Chemicals

New research from an international team of scientists is suggesting that instantly recognizable earthy smell after rain is released by bacteria trying to attract a particular arthropod as a way to spread its spores.

Research from a team of US scientists is again raising doubt over the safety of “BPA-free” plastic products. The animal studies described in a new article suggest bisphenol S (BPS) “causes almost identical changes in gene expression” compared to BPA.

Adding chlorine is a common method of disinfecting drinking water, but just how safe is it? Johns Hopkins scientists have found evidence that reactions between chlorine and natural compounds in water may produce previously-unknown toxic byproducts.

Research has confirmed chemicals in sunscreen can be detected in the blood of users after just one application. But experts urge people continue using sunscreen as there is no evidence to suggest these findings point to negative health consequences.

Pulegone, a compound banned as a food additive by the FDA due to carcinogenic properties, has been found in high levels in a number of e-cigarette liquids.

Researchers from the Eindhoven University of Technology have fine-tuned an artificial leaf design and used it to produce drugs for the first time.

A new study has found a correlation between fluoride levels in a pregnant woman's urine, and the IQ of their offspring measured several years later.

​A new study has found that four active ingredients in sunscreen can leech into a person's bloodstream at levels high enough to warrant further toxicology testing. Cancer experts say it’s unclear whether these chemical concentrations are dangerous to humans.​

A study has homed in on compounds in coffee that may inhibit the growth of prostate cancer. The research has only been shown in animal models at this point but the discovery may explain why several observational studies found male coffee drinkers often suffer from lower rates of prostate cancer.

In an exciting new breakthrough from scientists at UC Berkeley, common brewer’s yeast has been engineered to produce several major cannabinoids found in marijuana. This innovation promises faster, cheaper and easier production of these compounds for use in research and medical treatments.

A team of scientists from Germany’s University of Tübingen has discovered a novel and unusual sugar molecule that shows great potential as a natural herbicide. It is harmless to animals and humans but can effectively disrupt the growth of various plants and microorganisms.

Researchers at the University of Queensland have looked to the past to help with the future of biochemistry, resurrecting enzymes from almost half a billion years ago to fill in where current ones can’t.