Chemists could use this quick computational method to design more efficient reactions that yield useful compounds, from fuels to pharmaceuticals.

Despite achieving Unesco biosphere status on the basis of its marine reserves, hazardous chemical contaminants pollute the seas around the Isle of Man.

Biosphere status is ‘not a hallmark of perfection’, says island administration.

Some restrictions prevent loosening of existing environmental standards for clean air and water. Other rules can be changed – though only through a challenging and multistep democratic process.

Not all plastic is the same. Old yogurt cups and milk jugs, for example, don’t play well together when being turned into new materials. However, there are solutions.

New research finds liquid air energy storage could be the lowest-cost option for ensuring a continuous power supply on a future grid dominated by carbon-free but intermittent sources of electricity.

Upending a long-held supposition, MIT researchers find a common catalyst works by cycling between two different forms.

Scaling up nanoparticle production could help scientists test new cancer treatments.

A new, highly efficient process for performing this conversion could make it easier to develop therapies for spinal cord injuries or diseases like ALS.