Bridging the STEM skills gap
Bridging the STEM skills gap requires more than policy—it demands action from both government and industry to create hands-on opportunities for students.
BASF increases 2024 EBITDA
At German chemical major BASF, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) before special items increased, compared with 2023, reaching €7.9bn in 2024; however, sales did fall slightly to €65.3bn in 2024, down from €68.9bn in 2023.
Polypropylene patents booming
ResearchAndMarkets latest report, Polypropylene (PP) Patent Landscape Report, offers a comprehensive analysis of the patent landscape in Polypropylene (PP) technology, focusing on 27,337 patents filed from 2010 to 2024. The field of polypropylene has shown substantial growth, with an accelerating trend in patent filings, particularly in 2021, indicating an increasing commitment to innovation across sectors such as automotive, packaging and healthcare.
A new take on persistent bacteria and drug failure
A new study challenges the idea that persistent bacteria cause drug failure in many patients. A typical scenario is that a patient is infected by Salmonella and lab tests show they are susceptible to antibiotics. Yet when the patient is given a drug, the infection persists.
RNA pesticides as a new form of pest control
RNA pesticides, which can target individual species that attack crops, are an entirely new way to combat crop pests, delegates were told at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) in Boston, 13-15 February 2025.
REACH out and hope: The challenges for Europe's chemicals industry
Twenty years ago, when I first joined C&I as Editor, the main topic of conversation across the European chemical industry centred on the EU’s proposed Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals, the so-called REACH regulations.
American Geophysical Union makes US climate call
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has urged the US Administration to immediately renew the federal commitment to climate science, including the restoration of data, personnel, grants and collaborations.
How gut bacteria can influence the brain
A new study shows that gut bacteria can bring about molecular changes in the brain. It is the first to show that they can influence how carbohydrates modify proteins in the brain during a process called glycosylation. The study was made possible by a new method which allows researchers to study glycosylation at a much higher scale and resolution than previously.
Artificial leaf reactor makes ethylene from CO2
An artificial leaf reactor powered by sunlight could ultimately convert CO2 into fuels for cars or planes, say researchers. For now, their lab-scale device made ethane and ethylene by combining a photo absorber with a special copper electrocatalyst. Ethylene (C2H4) is a crucial feedstock for industrial plastic production.