scientists are reporting an advance toward treating disease with minute capsules containing not drugs — but the DNA and other biological machinery for making the drug. In an article in ACS’ journal Nano Letters, they describe engineering micro- and nano-sized capsules that contain the genetically coded instructions, plus the read-out gear and assembly line for protein synthesis that can be switched on with an external signal.

New substances 15,000 times more effective in destroying chemical warfare agents

In an advance that could be used in masks to protect against nerve gas, scientists are reporting development of proteins that are up to 15,000 times more effective than their natural counterpart in destroying chemical warfare agents. Their report appears in ACS’ journal Biochemistry.

Advanced explosives detector to sniff out previously undetectable amounts of TNT

With the best explosive detectors often unable to sniff out the tiny amounts of TNT released from terrorist bombs in airports and other public places, scientists are reporting a potential solution. Their research in ACS’ journal Analytical Chemistry describes development of a device that concentrates TNT vapors in the air so that they become more detectable.

Leveraging bacteria in drinking water to benefit consumers

Contrary to popular belief, purified drinking water from home faucets contains millions to hundreds of millions of widely differing bacteria per gallon, and scientists have discovered a plausible way to manipulate those populations of mostly beneficial microbes to potentially benefit consumers. Their study appears in ACS’ journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Chemistry on Mars video with Curiosity Rover from the American Chemical Society

WASHINGTON, — After an epic 354-million-mile trek through space, the Mars Curiosity Rover is zooming along at 13,000 miles per hour toward a scheduled August 6 landing on the Red Planet to search for evidence of extraterrestrial life. The newest episode of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS’) award-winning Bytesize Science video series highlights Curiosity Rover’s mission, scientific instrumentation and the role that chemistry plays in the search for life on other planets. The video, produced by the ACS Office of Public Affairs, is available at [url=http://www.bytesizescience.com]http://www.bytesizescience.com[/url].

A new genre of diagnostic tests for the era of personalized medicine

A new genre of medical tests – which determine whether a medicine is right for a patient’s genes – are paving the way for increased use of personalized medicine, according to the cover story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News. C&EN is the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.

Most new pesticides have roots in natural substances

Scientists who search for new pesticides for use in humanity’s battle of the bugs and other threats to the food supply have been learning lessons from Mother Nature, according to a new analysis. It concludes that more than two out of every three new pesticide active ingredients approved in recent years had roots in natural substances produced in plants or animals. The article appears in ACS’ Journal of Natural Products.

The first robot that mimics the water striders’ jumping abilities

The first bio-inspired microrobot capable of not just walking on water like the water strider – but continuously jumping up and down like a real water strider – now is a reality. Scientists reported development of the agile microrobot, which could use its jumping ability to avoid obstacles on reconnaissance or other missions, in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Alcohol could intensify the effects of some drugs in the body

Scientists are reporting another reason — besides possible liver damage, stomach bleeding and other side effects — to avoid drinking alcohol while taking certain medicines. Their report in ACS’ journal Molecular Pharmaceutics describes laboratory experiments in which alcohol made several medications up to three times more available to the body, effectively tripling the original dose.

Solving the mystery of how cigarette smoking weakens bones

Almost 20 years after scientists first identified cigarette smoking as a risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fractures, a new study is shedding light on exactly how cigarette smoke weakens bones. The report, in ACS’ Journal of Proteome Research, concludes that cigarette smoke makes people produce excessive amounts of two proteins that trigger a natural body process that breaks down bone.

American Chemical Society’s highest honor goes to pioneer of “Lego-like” molecules

WASHINGTON, — Peter J. Stang, Ph.D., distinguished professor of chemistry at the University of Utah and editor of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), has been named winner of the 2013 Priestley Medal by the American Chemical Society (ACS). It is the highest honor bestowed by the world’s largest scientific society.

The taste and fragrance of orange, vanilla, rose and more — courtesy of bacteria and yeast

Suppliers of the orange, vanilla and other flavor and fragrance ingredients used in hundreds of foods, beverages and personal care products are putting their faith in microbes as new sources for these substances. That migration away from the natural plant oils used for centuries to delight the taste buds and nose is the topic of a story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News. C&EN is the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.