Ticking survival clock
The author, David Farrier, is professor of literature and the environment at the University of Edinburgh. He has written for The Washington Post and The Daily Telegraph as well as The Atlantic, BBC Future and Prospect. Farrier’s first book, Footprints in Search of Future Fossils, appeared in 2020 when it was acclaimed as a book of the year by both The Times and The Daily Telegraph and subsequently translated into ten languages.
Comment: Are AI-designed molecules patentable?
Artificial intelligence is changing the way new molecules and materials are discovered, from pharmaceuticals to materials, enabling rapid screening and exploration of large design spaces. These advances bring new challenges for intellectual property strategy. In this article, we investigate how patent systems handle innovations where AI plays a pivotal role, and how that might impact IP strategies.
EU briefs - news from the chemistry industry in Europe
Read the news in brief from the EU from C&I Magazine Issue 1 2026.
Comment: Prioritise TCO when making equipment investment decisions
When making any investment decision, particularly when purchasing high-value processing equipment, capital cost is usually one of the first things to be considered. But a far more accurate metric is actually the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) or Total Expenditure (totex). This applies as much to heat exchangers and thermal processing systems as any other equipment.
Soil may be key to childhood allergies
The unique blend of fungi and bacteria in a region’s soil may be the strongest factor explaining its rates of childhood allergic disease, with certain assemblages of soil organisms appearing linked with better health outcomes, according to new research presented at AGU’s 2025 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, US. Although a causative connection has yet to be established, the researchers say the pattern appears with remarkable consistency across the globe.
The future of agri-food skills
SCI’s Agri-food Early Careers Committee takes a look at the future of agri-food and agri-tech skills, from the perspective of higher education.
Water molecules ‘walk’ on 2D material
Individual water molecules interact with 2D materials in unexpected ways, according to new research, and this could have implications for innovative coatings that could control wetting or resist icing.
Comment: Updating EU CLP
In 2025, recognition of widespread ‘hidden hazards’, from PFAS to dust, led experts to emphasise that a ‘bare minimum’ approach to chemical management is more than reckless, it’s a fatal oversight.