American Chemical Society

What's in the grime tarnishing the Taj Mahal?

Every several years, workers apply a clay mask to India's iconic but yellowing Taj Mahal to remove layers of grime and reveal the white marble underneath. Now scientists are getting to the bottom of what kinds of pollutants are discoloring one of the world's celebrated wonders. Their findings, published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology, could help inform efforts to protect the mausoleum and other surfaces from pollution.

Honeybee hive sealant promotes hair growth in mice

Hair loss can be devastating for the millions of men and women who experience it. Now scientists are reporting that a substance from honeybee hives might contain clues for developing a potential new therapy. They found that the material, called propolis, encouraged hair growth in mice. The study appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The surprising history of tinsel

New 'electronic skin' for prosthetics, robotics detects pressure from different directions

Touch can be a subtle sense, but it communicates quickly whether something in our hands is slipping, for example, so we can tighten our grip. For the first time, scientists report the development of a stretchable "electronic skin" closely modeled after our own that can detect not just pressure, but also what direction it's coming from. The study on the advance, which could have applications for prosthetics and robotics, appears in the journal ACS Nano.

Questions remain about Ebola's survival in the environment

The Ebola virus travels from person to person through direct contact with infected body fluids. But how long can the virus survive on glass surfaces or countertops? Or in wastewater, for example, when liquid wastes from a patient end up in the sewage system. In the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, scientists review the latest research to find answers to these questions.

'Smart windows' have potential to keep heat out and save energy

Windows allow brilliant natural light to stream into homes and buildings. Along with light comes heat that, in warm weather, we often counter with energy-consuming air conditioning. Now scientists are developing a new kind of "smart window" that can block out heat when the outside temperatures rise. The advance, reported in ACS' journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, could one day help consumers better conserve energy on hot days and reduce electric bills.

A strong, year-end finish for the pharmaceutical industry

As 2014 comes to a close, pharmaceutical companies have much to celebrate. An article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, takes a look back at the milestones the drug industry hit this year, some of its stumbles and what it could mean for patients.

Baking Soda Life Hacks (CLH Vol. 4)

3-D printers bring microscopic structures to life (video)

Accidental Discoveries That Changed The World - Reactions

Can plants edge out petroleum as raw material for textiles and plastics?

Your next pair of spandex pants could be made out of corn — or, more precisely, from dextrose derived from corn. This option is part of a new wave, albeit a small one, of consumer goods that are being produced from plants rather than petroleum-based materials. But a complete transition to a biobased economy won't be easy, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.

'Electronic skin' could improve early breast cancer detection

For detecting cancer, manual breast exams seem low-tech compared to other methods such as MRI. But scientists are now developing an "electronic skin" that "feels" and images small lumps that fingers can miss. Knowing the size and shape of a lump could allow for earlier identification of breast cancer, which could save lives. They describe their device, which they've tested on a breast model made of silicone, in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Scientists rank thousands of substances according to potential exposure level

An overwhelming number of chemicals from household and industrial products are in the environment – and hundreds are in our bodies. But for most of them, scientists have yet to determine whether they cause health problems. Now they've taken the first step toward doing that by estimating which substances people are exposed to the most. Their new method is published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Why plants don't get sunburn

Plants rely on sunlight to make their food, but they also need protection from its harmful rays, just like humans do. Recently, scientists discovered a group of molecules in plants that shields them from sun damage. Now, in an article in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, one team reports on the mechanics of how these natural plant sunscreens work.

Microrockets fueled by water neutralize chemical and biological warfare agents

With fears growing over chemical and biological weapons falling into the wrong hands, scientists are developing microrockets to fight back against these dangerous agents, should the need arise. In the journal ACS Nano, they describe new spherical micromotors that rapidly neutralize chemical and biological agents and use water as fuel.

Fighting a killer frog fungus (video)

ACS Ebola resources available to journalists

Have questions about the science underlying the ongoing Ebola crisis? The virus has so far infected more than 8,000 people, making it the largest outbreak of the virus in history. Despite the incredible efforts of local and global public health teams, Tom Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called the situation "unprecedented" while on a visit to the affected region. He also predicted that it would only get worse before officials could get a handle on the crisis.

Olive oil more stable and healthful than seed oils for frying food

Frying is one of the world's most popular ways to prepare food — think fried chicken and french fries. Even candy bars and whole turkeys have joined the list. But before dunking your favorite food in a vat of just any old oil, consider using olive. Scientists report in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that olive oil withstands the heat of the fryer or pan better than several seed oils to yield more healthful food.

Interesting facts about our favorite candy to mark National Chemistry Week

WASHINGTON — Chemists around the world this week are helping children explore the chemical tricks that confectioners use to transform their ingredients into irresistible treats. These efforts to explain the science behind jelly beans, licorice, chocolate and other gooey delights are part of National Chemistry Week, Oct. 19-25, an annual event sponsored by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society. This year’s theme celebrates “The Sweet Side of Chemistry: Candy.” Among the interesting and curious scientific facts about candy are:

Skin patch could replace the syringe for disease diagnosis

Drawing blood and testing it is standard practice for many medical diagnostics. As a less painful alternative, scientists are developing skin patches that could one day replace the syringe. In the ACS journal Analytical Chemistry, one team reports they have designed and successfully tested, for the first time, a small skin patch that detected malaria proteins in live mice. It could someday be adapted for use in humans to diagnose other diseases, too.