US and UK science advisors end 8-year silence
The UK Council for Science and Technology and the US Council of Advisors on Science and Technology met in March, for the first time since 2016, in Washington DC to discuss shared priorities on science and technology. The advisory groups report directly to the UK prime minister and US president, respectively.
China 2060: model runs carbon-neutral simulation
The turnaround required for China to reach its committed goal of carbon neutrality by 2060 is considerable. Now, a joint study from researchers at Tsinghua University in Beijing and at the University of California San Diego, US, has built and run a model to simulate a suitable carbon-neutral power grid for China in 2060.
The rise of sustainable protein alternatives
Animals are not an efficient way of converting plants into food. So how can we increase protein production sustainably? Anthony King reports.
How organs on chips could end animal testing
Organoids and organs-on-chips can now be used in submissions to move drugs into human clinical trials. So does this signal the end of animal testing? Katrina Megget reports.
Applied chemistry
Read the latest applied chemistry highlights for April 2024 by Nigel P Freestone | University of Northampton, UK.
Better together
Globally, the chemicals sector continues to grapple with high energy prices, high interest rates and a weak economic outlook. Add to that the continuing conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East. Meanwhile, 2024 is not just an election year, but the election year, with 64 countries and the EU headed to the polls. Read the leader article from Sharon Todd, SCI's CEO.
Blood test hope for early Alzheimer's detection
As concerns abound over side-effects of monoclonal antibodies, a new method for early detection of Alzheimer's disease shows promise.
Organic chemistry
Read the organic chemistry highlights for April 2024 written by G. Richard Stephenson, University of East Anglia, UK.
Bog myrtle key to sustainable ethylene inhibition
The bog myrtle (Myrica gale), a hardy shrub growing on European wetlands, has a trick up its sleeve. It exudes a chemical from its fruits and leaves that inhibits seed germination and growth in a range of plant species. Now, research has revealed this chemical, myrigalone A (MyA), is a potent inhibitor of ethylene biosynthesis (Plant Communications, doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2024.100846).