Stories by Mark Peplow

Promethium, one of the rarest and most mysterious elements in the periodic table, has finally given up some crucial chemical secrets

A wave of funding focuses on antiviral nanomaterials as COVID countermeasures

A new tool enters a pivotal pilot study

A new nanoparticle coating technique prints text that lasts up to five days 

Millions of patients depend on a rare radioactive form of one element to scan them for disease. But the old nuclear reactors that make it are shutting down

“G-putty” is so sensitive that it can track even the steps of a small spider

Polymers have infiltrated almost every aspect of modern life. Now researchers are working on next-generation forms

Synthetic polymerase is a small step along the way to mirrored life-forms

Commercial use of genetically engineered yeast to make medicine has modest impact

A $20-million prize will go to the best technology

New materials will not simply cover wounds—they will be able to alert doctors to problems and deliver fine-tuned drugs

The ice's unusual square structure suggests why water can zip through stacks of the atom-thick sheets of carbon

A pair of semiconducting polymers helps create a pleasant white light that can both illuminate a room and transfer information

Venom molecules could provide alternatives to addictive opiate drugs

The technology could provide large-scale storage for energy from erratic sources such as wind or solar

"Null" results rarely see the light of day, a survey finds

Shifts in the use of gasoline and ethanol to fuel vehicles in Sao Paulo created a unique atmospheric chemistry experiment

Medical implants would monitor vital signs or dispense therapies before vanishing

Next, microbes in the sputum of patients with respiratory tract infections could be examined to see if smoggier days lead to more illness

Quinone could make flow-battery technology competitive with current storage methods

An investigation claims to have turned up evidence of polonium poisoning in the death of the Palestinian leader but draws no certain conclusions

Broken-down pollutants are found to reform in the dark, casting doubt on environmental risk assessments

The ability to convert light to electrical signals efficiently holds potential for high-speed computing

Inflated gas prices have put researchers and industry under pressure