New Scientist (magazine)
Subject: Chemistry
Type: Magazine
Topics: Health, space, physics, technology, mind, humans, life, mathematics, chemistry, earth, society
Is it easy to understand?
Although some articles cover complex topics, they are relatively accessible. Many articles are very easy to understand.
Who is it for?
It is aimed at “all those interested in scientific discovery and its social consequences”.
How recent is it?
The magazine was founded in 1956 and continues to this day.
New form of gold is much golder than normal gold
The true story of the birth of the periodic table, 150 years ago
Three reasons why the periodic table needs a redesign
Why creating a chemical brain will be how we understand consciousness
A gel made from urea has molecules that resemble friendship bracelets
Beirut explosion: What caused the blast and what else do we know?
Liquid metal that floats on water could make transformable robots
Scientists made a bow-tie shaped molecule and it changes colour
Chemist Lee Cronin is building an alien to work out why life exists
Crisp packets made of a new material could be much easier to recycle
Clever chemistry could make fertiliser with a smaller carbon footprint
Robotic chemist may be able to recreate Earth’s primordial soup
New kind of blue found in cabbage could replace synthetic food dye
‘Splat chemistry’ creates substances by chucking molecules at a wall
Water droplets can sometimes turn into bleach when hitting a surface
Simple chemistry can recycle polystyrene into more valuable products
Soap molecule could help make alternative LED tech commercially viable
Forensic fingerprinting technique could help spot document fraud
Tracing lithium’s atomic signature could help make ethical batteries
Fast way of making pufferfish’s neurotoxin may lead to new pain drugs
A new kind of crystal has been created and lasts 10 milliseconds
Adding tomato pigment to solar panels increases their efficiency
Scientists made a new kind of molecule bigger than some bacteria
Zapping scrap plastic from cars can turn it into recyclable graphene
Tiny Möbius strip fashioned from carbon nanotube building blocks
Chemical waste can be recycled into a range of drugs and fertilisers
Chemical computer can be programmed to solve hard problems
Endlessly recyclable materials could fix our plastic waste crisis
Soil bacteria enzyme generates electricity from hydrogen in the air
The surprisingly useful liquids that mop up gases like a sponge
Strange quantum event happens once every 10 billion chances
Loofah-inspired gel purifies contaminated water with warmth of the sun
Chocolate with a low-fat centre could still feel luxurious to eat
Toughest material ever is an alloy of chromium, cobalt and nickel
Biogel armour can stop a supersonic projectile in its tracks
Building blocks for life may be able to form in radioactive meteorites
Trapping powder quickly removes all microplastics from water
Genetically modified tobacco plant produces cocaine in its leaves
We finally know in detail how salt dissolves in water
Battery made using seaweed still works after charging 1000 times
Aluminium alloy could boost spacecraft radiation shielding 100-fold
Nobel prize in chemistry awarded for reliable molecule-building tool
Ancient graphene formed 3 billion years before humans discovered it
One of chemistry’s most crucial concepts is in crisis – can we fix it?
Men and women’s hands can be distinguished just from their scent
Chemists have solved a decades-long problem of bonding beryllium
3D-printed material glows green under pressure or friction
Octopus-inspired ink changes colour when exposed to light
Watch 44 million atoms simulated using AI and a supercomputer
Decades-old mystery about photosynthesis finally solved
Chemists are teaching GPT-4 to do chemistry and control lab robots
Crystal impervious to radiation could be used in spaceship computers
Plastic wrap made from seaweed withstands heat and is compostable
Recyclable plastic made from super glue could replace polystyrene
Glass made of amino acids can be 3-D printed and dissolves in the body
DNA repair has been captured in a step-by-step molecular movie
Crystal-hunting DeepMind AI could help discover new wonder materials
Spray-on sensors can turn any clothing into motion-sensing technology
Homemade malt is the key to baking the perfect loaf of bread
Atom-by-atom recordings track what happens after substances dissolve
Why cannabis smells like skunk – and how that could soon change
Nobel prize for chemistry goes to trio behind quantum dots work
Superglue alternative made from soya is strong but biodegradable
The science behind baking the perfect chocolate chip cookie
Plastic bottles can be recycled into energy-storing supercapacitors
A map of every conceivable molecule could be possible with AI
Earth’s early warmth may be explained by methane-making reaction
Chemical reaction used in cooking may have helped complex life evolve
Widely used chemicals can now be made without using toxic gas
Light-sensitive molecules could make carbon capture more efficient
