News & Comment

Neodymium is a key element in a wide range of modern technologies, yet its extraction, processing and long-term availability present substantial challenges. Bruce Gibb examines the chemistry and geology of this rare earth element, and considers how its recovery from mine waste could strengthen future supplies.

Tungsten clusters have illuminated complexity from biology to light conversion. Elisabetta Benazzi, Maurizio Prato and Marcella Bonchio explore how ruthenium-polyoxotungstates for artificial photosynthesis.

Se’vIr lIngDI’ tamlertej, tlhIngan Hol QaQ law’ DIvI’ Hol QaQ puS jatlh Michelle Francl (‘Should chemists publish in Klingon rather than English, wonders Michelle Francl’).

Guoqing Jin and Wenshe Ray Liu retrace how pyrrolysine emerged from a stop codon, challenged the rules of translation, and enabled chemists to encode designer functionalities into proteins.

Presenting research as a group leader means considering the range of projects one is simultaneously involved in and crafting an overarching story. Shira Joudan describes her approach and reflects on preparing and presenting a seminar.

Lata Gautam, Michael D. Cole and Agatha Grela discuss gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, commonly known as GHB — a natural neurotransmitter and a sedative substance with euphoric effects but carrying serious risks.

Wylan Wong and Craig P. Johnston explore the enduring legacy of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and its analogues, from their early biochemical discovery to their resurgence in anti-ageing research and synthetic chemistry.

Industry based around the generation of lime from calcium carbonate is responsible for a large proportion of anthropogenic carbon emissions — and thus has a significant impact on climate change. Bruce Gibb takes us through the chemistry of lime and considers how chemists can help in the development of alternative processes with reduced carbon emissions — with a particular focus on the generation of cement.

It is 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics, and not only did it bring with it a greater understanding of the world around us, it also introduced a new lexicon. Now, Michelle Francl wonders how the language of quantum mechanics has been flipped to the dark side and appropriated by pseudoscience.

Sophie Beeren discusses the development of cyclodextrins, moving from laboratory curiosities to common ingredients in daily products, active pharmaceutical ingredients and building blocks for supramolecular chemistry.

Catalysis has been a standard topic taught in university chemistry courses over the past century yet biocatalysis — or enzyme catalysis — has only recently been integrated into standard chemistry curriculum despite its broad applicability in industry. In a fourth year undergraduate research project course, students can now choose to explore interesting chemical transformations in the lab using biocatalysis instead of traditional synthetic chemistry approaches.

Lidan Xing and Kang Xu explain how bis(sulfonyl)imide salts use fluorine, with its extreme stability and electronegativity, to balance solubility and stability for developing advanced battery chemistries.

Analysing the sequence, concentration and sub-cellular location of RNA can provide insight into physiological processes and enable disease diagnosis. This issue draws together several articles describing chemical advances that can be applied to detect RNA.

Collaboration allows us to tackle big scientific questions, but figuring out how to do it effectively can be difficult. Shira Joudan describes making new connections, being a good collaborator, and what to consider when you inevitably mess up.

The buffering capacity of the world’s oceans has helped offset the effects of CO₂ emissions on climate; however, it is not without cost. Bruce Gibb discusses the causes, the chemistry and the consequences of ocean acidification.

Philippe Loubet and André Estévez-Torres, from Bordeaux INP and CNRS-University of Lille respectively, talk to Nature Chemistry about assessing the carbon footprint of chemistry laboratories, and approaches to reducing their environmental impact.

Benjamin N. Bhawal examines the enigmatic history of ribose in chemistry, its multifaceted structure, and its role in the origin of life and the design of future therapeutics.

The discovery of benzene two centuries ago marked a turning point in chemistry. From contributing to the development of chemical bonding concepts, to its practical use in the chemical industry, the story of this ring-shaped molecule is a combination of curiosity, science, and human kindness.