Molecules of lost time
Woolly mammoths have long held the record for the oldest DNA to be deciphered, but ancient DNA from rocks in northern Greenland has now knocked them from the top spot, Michael Gross reports
Consuming issues
Author van Tulleken argues that UPF cannot be regarded as real food and presents several reasons why we should all stop consuming it. An ever-growing body of evidence based on dozens of rigorous studies has established that UPF has a detrimental effect on humans, being associated with a heightened occurrence of cancers, cardiovascular conditions, hypertension, liver disorders, obesity, mental ill-health, metabolic diseases and all-cause mortality.
Evolutionary twists
Wagner puts forward a number of reasons why evolutionary scenarios may at first sight appear impenetrable but goes on to explain that seemingly capricious behaviour can readily be accounted for on the basis of discoveries made by his team. Above all, an indispensable requirement for any kind of evolution to take place is that a supportive environment first be established and that prevailing local conditions then remain close to optimal throughout the entire evolutionary process.
Drug prospects for 2024
In 2023, the US pharma sector recorded the second ever highest level of new drug approvals since 2018. A total of 55 novel drugs were approved by the Food & Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), nearly 50% more than in 2022.
Business digest
The latest business digest for C&I Issue 5 2024 with all the latest mergers and acquisitions in the chemical industry.
Ground broken on enzyme recycling plant
French biotechnology company Carbios has started building a €230m facility that will recycle waste PET plastic using enzymes. The enzymes rapidly degrade PET – polyethylene terephthalate – into its component monomers, which can later be repolymerised.
Parkinson’s: promising drug trials and insights
Re-analysis of data from a large clinical trial has shown that a drug called prasinezumab may slow signs of motor deterioration in people with rapidly progressing Parkinson’s disease.
Electric crackers: heating up for cleaner chemicals
BASF, SABIC and Linde have jointly inaugurated the world’s first large-scale demonstration plant for electrically heated steam cracking furnaces in Ludwigshafen, Germany, following three years of development.
Organic chemistry
Read the organic chemistry highlights for May 2024 written by G. Richard Stephenson, University of East Anglia, UK.