The transition from simple chemistry to the complex biology of molecules that gave rise to life is a puzzle that scientists ...

For the origin of life on Earth, ancient puddles or coastlines may have had a major ripple effect. A new study shows that a simple class of molecules called alpha hydroxy acids forms microdroplets ...

Over the past five years or so we've seen some important breakthroughs demonstrating how enzymes can be used to break down common plastics, such as the PET used for everything from drink bottles to ...

Feynman diagrams are a powerful tool in condensed matter physics. By turning highly complex equations into sets of simple diagrams, the method has established itself as one of the sharpest tools in a ...

A common mineral, α-alumina, found abundantly in Earth's crust, may have played a critical role in initiating the chemical reactions necessary for life to begin. This exciting discovery, detailed in a ...

Chemists' technique for turning cheap dicarboxylic acids into complex lactones could boost industries from pharmaceuticals to plastics. Chemists at Scripps Research have unveiled a method for turning ...

Bullvalene is a restless molecule. Its bonds ebb and flow in a perpetual series of rearrangements, so that each of its 10 carbon atoms endlessly swaps places with the others. The bizarre consequence ...

Scientists manage to dissolves silver without using cyanide or other harsh chemicals, enabling safe recycling that promotes urban mining.

Few questions have captivated humankind more than the origin of life on Earth. How did the first living cells come to exist? How did these early protocells develop the structural membranes necessary ...

You may have heard that you should try to avoid eating too many simple sugars, but what does that mean? What are simple sugars? Are simple sugars carbohydrates? To answer both questions: simple sugars ...