Go with the flow
Our home planet has famously been described as a pale blue dot in the immense darkness of the Universe. It looks like that because 70% of its surface area is water, with an increasing tendency as pole caps are melting and sea levels rise. Water is essential for life, and its movements determine the fate of life on Earth.
The power of RNA
Cech’s book opens up new vistas of exciting opportunities for RNA researchers. He explains, for instance, how the common presumption that the 74% of the human genome not involved in coding for proteins is no more than junk DNA is misinformed.
More delays for UK REACH
The decision by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to consult on an extension to UK REACH deadlines has increased concerns about the Government’s support for the chemicals industry.
Making light of photochemistry
An international team is challenging a long-held assumption in photochemistry with potential implications for fields ranging from medicine to manufacturing. They suggest that the effectiveness of light in triggering chemical reactions is not solely determined by how strongly a molecule absorbs it.
Business digest
The latest business digest for C&I Issue 9 2025 with all the latest mergers and acquisitions in the chemical industry.
NIH Foundation pushes for end of animal testing
A new drive to replace animal testing with alternative methods has been launched by the US Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH). The Validation and Qualification Network (VQN) brings together regulators, like the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission, with pharmaceutical companies and contract research organisations (CROs).
Leader: Chemical industry at the crossroads
The chemical industry has weathered a long series of serious challenges over recent decades – and is facing a new set right now. The impacts vary around the world, but certainly the new emphasis on tariffs emerging from the US has added a new level of complexity to decisions around international trade – and a cascade of consequences that are still to become clear for businesses in any region.