Layer of graphene could help protect statues and paintings from damage
The chemist who told us to put salt in our tea explains why she did it
The science behind fluffy pancakes and using the right raising agent
Strange ‘one-dimensional gas’ created by trapping atoms in a tiny tube
Missing bullets can be identified by ricochet residue at crime scenes
The tightest knot ever made is a tied-up chain 54 atoms long
Notoriously complex material called ‘plumber’s nightmare’ created
Strange material made of soap could be used for photosynthesis
Bridging theory: How New Scientist created an impossible festive feast
Materia made of carbon and nitrogen is nearly as hard as diamond
How to use ‘flavour bridging’ to cook a bizarre but tasty holiday meal
AI can tell which chateau Bordeaux wines come from with 100% accuracy
Swarm of nanorobots can remove tiny plastic fragments from water
Drug residue can be detected in fingerprints left at crime scenes
How science can hep you bake a delicious vegan carrot cake
Flavour-predicting AI can tell brewers how to make beer taste better
Gold flecks make super-transparent glass fully opaque from one side
The scientific secrets to baking a perfectly moist chocolate cake
AI could help replicate smells in danger of being lost to history
Magnetic particles turn water droplets into tightrope-walking acrobats
Greener way to dye denim could cut the environmental impact of jeans
Casimir Funk: The scientist who gave us the word ‘vitamin’
Crucial chemical for life can form in conditions found on early Earth
Super-thickeners made from starch reduce calories and carbs in food
Batteries made with water could power e-scooters without exploding
Old milk can be used to extract gold and other metals from e-waste
Physicists may now have a way to make element 120 – the heaviest ever
How to make a perfect baked Alaska? It’s all about thermodynamics
Hydrogel can preserve medications for weeks outside of a fridge
Weird form of ‘dangling’ ice spotted in space for the first time
Glassy gel is hard as plastic and stretches 7 times in length
Chemists invoke bizarre Maxwell’s demon on the largest scale yet
The science behind making perfect puff pastry
Mysterious element promethium finally reveals its chemical properties
Some metals actually grow more resilient when hot
Fragile quantum entanglement may survive chaos of chemical reactions
How science can help you whip up perfect egg whites for your bakes
We now know exactly how thick the boundary between water and air is
Ultrasonic coffee-maker produces the perfect cold brew in minutes
Why warm drinks taste more alcoholic than cold ones
My thoughts…
Instead of trying to read as many New Scientist articles as you possibly can, I suggest clicking on the titles that intrigue you most. Here are some of the ones I read, as well as my opinions on the topics discussed:
- AI could help replicate smells in danger of being lost to history
- Greener way to dye denim could cut the environmental impact of jeans
- Casimir Funk: The scientist who gave us the word ‘vitamin’
The benefits of AI-generated fragrances
I think that AI-generated fragrances could become popular in the future. The ability to generate smells using technology could be useful in many ways. For example, the smell of an untouched forest could help us reconnect with nature and smells with sentimental meaning could help us relive our favourite memories. AI could also help the perfume industry create recipes for cheaper, yet more sustainable, fragrances.
What’s wrong with the denim industry?
As well as using extraordinary quantities of water to make denim, and in many cases, mistreating factory workers, the denim industry currently uses harmful chemicals to dye the material with indigo. The compound was once extracted from plants but is usually synthesised today. In order to make indigo soluble in water and be used for dying, harmful chemicals are used, such as sodium dithionite. These chemicals produce toxic fumes which affect the health of the textile workers and pollute waste water. 4 billion pairs of jeans are manufactured each year, so the impact of the denim industry is substantial. For these reasons, I think we should all make an effort to buy second-hand jeans if we feel we actually need new ones.
How important are vitamins?
There are 13 vitamins in total, including 8 types of vitamin B as well as vitamins A, C, D, E and K. Vitamins are essential for keeping us healthy. For example, vitamin C protects us from scurvy and vitamin B1 protects us from beriberi disease. However, this doesn’t mean we should be taking every vitamin supplement we can get our hands on. In some cases, excessive doses can be toxic or just futile. It’s also not enough just to take a multivitamin and expect that you’ll never get ill, because there is so much more to a healthy diet than vitamins. Vitamins are actually more potent when they come from food, which is why I think we should prioritise our consumption of nutrient-rich foods before resorting to supplements.