PFAS: Risks and remediation
So-called ‘forever chemicals’, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, have been implicated in a range of health issues. The most recent studies have suggested potential issues for pregnant women and also a role in the development of colorectal cancer.
Researchers create blood stem cells
Researchers have managed to create blood stem cells in the lab that closely resemble those found in the human body. The new method would allow them to produce personalised stem cells from a patient, potentially transforming treatments for blood disorders and bone marrow transplants.
Why space is the new frontier for pharmaceutical manufacturers
Decades of research onboard the ISS have shown that making drugs in microgravity is not only feasible, but also produces superior products. So could space be the next frontier for drug research, development and manufacturing? Katrina Megget reports
How understanding ‘mouthfeel’ will lead to healthier, tastier food
Advances in our understanding of ‘mouthfeel’ are providing the food industry with ways to tailor food to suit different consumer groups. The goal is to produce healthier foods that taste as satisfying as less healthy alternatives, Maria Burke reports
Are we running out of sand?
We’re used to the idea that fossil fuels are running out. But so too, potentially, are lots of other natural resources we have taken for granted. How long, for example, before we run out of copper, phosphorus and sand? Jon Evans reports
Are mushrooms plants?
Sometimes. At least, that is the answer to the question posed in this feature headline, according to a new court ruling. The ruling recently emerged from the new Unified Patent Court (UPC) opened in June 2023. It concerns a provisional injunction by US headquartered mushroom producer Amycel against an individual in Poland alleged to have infringed Amycel’s patent EP 1993350 concerning mushroom strain BR06 marketed by Amycel under the name Heirloom [1]. According to the UPC’s decision, Heirloom is currently the number one selling brown mushroom strain in the world.
A safer workplace?
British Safety Council recently commissioned a YouGov survey, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Health and Safety at Work Act, considering what lies ahead for health, safety and wellbeing, and the impact new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) might have on their workplace.
Organic chemistry
Read the organic chemistry highlights for October 2024 written by G. Richard Stephenson, University of East Anglia, UK.
Researchers probe impact of pollution on the brain
Air pollution isn’t just affecting our respiratory health and curtailing life expectancy, it’s also making our brains sick – and may be a trigger for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, bipolar disorder and even depression, reports Jasmin Fox-Skelly