Luminol: Chemistry in its element
Amongst the fictional forensic equipment shown on television, Brian Clegg notices one distinctly non-fiction stalwart: Luminol
Apr 16, 2014•6 min
Chemistry in its element
A weekly tour of the periodic table, from Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
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Episodes
Dichloromethane: Chemistry in its element
It smells sweet, is potentially lethal and organic chemists rely on it: Emily James on dichloromethane
Apr 09, 2014•6 min
Dibromoindigo: Chemistry in its element
Purple was once a colour only royalty could afford to wear. Hayley Birch investigates tyrian purple, or dibromoindigo, the original purple dye
Apr 02, 2014•6 min
Batrachotoxin: Chemistry in its element
Stephen Wallace introduces batrachotoxin, a deadly toxin that comes from a beautiful little frog
Mar 26, 2014•6 min
Helium hydride: Chemistry in its element
Brian Clegg introduces the first compound to ever exist - helium hydride
Mar 19, 2014•7 min
Streptomycin: Chemistry in its element
Simon Cotton introduces the first antibiotic known to kill TB: Streptomycin
Mar 12, 2014•7 min
Alum: Chemistry in its element
Lars Öhrström delves into the history of alum, a compound linked to some of Europe's most infamous families
Mar 05, 2014•6 min
Hirudin: Chemistry in its element
Helen Scales investigates hirudin, a powerful anticoagulant found in leech saliva
Feb 26, 2014•5 min
Ketamine: Chemistry in its element
Simon Cotton explores a dance-scene drug that was designed for horses, ketamine
Feb 19, 2014•6 min
Ethene: Chemistry in its element
Hayley Birch discovers the compound that links explosive anaesthetics, plastics and ripe bananas: Ethene
Feb 12, 2014•6 min
Lactose: Chemistry in its element
Lactose intolerance leads to unpleasant and antisocial symptoms. Lars Öhrström finds out why
Feb 05, 2014•6 min
Tetrahydrogestrinone: Chemistry in its element
Simon Cotton investigates tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), a designer steroid that sparked a sporting scandal
Jan 29, 2014•7 min
Acetaldehyde: Chemistry in its element
Brian Clegg meets a simple organic compound with a reputation for being something of a bruiser
Jan 22, 2014•6 min
Paracetamol: Chemistry in its element
Simon Cotton looks back at the history of one of our favourite painkillers, paracetamol
Jan 15, 2014•6 min
Conotoxins: Chemistry in its element
Helen Scales finds out how unique toxins found in deadly cone snail stings could herald the next generation of painkillers
Jan 08, 2014•5 min
Boron nitride: Chemistry in its element
Brian Clegg explains how the versatile compound boron nitride may be 'the best kept secret in all of chemistry'
Dec 17, 2013•7 min
Glyphosate: Chemistry in its element
A popular way to weed out unwanted pest plants, Jen Newton introduces Glyphosate
Dec 11, 2013•6 min
Guaiacol: Chemistry in its element
This week, Ben Valsler investigates the smoky compound that links whisky, kippers, bacon, hot dogs, coffee, creosote and cough syrup
Dec 04, 2013•5 min
Hexenal: Chemistry in its element
For many, it's the smell of spring and summer. But hexenal - responsible for the aroma of freshly cut grass - makes Simon Cotton think of cricket.
Nov 27, 2013•7 min
Potassium bromide: Chemistry in its element
Did chemistry help control tension in the trenches? Brian Clegg investigates potassium bromide
Nov 20, 2013•7 min
Napalm: Chemistry in its element
A devastating weapon indelibly associated with Apocalypse Now and the Vietnam war, Simon Cotton introduces Napalm
Nov 13, 2013•6 min
Tamoxifen: Chemistry in its element
Tamoxifen can treat and prevent one type of breast cancer, without the side effects of chemotherapy. Andrew Holding explains more
Nov 06, 2013•4 min
Phenylthiocarbamide: Chemistry in its element
By tasting fantastically bitter, but only to some, phenylthiocarbamide (or PTC) exposed the genetics of taste
Oct 30, 2013•5 min
Nitinol: Chemistry in its element
Sitting on your glasses is no longer a death sentence for spectacles, thanks to shape memory alloys like nitinol
Oct 23, 2013•5 min
Titin: Chemistry in its element
It's a massive molecular record breaker. Andrew Holding introduces Titin, the largest protein in the human body
Oct 16, 2013•4 min
Spanish fly: Chemistry in its element
Helen Scales looks at cantharidin, the active ingredient in this famous aphrodisiac
Oct 10, 2013•6 min
Serotonin: Chemistry in its element
Serotonin, the 'happy molecule', may be at the root of depression, but Hayley Birch finds we still have a lot to learn
Oct 02, 2013•6 min
Thujone: Chemistry in its element
Wrongly blamed for murders and hallucinations, Simon Cotton raises a glass of absinthe to this week's compound: Thujone
Sep 25, 2013•8 min
Ambergris: Chemistry in its element
How can whale waste make you a fortune? This week, Helen Scales searches for Ambergris
Sep 18, 2013•6 min
Wilkinson's Catalyst: Chemistry in its element
Simon Cotton introduces the dynamic Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson, and the catalyst that carries his name
Sep 06, 2013•7 min
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