Chemicals

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.

A new study has reignited the long-standing controversy of the safety of triclosan, an antibacterial compound found in scores of household products. The research, at this stage only verified in mice, found the chemical increases inflammation in the colon and reduces the diversity of gut flora.

​New research from King’s College London has set out to produce a comprehensive database of the various compounds produced by the enormous array of bacteria that resides in our gut.​ These compounds, called postbiotics, could potentially then be synthesized and used as medications.

Neonicotinoids are bad news for bees and we've known it for a while. But the situation regarding bee populations and the world's most widely used pesticide has now become so dire that the EU has placed a complete ban on their outdoor use, and it's expected to take effect by the end of the year.

Proteins are the workhorses of biology, but they’re too sensitive to be useful in the outside world. Now, a team from UC Berkeley has found a way to keep them alive and functioning in a synthetic environment, and used them to make mats that can break down toxic chemicals.