US fine chemicals: Industry outlook
US specialty and fine chemical volumes fell back slightly by 0.5% to 3.47mt in January 2025, compared with December 2024, according to figures produced by consultancy Swift Economics. This figure was still 1.3% higher, compared with January 2024; and still above re-Covid levels. The fallback is believed to be the result of ‘softened activity’ due to adverse winter weather and follows a 0.7% gain in December and flat activity in November 2024.
US life sciences shake up leads to confusion
The US Administration’s firing, and more recently rehiring, of federal research-based employees has led to confusion and chaos in the US life sciences sector. The firings at federal agencies and research organisations began shortly after President Trump’s inauguration in January 2025 driven by a pledge to pursue government cost savings, under the supervision of the newly-appointed Elon Musk, Head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
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.
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.
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.
Researchers boost CO2 catalyst efficiency
Researchers have developed a sustainable catalyst that increases its activity during use while converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable products. This discovery offers a potential blueprint for designing next generation electrocatalysts.
Mitochondrial transplants to help hearts
Medical researchers reported on mito-chondria transfer in seriously ill children, at the AAAS meeting in Boston. Everyone is familiar with organ transplantations, but physician scientists created a buzz when they talked about how mitochondria transfer can repair the hearts of babies.